First layer is a buttery crust with just three ingredients: butter, sugar, and flour.
Press it down into a pan and bake it off for a few minutes to get browned and toasted.
Then pour on an easy cheesecake layer: cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and eggs.
On top of that goes some diced, spiced apples.
And last, but definitely not least, a streusel topping.
Pop the whole thing in the oven and bake it until the cheesecake is set, the apples are soft and caramelized, and the topping is golden and crunchy.
You can pour the caramel over the top of the whole pan at this point and let it just kind of set in there as they cool, or you can leave it off. If I’m serving these on a platter for a grab-and-go kind of thing, I sometimes leave it off completely, because they stack nicely without it, kind of like a bar cookie.
If I’m serving them for an after dinner desert, I like to bring out the caramel separately,
And drizzle it on the plate. If you’ve got the time, definitely make our Buttermilk Caramel Sauce– it’s freakin’ amazing.
Either way works great. These are so stinkin’ good. They’ll keep in the fridge if you want to make them ahead of time; I actually think they improve after being chilled for a few hours.
Makes a great buffet style dessert, looks adorable in a cute gift box for giving, and works awesome for a fun family treat. They’re kinda perfect.
