Apple Cheesecake Bars {Recipe}

I'm a huge fan of cheesecake. Strawberry, chocolate drizzle and cherry are among my top 3 (that's why I have 4 packages of cream cheese in my fridge at all times). So when I found this recipe for cheesecake bars, I was thrilled.

These bites are delicious, small and have every single layer perfectly packed on top of each other. The only thing is that I don't like doing so many layers. But it turns out, they are well worth it.

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons, divided

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Streusel Topping:

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup quick cooking oats

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter

with a pastry blender until mixture is crumbly. Press evenly into a 

13 by 9 by 2-inch baking pan lined with heavy-duty aluminum 

foil. Bake 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with 1/2 cup sugar in an 

electric mixer at medium speed until smooth. Then add eggs, 1 at a

time, and vanilla. Stir to combine. Pour over warm crust.

In a small bowl, stir together chopped apples, remaining 2 

tablespoons sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Spoon evenly over 

cream cheese mixture. Spread the apples on top and sprinkle 

evenly with Streusel topping. Bake 30 minutes, or until filling is

 set.