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Greek Apple Cinnamon Cheesecake Bars are a lighter version of classic cheesecake. Spiced with fall flavors and made with cream cheese, this healthier and lighter dessert is perfect for a healthy fall dessert!
Remember strawberry cheesecake bars with half the calories? Yeah, I did it again. Only this time, even better and will a fun fall twist – apple cream cheese bars!
Although I’m sure you could eat these year round, I do love the fall feeling they have to them. Heck, I ate them during the summer!
I shot this recipe in August when it was still 115 degrees in Phoenix. That turned out to be a bad idea because I spent hours trying to keep the bars frozen during the shoot.
Lots of running back and forth to the freezer and waiting. It was hot that day! I think I was sweating as much as the bars. I even left in a picture in of a sweaty bar so you could see what I was dealing with.
Between working out and all the running around I did that day, I’m sure I burnt enough calories to earn my keep in these apple cheesecake bars. Unfortunately, I can’t say I ate them all though. I gave most away.
They may be low calories, but I make a lot of food and there’s no way I can physically eat everything I eat. If you’re in the neighborhood, come over – it’s guaranteed I have something for you at any given point in time.
Anyway… for these apple pie cheese cake bars I used apple butter to give them a silky, buttery texture and added cardamon, nutmeg, lemon juice and cinnamon to spice them up and give them that desired fall flavor everyone wants right now.
One thing I did different for this recipe from the strawberry cheesecake bars was mixing apple butter with the Greek cream cheese. Instead of three layers, it’s two!
That means means less work for you! That also gives the bars a cool swirl effect which them absolutely adorable and even more irresistible!
And yes, this apple cream cheese bar recipe is made with Greek cream cheese, but you can use regular cream cheese too. And yes, it takes a bit of effort to make these healthy cheesecake bars, but it will be all worth it once you taste how delicious this apple cheesecake bars recipe is.
Like my high protein cheesecake bars, eggnog bars and pumpkin cheesecake they’re lower in sugar, higher in protein and have fewer calories too!
You can always add more sugar to the swirl in the form of stevia if they’re not tickling your taste buds. Either way, I know you’ll love them and they’re a healthier cheesecake recipe!
Apple Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup coconut sugar, or sugar of choice
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup coconut oil
- 1/4 cup applesauce, unsweetened
- 1/8 cup maple syrup
- 2 large egg whites
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup Gluten Free 1 to 1 baking flour
- 5 ounces Greek cream cheese, or low fat cream cheese
- 2-3 teaspoons liquid stevia, *
- 1/3 cup apple butter, unsweetened
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/8 teaspoon cardamom
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare a square 8×8 baking dish with parchment paper placing it horizontal and vertical hanging over the sides of the dish for easy removal.
- Using a hand mixer, beat the eggs whites together in a large bowl until fluffy peaked. Then add the sugar, vanilla, applesauce, maple syrup and coconut oil to the eggs and beat until combined. To the batter, fold in the salt and flour. Do not over combine.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared baking dish and smooth with a spatula or back of a spoon. Place in the oven and bake 30 minutes until the edges are brown.
- While the crust is baking, add the cream cheese, stevia, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, lemon juice and apple butter to a mixing bowl and blend together very well.
- After you remove the crust from the oven, spread the cream cheese evenly over it. It should spread easily with the crust is warm.
- Place in the freezer to set 3-6 hours, overnight is best.
- When you’re ready to eat, simply lift the parchment paper up to remove the bars from the dish and slice into 12 squares.
Notes
- My Amazon shop has more products similar to those used for this recipe and that I recommend to my nutrition clients.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Are steps 7&8 the same thing? If not I’m very confused what are the cream cheese and creamcheese apple layers then?
Yes, they were the same. I just updated it!
I wish I had time to make these. Today! Looks delicious Megan.
Hopefully you will get some time to make them soon. They’re yummy!
I haven’t had cheesecake in so long, these looked amazing! I can’t believe these just started melting on you – poor thing! The pics look great though 🙂 Well worth the effort!
Thanks girl! It was a photography battle. Thank goodness for cooler weather on the horizon.
Fall dessert perfection!!! I love anything apple cinnamon flavored at this time of year…especially if it includes cheesecake!
Thanks Blair! I love making anything fall, even better when it’s cheesecake. YUM!
Would it work with regular cream cheese? I’ve never seen Greek cream cheese where I live
I’m sure it would!
Oh apple cinnamon is perfect for fall! and cheesecake is my fav <3
Thanks! It’s so hot where I live I had to make something fall yet cool enough to eat in the heat. 🙂
Wow!! These bars look phenomenal 🙂 I’m pretty sure I couldn’t try just one! Is is ok if I keep the entire pan to myself and don’t share?
You sure can Megan! I have plenty of goodies around to share! 🙂