Sharing my Caramel Apple Cream Cheese Cookie Bars with you today! They are perfect for Fall and Winter baking. So simple to prepare and packed with goodness!
Cookie bars are so much fun to make. Your options are endless! These bars are packed with sweet tart apples, cream cheese and caramel that make for the perfect sweet treat.
This simple little Fall dessert is gooey and “appley” delicious with warm soft caramel oozing off the sides. Hope you all enjoy!
For other delicious Picky Palate bar recipes try Fruity Pebbles Cookie Bars and Kitchen Sink Cookie Bars.
Be sure to follow Picky Palate on Instagram for sneak peeks on what’s coming next to the blog!
I used a refrigerated sugar cookie crust for this recipe, however you are free to use a homemade sugar cookie recipe if you’d like.
Tips For Softening Cream Cheese
There are many times I find that I don’t have a few hours to set out my cream cheese to soften at room temperature on it’s own. Here are some simple tips to speed up the process when you need softened cream cheese pronto 🙂
Did you know you can soften cream cheese in about 15 seconds? Unwrap your cream cheese and place it onto a microwavable plate. Microwave on high for 15 seconds. If it is not soft, you can microwave it for an additional intervals of 15-20 seconds. Mix it through; it may be a little cooler in the middle but the warmer sides may help it soften evenly and completely in just a minute or so.
Caramel Apple Cream Cheese Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons melted butter
- 3 Cups Golden Graham Cereal ground in food processor
- 1 Roll Pillsbury Sugar Cookie Dough or 2 pkgs Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie Dough Mix prepared and divided into 2 equal parts
- 8 oz softened cream cheese
- 1/4 Cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 21 oz can apple pie filling
- 1.5 oz package Nature Valley Oats N' Honey Crunchy Granola Bars 2 count, crushed (I use a rolling pin to crush them right in the bag before opening)
- 9.5 oz Kraft Caramels
- 1/2 Cup half and half
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine melted butter and ground cereal into a large bowl; press into an 8x8 inch baking dish lined with foil that's been sprayed with cooking spray. Bake for 10 minutes then remove from oven. Crumble half of the cookie dough over partially baked crust.
- Place cream cheese, sugar and vanilla into a mixer; beat until smooth. Pour over crumbled cookie dough layer. Bake for 25 minutes then remove from over. Top with 3/4 of the apple pie filling (I chose to just add part, but you can add the whole can if desired). Next top with remaining cookie dough, breaking off into little pieces evenly over top. Sprinkle with crushed granola bars and bake for 30-35 minutes or until toothpick comes clean from center. Let cool completely then cut into squares. Melt caramels and half and half according to package directions. Drizzle over each bar. Refrigerate leftovers.
Nutrition
Pin Caramel Apple Cream Cheese Cookie Bars
Welcome to my online kitchen! Picky Palate is where you’ll find family friendly recipes along with the best Disney eats, tips and copycat recipes! 
That’s one sweet tasting dessert you’ve made there. Glorious pictures by the way 🙂
Just wanted to let you know I made two batches and this recipe rocks!! Thanks for sharing it.
looks great can i do it the toaster oven
Beautiful and delicious. Thank you.
Thanks for the quick reply. I just bought the ingredients. I bought the Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie Dough.The recipe calls for two of these packages. I bought 2 of the 17.5 oz(1lb 1.5 oz) size. Is that right?
This looks scrumptious! I am going to make it today. Is the 8 x 8 pan correct?
These food pictures are so clear that it feels like you can eat this cookie treat right off the computer screen! This is a wonderful gourmet cookie without all the fuss. Thanks for sharing.
I’m making the carmel apple cookie and am a bit confused if you cook the cookie dough prior to use or not. Let me know, and thanks so much for your wonderful recipe!
Just had one. Very delicious. You are amazing and uber creative! 🙂
(They are so delicious I am giving away the rest of the pan before I sit down to gobble them up!)
this is the best and was a hit with my family which there are alot of us.
that looks really yUmmyyyy!
im going home and making it today!
WOW….these look absolutely amazing!!! I found your website off of Bakerella’s blog. I LOVE all your recipes and your website is so cute! I will definitely be checking back to see what I can find! 🙂
so i tried to make these and i was really sad they didn’t work out. i followed the directions to a tee, yet it was all in vain. as a matter of fact, the pan with the caramel on it is still on the stove just sitting there! even after i let them cool completely they wouldn’t cut–it was just a big gooey mess 🙁
Wow, these look amazing and best of all, they seem so easy to make! Can’t wait to try them.
Oh my gosh, these look amazing. I cannot wait to make them this weekend!!
These look delicious…thanks for the inspiration. Your boys look happy and healthy. Cheers!
Wow, sounds great.. and perfect time for apple season! I bet one could modify it to take fresh apples too.
Absolutely LOVED this yummy dessert…better than apple pie in my book! Leftover carmel is great for the homemade morning lattes, too! Thanks for posting!
These look very delicious, I’m definitely going to give them a try!
I made these last weekend after spotting them in my Google Reader and they were INCREDIBLE! I made a few minor changes so that I didn’t buy things I wouldn’t have a use for after the recipe, but they were so, SO tasty. I took them to a dinner party and my husband and I were thrilled to bring the leftovers home with us. Thanks so much for sharing!
uhhh….. half and half?
That looks so good, great pictures.
Oh this was sooo good! My husband loved it and so did I! I’ve made 3 or 4 of your recipes so far, just found the blog a couple months ago. I am a huge fan of your blog, keep sharing it with all my girlfriends!
Downright sexy!
Wow that recipe looks fab-u-lous!!
OH.MY.GOODNESS!
Totally gonna make these!
These. Were. Amazing. I made them yesterday for our bible study group. You should’ve seen their eyes bulge when I told them to drizzle the caramel on top. I doubled everything, and put it in a 9×13 pan. Seriously, heaven on a plate. Thanks for the awesome recipe!
Web browsing never looked so tasty. Thanks for posting this.
wow, that looks very tasty! 🙂
I’m making these NOW. They look amazing and combine all of my favorite things — cream cheese, apples, caramel — Awesome!
i think those cheezecake cookies look just delish .
These are what I imagine heaven to look like 🙂 Seriously… they look so delicious!!
Oh my! Those look so tasty. I wish I could grab one right now and eat it!
Okay – I’m seriously wiping the drool off my desk. So perfect for fall, too!
OMG! I am already a fan of caramel apple pecan cheese cake! I love your idea for the crust. LOL Refrigerate the leftovers???!!!! In my house? You are kidding right? leftovers? What leftovers?
Oh Jenny these bars couldnt scream Fall anymore! YUM!!!!!!!!!!!! They look amazing, i am saving this recipe to try soon! Yours boys are just too cute, they look super excited about school.