Cream Cheese Apple Bars with Pecan Streusel
Servings: 12 people
Calories: 752kcal
These Cream Cheese Apple Bars with Pecan Streusel are the quintessential fall dessert to fall in love with. So heartwarming and a little decadent...they are simply divine. You can serve them warm, but we love them chilled with a little warmed caramel sauce drizzled over the top. Heavenly.
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Equipment
- 9"x13" baking dish
Ingredients
For the Pecan Shortbread Crust
- 1 cup pecans chopped
- ½ cup brown sugar light or dark
- 1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks, room temperature
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp Kosher salt
- 2 tbsp butter softened, for greasing the dish
For the Cream Cheese Filling
- 2 8 oz. packages cream cheese softened, room temperature
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ½ tsp lemon zest
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Apple Filling
- 3 large Granny Smith apples peeled, cored and chopped
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- ½ tsp allspice
- ½ tsp lemon zest
- ½ tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Pecan-Oatmeal Streusel
- 1 cup brown sugar light or brown
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup old-fashioned oats
- ½ cup toffee bits we use Heath bar bits
- ½ cup pecans chopped
- ½ tsp Kosher salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter softened, room temp
- 1 cup caramel sauce, warmed purchased or homemade, optional
Instructions
Make the Pecan Shortbread Crust
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a food processor, pulse together the pecans and the sugar for 30 seconds.1 cup pecans, ½ cup brown sugar
- In a mixer, on medium speed, beat the butter, vanilla, and pecan/sugar mixture until creamed and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in the flour and salt until just combined.1 cup unsalted butter, ½ tsp vanilla extract, 2¼ cups all-purpose flour, ½ tsp Kosher salt
- Press the shortbread into the bottom of a 9"x13" baking dish that has been well-greased with butter, shortening, or cooking spray. Use a fork to puncture the crust all over.2 tbsp butter
- Bake for 15 minutes until lightly browned. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack.
Prepare the Cream Cheese Filling
- In a medium bowl, mix (stand mixer our hand-held mixer) beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth.2 8 oz. packages cream cheese, ¾ cup sugar
- One at a time, add the eggs, beating well after each addition.2 large eggs
- Add the lemon zest and lemon juice along with the vanilla and beat until combined.½ tsp lemon zest, 1 tsp lemon juice, 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Spread the filling over the cooled shortbread.
Prepare the Apple Filling
- In a separate bowl, stir together the apples, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla.3 large Granny Smith apples, 3 tbsp sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp nutmeg, ½ tsp allspice, ½ tsp lemon zest, ½ tsp lemon juice, 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Spread the apple mixture over the cream cheese mixture.
Prepare the Pecan-Oatmeal Streusel
- In a medium bowl, stir together brown sugar, flour, oats, toffee bits, pecans, and salt. Carefully fold in the butter with a fork, until incorporated. The mixture will be a bit crumbly.1 cup brown sugar, 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 cup old-fashioned oats, ½ cup toffee bits, ½ cup pecans, ½ tsp Kosher salt, ¾ cup unsalted butter
- Sprinkle the streusel over the apples.
Finish Off the Bars
- Bake until set, about 30 minutes. Let cool for 30 minutes on a rack.
- Serve warm, or cover and chill in the refrigerator. Serve with warm caramel sauce, if desired.1 cup caramel sauce, warmed
Notes
See the video near the top of the blog post for visual guidance. If you liked the video, please subscribe to our YouTube channel.
Remember to set your butter and cream cheese out at least 2 hours before you start preparing the bars.
The bars can easily be cut after the dish has completely cooled. You can serve them warm out of the oven, but the cream cheese filling will ooze a bit.
The bars will keep covered in the fridge for up to 7 days. They can be frozen for several months.
Nutrition
Calories: 752kcal | Carbohydrates: 89g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 118mg | Sodium: 248mg | Potassium: 237mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 55g | Vitamin A: 1085IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 3mg