These Caramel Apple Cheesecake Cookie Bars are a mouthful, and a delicious one at that. The flavor combination of the snappy cookie crust, silky cream cheese filling, gooey cinnamon apples, and a pecan cookie crumble topping is just too good to save for the fall.
Drizzle on the caramel, sprinkle with flaky sea salt, and I have just one word for this - YUM! Using simple ingredients like sugar cookie mix and apple pie filling, these bars come together quickly and easily, making them the perfect treat for any occasion.
Caramel Apple Cheesecake Cookie Bar Ingredients
For the Cookie Crust:
- sugar cookie mix
- unsalted butter
- water
- ground cinnamon
For the Cookie Crumble Topping:
- prepared cookie crust mixture (from above)
- pecans (or walnuts)
For the Cheesecake Filling:
- cream cheese
- granulated sugar
- egg
For the Apple Filling:
- Apple Pie Filling & Topping
For the Caramel Drizzle:
- jar of caramel sauce
- Maldon sea salt flakes (optional)
- or, try my homemade Sea Salt Vanilla Caramel recipe
Caramel Apple Cheesecake Cookie Bar Baking Tips:
Preparing the Crust and Topping
- Parchment Paper: Pre-cut your parchment paper to fit the width of your baking pan. It’s not necessary to cover all four sides, just two will do. Though, make sure to leave enough parchment hanging over the edges to easily lift the bars out once they have cooled.
- Cookie Mix: Use two packages of cookie mix for this recipe. You can find this in the baking aisle at your favorite grocery store. Follow the package instructions and add cinnamon. Divide the mixture in half: one half will be used for the crust, the other for the crumble topping. When baking mine, I used slightly more than ½ for the crust, probably a few tablespoons extra. If you're using a 9x9" pan, you might need the extra, as well.
- Chill the Topping: After adding the pecans to the reserved cookie mixture for the topping, refrigerate or freeze it. Chilling firms up the dough, making it easier to break into small crumbles for the topping.
Baking and Finishing the Bars
- Baking Time: These cookie bars bake to a nice bubbly and caramelly consistency in about 40 minutes. However, they were still slightly pale on top and I wanted a tiny bit more color (but not too dark), I opted to move the pan on the top rack for an additional 5 minutes.
- Caramel Drizzle: After baking, you can drizzle the caramel over the bars while they’re still warm, then chill them (they need some time to cool). Alternatively, you can wait until the bars are cooled and drizzle the caramel before serving.
- Flaky Sea Salt: Lastly, I recommend adding Maldon sea salt flakes right before serving to preserve its texture and flavor. This final touch enhances the sweetness and richness of the caramel and makes each bite extra special.
Homemade Sea Salt Vanilla Caramel Sauce
The only thing that tastes better than caramel is caramel from scratch. If you're looking to take your bars to the next level, let's talk about my Sea Salt Vanilla Caramel sauce.
Homemade caramel always seemed intimidating, but I quickly realized it’s incredibly simple to make with just five ingredients in one pot: sugar, heavy cream, butter, sea salt, and vanilla bean paste. And the taste? Pure magic. Trust me, once you try it, you won’t want to go back to store-bought. It’s easy to make and will elevate your desserts like nothing else.
Storing the Caramel Apple Cheesecake Cookie Bars
Refrigerating the leftover Caramel Apple Cheesecake Cookie Bars helps preserve the freshness of the apple filling and cream cheese. Because both the cream cheese and apple filling are perishable, chilling the bars keeps them safe to eat for up to 3–4 days.
It also allows the caramel drizzle to set, making the bars easier to slice. If you prefer them warm, simply reheat slightly before serving for that fresh-baked taste!
Can I use a different type of pie filling?
Yes, you can definitely swap the Apple Pie Filling & Topping for any of your other favorite types of of pie filling. Cherry, peach, or blueberry pie filling would work well as alternatives, depending on your preference. Just keep in mind that different fillings will alter the flavor profile, but they’ll still be just as delicious with the cream cheese filling and cookie crust.
Can I use my own sugar cookie recipe?
Absolutely! You can definitely use your own sugar cookie recipe in place of the store-bought mix. Just make sure the dough is firm enough to press into the pan for the crust and crumble topping. Adjust the amount as needed, depending on the yield of your recipe, but it should work just as well and add a personal touch to the bars!
More Delicious Desserts to Try!
If you loved these Caramel Apple Cheesecake Cookie Bars, be sure to check out some of my other desserts that might strike your fancy! Clearly, I’m a caramel fiend, so you’ll find plenty of other caramel-loaded treats on the blog.
Salted Caramel Turtle Brownies
Mini Caramel Apple Cheesecakes with Streusel on Top
Brown Butter Sugar Cookie Bars with Salted Caramel Frosting
Tag @bingeworthybites on Instagram and hashtag it! #bingeworthybites
Gooey Caramel Apple Cookie Bars
Ingredients
Cookie Crust
- 2 packages sugar cookie mix Use half for the crust, half for the topping
- 6 tablespoon butter melted
- 4 tablespoon water
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Cookie Crumble Topping
- ½ prepared cookie crust mixture (from above)
- ¼ cup chopped pecans or walnuts
Cheesecake Filling:
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg large
Apple Filling
- 1 can Apple Pie Filling & Topping
Caramel Drizzle
- ¼ cup jarred caramel sauce
- pinch Maldon sea salt flakes optional
- or, try my homemade recipe:
- Sea Salt Vanilla Caramel
Instructions
Preheat the Oven & Prepare the Pan
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Line an 8x8 or 9x9-inch pan with parchment paper, leaving enough to hang over the edges for easy removal after baking.
- Lightly spray the bottom of the pan with non-stick spray, then line with parchment and spray again.
Prepare the Cookie Crust & Crumble
- In a medium bowl, combine both sugar cookie mix pages with melted butter and water. Add cinnamon and mix well.
- Divide the dough in half. Press half of the dough into the prepared pan to form the crust.
- Bake for 10 minutes. The crust should be slightly puffed and light blond, but not fully set, this will finish baking with the filling.
- Allow the crust to cool for 10 minutes.
Make the Cookie Crumble Topping
- Add chopped pecans (or walnuts) to the reserved cookie dough.
- Refrigerate or freeze for 20 minutes to firm up the dough, making it easier to crumble over the bars later.
Prepare the Cheesecake Filling
- In a medium bowl, beat softened cream cheese, sugar, and egg until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes). Set aside.
Prepare the Apple Filling
- Stir the can of Apple Pie Filling & Topping to loosen the mixture.
Assemble the Bars
- Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the slightly cooled cookie crust.
- Spoon the apple pie filling over the cream cheese layer, allowing some cheesecake filling to peek through.
- Break the chilled cookie crumble topping into small and large clumps and sprinkle over the apples, leaving some apples exposed.
Bake
- Bake at 350°F for about 40 minutes, or until the apples are bubbling and the cookie topping is golden. Check at the 30-minute mark and adjust the baking time as needed.
- Let the bars cool for 30 minutes.
Finish & Serve
- Drizzle with caramel sauce and chill the bars. Alternatively, drizzle the caramel just before serving.
- Run a dull-edged knife around the edges to loosen the bars, then lift them out using the parchment paper.
- Slice into squares and, if desired, sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
- Refrigerate leftovers.
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