Buttery shortbread crust with creamy cheesecake filled with apple chunks topped with a streusel and drizzled with tons of maple glaze, you will keep coming back to these gorgeous Maple Apple Cheesecake Bars! Step by step photos teach you how to bake these bars.
Today is my Nan's Birthday and I am so excited we get to spend it with her here in California. We are off to Laguna Beach for the day and I feel so blessed as I scroll through Instagram and so many people around the states are posting pictures of the crazy snow!!
When my nan arrived in the states a few weeks ago these were the first thing I made. She loved them, I loved them. Maybe its because I still have an obsession with maple?! Soo delicious!!
Ingredients
Not gonna lie to you this recipe does require some work and patience there are 5 layers to it, but its not hard and its worth it!!
- All-Purpose Flour/ Plain Flour. The flour is used in the shortbread crust and the crumb streusel topping.
- Brown Sugar. The brown sugar is also used in the crust and crumb topping.
- Butter. The butter will be used in the crust and crumb topping.
- Cream Cheese. softened to room temp
- Granulated Sugar. The sugar is used in the cheesecake batter and in the apple mixture.
- Large Eggs. Your eggs need to be at room temperature so they properly emulsify into the other ingredients.
- Pure Vanilla Extract. This warm extract provides a beautiful flavor.
- Cooking Apples. You can use any cooking apple like: Granny Smith Apples, Honey Crisp Apples, Fuji Apples, Gala, Braeburn, Pink Lady, Cortland. Just make sure the apples are peeled, cored and diced into small pieces.
- Spices. I use a combination of ground cloves and cinnamon but feel free to swap in your favorite warm spices like nutmeg, ginger, allspice.
- Oats. I have used both rolled oats/old fashioned oats and quick cooking oats and had success.
- Powdered Sugar/ Icing Sugar. Make sure you sift your sugar so you don't end up with a lumpy glaze.
- Maple Extract. Measure carefully as maple extract is potent. You will use this in the cheesecake batter and the glaze.
- Milk. This will thin the glaze out. I have also used heavy cream instead of milk in the past.
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350F/180C and line a 9X9 deep baking pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil and grease with non stick cooking spray. In a small bowl combine flour, brown sugar and butter. Cut in butter with a pastry blender, two knives or I like to just rub everything together with my clean hands.
Press into prepared pan and bake for 12 minutes. Set on wire rack to cool while preparing remaining components. Reduce oven temp to 325F/163C.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or large bowl with handheld electric mixer beat cream cheese for 2 minutes on medium speed. Then add sugar and beat for another minute, on medium speed.
Add eggs in one at a time and vanilla and maple extracts mixing on low speed. Mix just until no trace of egg yolk is left behind. Pour on top of cooled crust.
Cut apples up into small pieces, roughly a ¼ of inch chunks. Toss apples in a small bowl with cloves, cinnamon, and sugar. Sprinkle evenly on top of cheesecake mixture.
In a medium bowl mix together flour, oats, brown sugar and butter. Sprinkle evenly on top of apples. Bake for 38-45 minute, until cheesecake, is set. I like to use an instant-read thermometer to check the internal temperature is 150F-155F or 65C-68C .
Let the pan sit on a wire rack for 1 hour then cover and chill in the refrigerator for 4 hours.
Mix together powdered sugar and maple extract. Slowly add in milk 1 tablespoon at a time until you reached desired consistency, I used 4 tbsp.
Drizzle on top of cooled bars. Store leftover Maple Apple Cheesecake Bars in the refrigerator for in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
These bars are truly a dream and worth every step! The shortbread crust, maple cheesecake, spiced apples, crumble and maple glaze really do make these maple apple cheesecake bars a great party dessert.
For another delicious cheesecake bar recipe check out my recipe for pumpkin cheesecake bars or lemon cheesecake bars.
