I don’t know about you, but I love fall. I love when the weather cools down, when you can open up the windows, and most of all when you can do more baking! Here in Texas, fall actually occurs when the temperatures dip down into the 90’s. But, since the nights get cooler too, my favorite thing to do is get out my mixer or bread machine, and bake something yummy that will fill the whole house with wonderful, sweet scents. My fall baking usually involves lots of apple and pumpkin recipes along with anything that has lots of spices like cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Those spices alone say fall the moment you smell them. If you love cheesecake, then you will love this recipe. It takes a wonderful, creamy cheesecake and adds a fall twist to it. I adapted my Caramel Apple Cheesecake Squares from a Southern Living recipe. The original recipe is made like a traditional cheesecake. I decided instead to make it in a 9 x 13 baking dish and to also add some caramel ice cream topping for a sweet finishing touch. So, make your new home scent Caramel Apple, as you bake this wonderful dessert and fill your house with the aroma of Fall!
- 3 large Granny Smith apples
- 1⅔ cups firmly packed light brown sugar, divided
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 cups cinnamon graham cracker crumbs (about 15 whole crackers)
- ½ cup melted butter
- ½ cup finely chopped pecans
- 3 (8-oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
- ¼ cup caramel ice cream topping
- Make graham cracker crumbs by breaking crackers and processing them in a food processor. Or you can place crackers in a large ziploc bag and roll a rolling pin over the crackers until they are crushed into fine crumbs.
- Peel apples, and cut into ½-inch-thick pieces. Toss together apples and ⅓ cup brown sugar. Melt 1 Tbsp. butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add apple mixture, and sauté 5 to 6 minutes or until crisp-tender and golden. Cool completely (about 30 minutes).
- Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350º. Stir together cinnamon graham cracker crumbs and next 2 ingredients in a medium bowl until well blended. Press mixture on bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to a wire rack, and cool crust completely before filling (about 30 minutes).
- Beat cream cheese, vanilla, and remaining 1⅓ cups brown sugar at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until blended and smooth. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Pour batter into prepared crust. Arrange apples over cream cheese mixture.
- Bake at 350º for 40 to 45 minutes or until set. Remove from oven.
- Cool completely on a wire rack (about 2 hours). Cover and chill 8 to 24 hours. Drizzle with caramel ice cream topping. Cut into 3 inch squares and serve.
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