Description

A cozy, perfectly portioned dessert featuring tender cooked apples and tangy cream cheese in a buttery shortbread crust, designed to serve 4-6 people without leftovers.

Ingredients

Scale

1 cup (110g) vanilla wafers or shortbread cookies, finely crushed
4 tbsp (57g) unsalted butter, melted
8 oz (225g) full-fat cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 medium apple (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp), diced into 1/4-inch pieces (approx. 1/2 cup / 75g)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C). Grease a 6-inch square pan and line with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides.
Crush cookies into fine crumbs. Mix with melted butter until the texture resembles wet sand.
Press the crust mixture firmly into the bottom of the pan. Bake for 8 minutes until slightly golden. Remove and let cool.
In a medium bowl, beat softened cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract until completely smooth and free of lumps.
Add the egg and beat on low speed just until combined. Do not overmix.
Fold in the diced apples, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
Spread the filling evenly over the pre-baked crust. Tap the pan gently to release air bubbles.
Bake at 325°F (165°C) for 40-45 minutes. The edges should be set and slightly puffed, but the center should still have a slight jiggle.
Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes.
Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or ideally overnight, before cutting.

Notes

Ensure all dairy ingredients are at room temperature to prevent lumps. Do not overbake, as the cheesecake will continue to set while cooling. For clean cuts, always use the parchment paper overhang. These bars freeze well for up to 3 months.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Category: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 bar
Calories: 115
Sugar: 8
Sodium: 95
Fat: 7
Saturated Fat: 4
Carbohydrates: 12
Fiber: 0.5
Protein: 2

Keywords: small batch dessert, fall baking, apple cheesecake, no leftovers, easy cheesecake bars, autumn recipes, single serve baking