Gluten-Free Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars
Super decadent, easy, and delicious Gluten-Free Apple Cheesecake Bars drizzled in a Coconut Caramel sauce. They make for the perfect indulgent treat!
Looking for a little indulgence? Look no further! With a crispy oat crust, creamy apple cheesecake center, and a delicate coconut caramel drizzle…you’ll find yourself in sweet bliss in no time!
I came up with this recipe when I was craving something a little sweet and had a plethora of apples that were looking for a home. I threw together some coconut caramel & bam–perfection!
I would love to hear what you think…
Tips for making Gluten-Free Apple Cheesecake Bars:
- Be certain that your cream cheese mixture is very well blended and fluffy for the best results.
- If you are short on time you can use a pre-made caramel sauce or even omit the caramel as the bars themselves are already super flavorful.
- Make sure you let the bars cool completely before chilling them in the fridge and be certain that you chill them for at least one hour before slicing and serving.
- These store best in an airtight container kept in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Gluten-Free Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
- Crust:
- 2 cups gluten-free rolled oats
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose gluten free flour blend
- 2 tbs ground cinnamon
- 1 cup coconut sugar
- 1 cup butter melted
- 1/4 tsp salt
- Cheesecake:
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 1/4 cup coconut sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp salt
- Apples:
- 2 cups peeled & chopped red apples I use Gala
- 1 tbs ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
- 2 tbs coconut sugar
- Coconut Caramel Yields approx. 4 oz :
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar
- 4 tbs butter
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8 pan with parchment paper.
- For the crust:
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together the dry crust ingredients. Stir in the melted butter until evenly mixed throughout.
- Pat half of this mixture onto the bottom of the pan.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Set aside & let cool.
- For the cheesecake:
- In a large mixing bowl beat the cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla, egg, and salt & then mix until just combined. Set aside while you prepare the apples.
- For the apples:
- Combine all ingredients. Set aside
- or the coconut caramel drizzle:
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine milk & sugar . Cook for 2-3 minutes until sugar is dissolved. Add butter & stir until fully combined & let simmer (you may need to turn heat down a little) for about 10 minutes, or until thickened. Add vanilla & salt, stir to combine & then remove from heat. Pour into a jar & let cool. (Can store in refrigerator for a few weeks).
- Put it all together:
- Spread the cheesecake mixture over the cooled crust in the pan you set aside.
- Sprinkle the apple filling over the top.
- Sprinkle the remaining oat crust mixture over the apple filling. Press down slightly.
- Bake for approx. 40 minutes or until firm & golden.
- Remove from the oven and let cool completely. Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving for best results.
- When ready to serve, slice into bars, drizzle some coconut caramel on top…and dig in!
- Enjoy.