Caramel Crumble Cheesecake Bars – Simple and tasty cheesecake bars topped with a caramel crunch and white chocolate chip crumble!
I’ve told you before, I’m a picky cheesecake eater. I like classic “New York Style” cheesecake, maybe with a little berry drizzle on top, but otherwise… I don’t care for most cheesecakes. I mean, I’m crazy for the crust! I’ll eat a whole cheesecake or pie crust with a fork all by myself, no questions asked. I just don’t like the cheese-cake-y or pie-filling part.
Last weekend.
I attended the BYB Conference in Salt Lake City and my blogger friends and I made a stop at The Cheesecake Factory, just for cheesecake. And their avocado egg rolls. But mostly for the cheesecake. And I just had to laugh when the rest of the group was trying to whittle down their choices to Red Velvet and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, because I only had eyes for one. The Classic. Good old plain cheesecake with glazed strawberries on top. I take my cheesecake straight up. So when I make a cheese-cake-y bar, I like to keep it pretty simple, with the classic cheesecake flavor. None of this triple-loaded Hershey fudge chocolate cheesecake stuff.
You know what pairs really well with classic New York Style-esque cheesecake-y things? Caramel. And if you’re feeling bold, I recommend a third flavor to be thrown in there – white chocolate. Now that is a heavenly combination. If you’ve never experienced that kind of deliciousness (and if you have and love it…) I’ve got you covered. These Caramel Cheesecake Crumble Bars are a cinch to make and will please you and your cheesecake-adoring crowd. Whether you’re having a big get together or a party of two in your kitchen, you will probably want to whip up a second batch, they will disappear fast!
P.S. Happy Lover’s Day!
Caramel Crumble Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
- 1 cup flour
- ยฝ cup oats
- ยฝ cup brown sugar
- ยฝ cup butter - softened
- 6 ounces cream cheese
- โ cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ยฝ cup white chocolate chips
- ยพ cup kraft caramel bits (or chopped caramels) - divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 and line an 8×8 inch pan with nonstick foil and spray with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl combine flour, oats, brown sugar, and butter and mix until smooth with a hand mixer. Press 3/4 of the mixture into bottom of prepared pan. Bake 10-15 minutes. (15 for higher altitudes) Set aside reserved crumb mixture.
- In another bowl combine cream cheese, sugar, eggs, and vanilla and mix until smooth. Pour batter onto baked crust. Scatter chocolate chips, 1/2 cup caramels, and reserved crumb mixture over the cheesecake layer. Bake 30-35 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool completely on a wire rack on in the fridge. Optional: melt remaining caramels and drizzle onto bars. Once completely cooled, cut into squares and serve. Store in airtight container in the fridge. May be eaten at room temperature or chilled.
Notes
Nutrition
Recipe adapted from A Family Feast.
“…and butter and cream together with a hand…” – how much cream?
Hi Lucinda, There is actually no cream in this recipe. “Creaming” is a technique used with a hand mixer. I’ve updated the directions to be a little more clear. ๐
I made a version of these a few months ago and finally posted pics and a rave review. They are truly magnificent. Thank you so much for sharing!
Thank you Sharon! ๐