If you love maple just as much as I do try one of my other maple recipes:
- Maple Apple Bread
- Maple Almond Granola Clusters
- Maple Cream-Filled Pumpkin Muffins
- Maple Glazed Pumpkin Donuts
- Apple Cupcakes Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
★★★★★ Please let me know if you make this recipe by leaving a star rating and comment below!
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Maple Apple Cheesecake Bars
Buttery shortbread crust with creamy cheesecake filled with apple chunks topped with a streusel and drizzled with tons of maple glaze, you will keep coming back to these gorgeous Maple Apple Cheesecake Bars!
- Total Time: 6 Hours
- Yield: 12-16 Bars 1x
Ingredients
Crust
- 188 grams (1 ½ Cups) All-Purpose Flour/ Plain Flour
- 150 grams (¾ Cup) Brown Sugar
- 6oz (¾ Cup) Unsalted Butter, at room temp.
Cheesecake Filling
- 16oz Cream Cheese, softened to room temp
- 150 grams (¾ Cup) Granulated Sugar
- 2 Large Eggs, at room temp.
- 1 Teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1 Teaspoon Pure Maple Extract
Apple Mixture
- 2 Cooking Apples,* diced into small pieces
- ¼ Teaspoon Ground Cloves
- ¼ Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- 2 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar
Crumb topping
- 94 grams (¾ Cup) All-Purpose Flour/ Plain Flour
- 75 grams (¾ Cup) Quick Cooking Oats
- 100 grams (½ Cup) Brown Sugar
- 2oz (4 Tablespoons) Unsalted Butter, melted
Maple Glaze
- 125 grams (1 Cup) Powdered Sugar/ Icing Sugar
- ½ Teaspoon Maple Extract
- 3-5 Tablespoons Milk
Instructions
Crust
- Preheat oven to 350F/180C and line a 9X9 deep baking pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil. In a small bowl combine flour, brown sugar and butter. Cut in butter with a pastry blender, two knives or I like to just rub everything together with my clean hands. Press into prepared pan and bake for 12 minutes. Set on wire rack to cool while preparing remaining components. Reduce oven temp to 325F/163C.
Cheesecake
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or large bowl with handheld electric mixer beat cream cheese for 2 minutes on medium speed. Then add sugar and beat for another minute, on medium speed. Add eggs in one at a time and the vanilla and maple extracts mixing on low speed. Mix just until no trace of egg yolk is left behind. Pour on top of cooled crust.
Apple Mixture
- Cut apples up into small pieces, roughly a ¼ of inch chunks. Toss apples in a small bowl with cloves, cinnamon, and sugar. Sprinkle evenly on top of cheesecake mixture.
Crumb topping
- In a medium bowl mix together flour, oats, brown sugar and butter. Sprinkle evenly on top of apples. Bake for 38-45 minute, until cheesecake, is set. I like to use an instant-read thermometer to check the internal temperature is 150F-155F or 65C-68C . Let the pan sit on a wire rack for 1 hour then cover and chill in the refrigerator for 4 hours.
Maple Glaze
- Mix together powdered sugar and maple extract. Slowly add in milk 1 tablespoon at a time until you reached desired consistency, I used 4 tbsp. Drizzle on top of cooled bars. Store in the refrigerator for in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Notes
*Cooking Apples: Granny Smith Apples, Honey Crisp Apples, Fuji Apples, Gala, Braeburn, Cortland
*Total Time includes Chill Time
- Prep Time: 15 Miniutes
- Cooling Time: 5 Hours
- Cook Time: 45 Minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
This post was originally published on January 5, 2014 as of October 3, 2023 it was updated.
Nadira Nancy says
They look so fluffy and delicious! I’m going to try this next weekend with my kiddos and see if they notice a difference! Pinned
Brittany Tillemans says
I made this recipe last night and I followed the directions to the T and everything turned out great. The maple is potent so don’t overdue the ingredients I’d suggest. I’m definitely making these again!
Elizabeth Waterson says
Thank you so much for the lovely review, Brittany! So glad you enjoyed the cheesecake bars- they're so good!! XX Liz