Apple Cream Cheese Bars

In The Kitchen with Dionne Z.

Fall is right around the corner and apple orchards all across the Twin Cities are starting to open up for apple picking. So now is a great time to share this Apple Cream Cheese Bars recipe from our very own Dionne Z., whose baking expertise is absolutely divine (according to our entire team).

These bars are wonderful for a weekend football watching party, or to take to a friend’s house for a potluck. Or just make them for you and your family and that way, there will be tons of leftovers. Whatever you do, enjoy these yummy bars.

Apple Cream Cheese Bars

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• ½ cup packed brown sugar
• 1 cup butter
• 2 8 oz. packages or cream cheese
• ½ cup sugar + 2 tbsp. sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 3 Granny Smith apples – peeled and finely chopped
• ½ tsp. cinnamon
• ¼ tsp. nutmeg

Streusel Topping

• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 cup flour
• ½ cup quick cook oats
• ½ cup butter

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Combine flour, brown sugar and cut in butter until crumbly
3. Press into 9”x13” pan
4. Bake 15 minutes
5. Beat cream cheese with ½ cup sugar until smooth.
6. Add one egg at a time and vanilla and mix well
7. Pour over warm crust
8. Mix apples, 2 tbsp. sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Spoon over cream cheese layer
9. Mix streusel topping and sprinkle over apple layer
10. Bake for 30 minutes.
11. Drizzle with caramel sauce (use the type you would put on ice cream).