Apple Streusel Cheesecake Bars (Egg Free, Nut Free)
Egg Free Apple Streusel Cheesecake Bars are an excellent fall dessert! A layer of egg free vanilla cheesecake with a buttery shortbread crust is topped with cinnamon spiced apples and crisp streusel. The flavor and texture combination works great together, and is an excellent way to use those orchard apples.
Servings: 24
Author: Lisa Ngo, Safely Delish
Ingredients
Crust
1 3/4cupsflour
10 1/2Tbspbutter, softened (1 1/3 sticks)
1/3cupbrown sugar, packed
1/2tspvanilla extract
1/2tspsalt
Cheesecake Layer
24ozbrick-style cream cheese (3 8-ounce bricks)
3/4cupgranulated sugar
3Tbspmilk
1/2Tbsplemon juice
3Tbspcornstarch
1 1/2tspvanilla extract
1/4tspsalt
Apple Layer
3medium apples
2Tbspmelted butter
1/4cupbrown sugar
1/2tspcinnamon
1/2tsplemon juice (optional – I add it if using sweeter apples)
Streusel Topping
4Tbspbutter, room temperature or softened slightly
1/3cupgranulated sugar
3/4tspcinnamon
2/3cupall purpose flour
Instructions
Preheat oven to 325F, and spray a 9x13" glass baking dish with cooking spray (or line with parchment paper).
See "Crust" ingredients list – In a bowl, stir together butter, brown sugar, and vanilla. Add flour and salt, and stir to combine. Press evenly into bottom of pan, and 1/2 inch up the sides. Bake for 12 minutes. Transfer pan to cooling rack.
Prepare apples and streusel. Peel, core, and dice apples into about 1/3-1/2" cubes. Stir in remaining Apple Layer ingredients–butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and lemon juice (optional), until evenly coated. Set aside.
Prepare streusel layer – Stir sugar and cinnamon into butter, then add flour. Stir until crumbly and consistency resembles wet sand. It should form easily, and not be too dry. If mix is too moist, add flour 1 tsp at a time until consistency is right. Set aside.
Prepare cheesecake layer – Use a handheld mixer on medium to combine cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add remaining cheesecake ingredients (milk, lemon juice, vanilla, cornstarch, and salt), and mix again until all ingredients are incorporated. This mix will be fairly thick.
Assemble – Spread cheesecake mix evenly onto prepared and baked crust with a spatula. Evenly sprinkle cinnamon apple mix over top. Finally, top with streusel by crumbling evenly over the top.
Bake for 40-45 minutes at 325F. Cool on a cooling rack for at least 1 hour at room temperature. Then cover pan and transfer to refrigerator. Chill for at least 6 hours (overnight is best) before cutting and serving.