Gluten Free Apple Crisp Cheesecake Bars

Everything that you love about apple crisp and cheesecake rolled into one delicious gluten free dessert!

My boys have always been a part of my recipe development team. They are my taste testers, critics, and sous chefs. I wouldn’t want it any other way. Aside from eating mom’s creations, they also provide some ideas for new recipes. This recipe for Gluten Free Apple Crisp Cheesecake Bars comes from a collaboration with my youngest son (15).

We simply love apple crisp. It is the most made dessert recipe in our home and for good reason. Simple ingredients. Simple flavors. Absolutely incredible results. If you are looking for a knock-your-socks-off recipe for gluten free apple crisp, you needn’t look any further.

My son suggested that we try to incorporate apple crisp into other types of recipes. We tossed around several ideas. We finally landed on cheesecake bars. It’s another recipe that we love and one that is incredibly versatile. How easy it would be to add an apple layer and then a crumb layer. So we gave it a go, and we had a winner on attempt #1.

Crust and Crumb Layers

The crust and crumb layer are one in the same. Begin by combining 2 sticks of salted butter (cut into small cubes), 1.5 cups sifted powdered sugar, 1 & 2/3 cups gluten free flour, and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Next roll up your sleeves, get ready to use some elbow grease, and work all of those ingredients together into crumbs.

I like to use my hands because I can feel when the butter and dry ingredients are incorporated. You may also use a pastry blender or 2 forks. It will take a few minutes to bring this mixture to the right crumb. You do not want sandy crumbs. Keep working. Your crumbs should easily hold together and look like this: At this point, line an 8″ x 10″ baking dish with parchment paper. Reserve 2 cups (unpacked) of the crumbs in a separate bowl. These will be used later to make the crumb layer. Press the remaining crumbs into the bottom of the prepared baking sheet. Pierce several times with a fork. Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees.

Cheesecake Layer

The cheesecake layer for this recipe comes together in a snap. It is best to have all of the ingredients for this layer at room temperature. Begin by creaming one 8 ounce block of cream cheese until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add in one 14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk. Mix together until smooth. Add in 1 egg and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon. Mix until all of the ingredients are smooth.

Pour over the prebaked crust. Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

Apple Layer

You will need 4 cups of diced apples. I would steer clear of hard apples such as Granny Smith or Pink Lady. Opt for somewhat softer varieties such as Gala, Jonagold, Pinata, or Macintosh. Peel, core, and dice the apples. The dice size should be on the smaller size to allow for quicker cooking.

In a skillet melt 2 tablespoons of salted butter and add 2 tablespoons of light brown sugar. Add in the apples and cook over medium heat for 5-6 minutes. Stir frequently to prevent sticking and burning. Adjust the stove top flame/temperature as needed to prevent burning. The goal is to simply partially soften up the apples; they will not cook through all the way during this phase.

Turn off heat. Stir in 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1 tablespoon of gluten free flour.

Putting Gluten Free Apple Crisp Cheesecake Bars Together

Once the cheesecake layer has cooked for ten minutes, remove the baking dish from the oven and scatter the cooked apples on top.

Next take the 2 cups of reserved crumbs and sprinkle over the apples.

Return the baking dish to the oven and bake for an additional 25-30 minutes, or until the crumb topping is golden.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool at room temperature for 2 hours.

Next, you’ll need to allow these bars to chill in the fridge overnight. The wait will be worth it.

Once chilled, cut into bars. Just prior to serving, I like to pipe on some whipped cream. You can use a prepared whipped topping like TruWhip or make your own by whipping 1 cup of heavy whipping cream with a whisk attachment on your stand mixer. Add in 1-2 tablespoons of sifted powdered sugar. Whisk until the cream thickens. You can simply spoon the cream on top of the bars just before serving or use a piping bag to pipe the cream on.

Grab a fork friends; this is one yummy dessert.