Chai Apple Pie Cheesecake Bars
A delicious treat for fall, these Chai Apple Pie Cheesecake Bars are layered with chai spiced cookie crust, creamy cheesecake and apple pie filling!
Cheesecake making is an art, it can be difficult, time consuming and sometimes frustrating if after all that time and effort it still doesn’t come out right. Cheesecake bars however, are far less time consuming, simpler to make and just overall less stressful for a similar result. They are basically a no-brainer when it comes to getting in your cheesecake fix!
These Chai Apple Pie Cheesecake Bars are perfect for Fall! The crust and apples are spiced with an easy to make, homemade chai spice mix that compliments the sweet, creamy flavor of the cheesecake!
How to Make Chai Apple Pie Cheesecake Bars
The Crust – The crust is similar to a graham cracker crust, but it is made with Biscoff cookies. Biscoff cookies are a spiced shortbread cookie with a caramel flavor. Trader Joe’s makes a similar cookie that they call “Speculoos” that can also be used in this recipe. Combine the cookies with homemade chai spice mix (made with cinnamon, ginger, cardamon, allspice, nutmeg, cloves and star anise) and butter in the food processor to form the crust mixture.
Before you press the mixture into the pan, line the pan with aluminum foil and spray it with cooking spray. Make sure the aluminum foil hangs over the edge of the pan about an inch, this will make it easier to remove the bars from the pan once they are cooled.
Press the mixture into the prepared pan in an even layer. Bake the crust for 10 minutes at 350°F. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool while you make the cheesecake.
Cheesecake – The cheesecake is a basic mixture of cream cheese, sugar, eggs, vanilla and salt. Mix the ingredients together until the batter is smooth. Pour the mixture over the crust in a smooth, even layer.
Apple Pie Filling – Peel and small chop the apple, toss with chai spice mix, brown sugar and corn starch. Spoon the apples over the top of the cheesecake, distribute as evenly as possible. Some apples with sink into the batter, that is ok!
Bake for 35-40 minutes until the cheesecake is set. Remove from oven and allow to cool about 20 minutes. Put in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to cool completely.
Use the aluminum foil to help carefully pull the bars out of the pan. Slice into bars, either 9 or 12 depending on your size preference. Serve cold. If you are not going to eat them right away, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Top with optional warm caramel sauce if desired!
What Kind of Apples Should You Use?
You want to use a firm apple that is going to keep it’s shape even after being baked. Softer apples will turn to mush which can also cause your cheesecake to fail. Granny Smith, Jonagold and Honeycrisp are some of my favorites for baking. Any of those would work well in this recipe.
Chai Apple Pie Cheesecake Bars
Description
A delicious treat for fall, these Chai Apple Pie Cheesecake Bars are layered with chai spiced cookie crust, creamy cheesecake and apple pie filling!
Ingredients
Chai Spice Mix
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cardamon
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground star anise
Crust
7oz Biscoff Cookies*
4 tsp chai spice mix
4 tbsp unsalted butter
Cheesecake
16oz cream cheese
1/2 cup white sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt
Apple Pie Filling
1 cup apples, peeled and chopped
3 tsp chai mix
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp corn starch
Caramel Sauce (Optional)
1 stick unsalted butter
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt
1 tbsp heavy cream
Instructions
Chai Spice Mix
Combine all the spices in a small bowl, mix together, set aside
Crust
Preheat the oven to 350°F
Line an 8X8″ baking pan with aluminum foil, make sure it hangs over the edge by about an inch**
Grease the aluminum foil with cooking spray
Add the cookies and 4 tsp chai spice mix to the bowl of your food processor
Process on high until the cookies are fine
Slice the butter into 8 equal pieces, add to the food processor
Process on high until the butter fully incorporates
Press the mixture into the pan in a single, even layer
Put the pan in the oven to bake for 10 minutes
Remove from oven and set aside to cool while you make the cheesecake
Cheesecake
Add the cream cheese and sugar to the bowl of your electric mixer fitted with blade attachment
Beat on high until cream cheese is smooth and sugar is combined
Add eggs one at a time, beat
Use a rubber spatula to scrape down any cream cheese stuck to the sides or bottom of the bowl
Add vanilla extract and salt
Mix until mixture is smooth
Pour the mixture over the crust, set aside
Apple Pie Filling
In a medium sized bowl, toss the apples with the chai, brown sugar and corn starch
Pour the apples over the cheesecake batter, use a spoon to spread evenly
Place the cheesecake in the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes
Once cheesecake is set, remove from oven
Set aside to cool for 20 minutes
Place in refrigerator and cool for at least 2 hours
Using the aluminum foil, carefully pull the cheesecake out of the pan
Slice into bars***
Keep refrigerated in an air tight container until ready to serve
Caramel Sauce (Optional)
If you choose to serve the bars with caramel sauce, make it right before serving
Melt the butter over medium-low heat
Add the sugar, vanilla extract and salt, whisk until sugar is dissolved
Bring mixture to a slow boil, reduce heat to simmer
Whisk in the heavy cream
Pour warm sauce over bars
Notes
*Or Trader Joe’s Speculoos Cookies
**This will make it easy to pull the bars out once they are cooked and cooled
***9 or 12 bars depending on your size preference
Keywords: #chaiapplepie, #cheesecakebars, #chaiapplecheesecakebars, #fallbaking, #fallflavors
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If you make these Chai Apple Pie Cheesecake Bars let me know how you like them! Leave a star rating and comment here! If you snap a photo, I’d love to see it – share it over on Instagram and tag me @sprinklesandseasalt!