Caramel Apple Cheesecake

One of my favorite desserts has to be any kind of cheesecake, but unfortunately as of 2 years ago, I became lactose intolerant and cannot indulge. This makes me a very sad panda, but that doesn't mean that no one else I know can't have some cheesecake made by me! So for Mothers Day, I chose to try out a recipe that I had found on The Girl Who Ate Everything which combines three things that everyone should love: Cheesecake, Apples, and Caramel... Mmm!

Crust:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 sticks butter (softened)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine flour and brown sugar until mixed. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or two forks until mixture is crumbly. Press evenly into a 9" x 13" baking pan lined with heavy duty foil. Bake 15 minutes or until light golden brown.

Cheesecake Filling:

3 packages cream cheese (8oz)
3/4 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/2 tsps vanilla extract

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add eggs, 1 at a time, and then vanilla. Pour over warm crust.

Apple Mixture:

3 Granny Smith apples (peeled, cored, and finely chopped)
2 tbs sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

In a small bowl, stir chopped apples, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg until mixed evenly. Spoon over cream cheese filling.

Streusel Topping:

1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup quick cooking oats
1 stick butter (softened)

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients together. (If you're okay with getting a little messy, you can use your hands so the butter is evenly mixed in.) Sprinkle evenly over apple mixture. Bake for 40 minutes or until filling is set. Drizzle with caramel sauce and let cool.

These Caramel Apple Cheesecake bars were absolutely amazing! Even though I'm lactose intolerant, I stole a small bite and almost melted into a cheesecake-induced coma... My friend even rode her bike (she thought it would help burn the calories of the cheesecake) to my house to pick some up! And I brought a "dessert delivery" over to my boyfriend's house while he was studying for finals... He appreciated the sweet break completely!