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Apple Crisp Cheesecake Bars

Rich caramel apple Greek yogurt cheesecake is topped with a layer of cinnamon-spiced apples and sandwiched between two layers of buttery oat crisp. A crowd-pleasing dessert to bring to holiday gatherings!
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time1 hr
Total Time1 hr 15 mins
Course: Dessert
Servings: 16 bars

Ingredients

For the crust/topping

  • 1 1/4 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
  • 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 2/3 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 10 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
  • 1/4 cup crushed walnuts, reserved

For the cheesecake

  • 8 oz 1/3 less fat cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1 cup caramel apple Greek yogurt*
  • 2 eggs, whisked
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • pinch of salt

For the apples

  • 2 large apples (I used Golden Delicious and Jonagold)
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp nutmeg

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat an 8x8" baking dish with cooking spray and line with parchment paper, allowing the paper to go up the sides of the dish. Set aside.

For the crust/topping

  • Combine first 5 ingredients (flour through salt) together in a large mixing bowl and stir. Add melted butter and stir until thoroughly combined.
  • Divide the mixture in half. Press one half of the mixture into the prepared baking dish to create a crust.
  • Bake the crust for 11-13 minutes, until lightly browned. Set aside to cool for at least 10 minutes while you prepare your cheesecake filling.

For the cheesecake

  • In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and yogurt with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and creamy, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
  • Add eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt and continue to mix on low speed until combined.

For the apples

  • In a small bowl, gently toss apples with cinnamon and nutmeg until evenly coated.

To assemble

  • Spread cheesecake in an even layer over par-baked crust and top evenly with chopped apples.
  • Mix chopped walnuts into remaining "crust" mixture and crumble over apples.
  • Bake for 40-45 minutes, until top is golden and cheesecake is set. Refrigerate cheesecake for at least 4 hours prior to slicing.

Notes

* At the time that this was written, both Chobani and Trader Joe's carried the Caramel Apple seasonal autumn flavor. However, if this flavor is unavailable, substitute plain full fat Greek yogurt and add 3 tbsp of packed brown sugar to cheesecake mixture. Increase cinnamon from 1/2 tsp to 1 tsp.
To make this recipe gluten free, substitute oat flour for whole wheat pastry flour and use certified gluten free oats.
Recipe adapted from Texan Erin