With an easy no-bake cheesecake base and a 7-minute apple pie topping, these No-Bake Apple Pie Cheesecake Bars are the absolute easiest way to get a classic apple pie flavor on the holiday table!
We’re all about where fuss-free cooking and delicious food intersect over here, and this no-bake cheesecake recipe is a perfect example of that! Cheesecake on its own is one of my very favorite desserts, and when combined with this quickie 7-minute apple pie topping, it easily wins the award of being my favorite cheesecake of all time!
These easy cheesecake bars are no-bake (just like my mama’s famous cheesecake – aka the dessert that my brother and I requested for every single birthday celebration growing up, and the one that my husband now requests from my mom each year on his birthday), making them not only super EASY but also super light and fluffy. I truly prefer the no-bake variation of cheesecake as opposed to the more traditional oven-baked version…there’s just something about the texture that gets me every single time (the sweet memories of enjoying this delicious dessert throughout my childhood definitely help too!). So, without further ado, let’s talk apple pie cheesecake!
Apple Pie Cheesecake Ingredients
You’ll need ingredients for the easy graham cracker pie crust, the no-bake cheesecake itself, and then the deliciously simple apple pie topping. Each ingredient is easily accessible, and I’d be willing to bet that you’ve got several of them hanging out in your kitchen already! Here’s exactly what you’ll need:
For the Graham Cracker Crust
- Graham Crackers – this graham cracker crust requires only 2 ingredients – that’s my kind of recipe, y’all! First, you’ll need to grab 1 box (about 8 ounces) of graham crackers – these gluten-free graham crackers are our very favorites.
- Butter – you’ll also need 6 tablespoons of butter. Your butter will need to be softened and cut into ½-inch chunks.
For the No-Bake Cheesecake
- Condensed Milk – for your super simple, no-bake cheesecake filling, you’ll need 14 ounces of condensed milk,…
- Cream Cheese – …2 (8-ounce) packages of cream cheese (feel free to use Kite Hill for dairy-free),…
- Lemon Juice – …a ¼ cup of lemon juice, and…
- Vanilla Extract – …1 teaspoon vanilla extract…YUM!
For the Apple Pie Topping
- Apples – now for the *really* special part – the apple pie topping! To pull this topping off, you’ll need 2 small/medium apples, cut into ½-inch cubes (you’re aiming for about a cup and a half of chopped apples here). We left the peels on the apples to keep things easy, but feel free to peel your apples if you’d like!
- Butter – to saute your apples, you’ll need 1 tablespoon of butter, and…
- Maple Syrup …to add just a touch of sweetness, you’ll need 2 teaspoons of maple syrup.
- Spices + Seasonings – a ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, an ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg, and a pinch of fine sea salt really bring the delicious, cozy flavors of apple pie to our topping.
- Lemon Juice – to finish everything off (and add some brightness and acidity to the topping), you’ll need the juice of 1/2 a lemon (or about a tablespoon of juice).
How to Make Apple Pie Cheesecake Bars
Now that you’ve got your ingredients, it’s time to read through the instructions (that’s always a good idea before you get going), and then get into the kitchen! Here’s how you’ll bring these tasty cheesecake bars to life:
To Make the Graham Cracker Crust
- Pulverize the Graham Crackers – to start, go ahead and place the two boxes-worth of graham crackers into a food processor and pulverize until you have a fine powder (no chunks).
- Add the Butter – to combine graham cracker crumbs and the butter, add 4 tablespoons-worth of butter pieces at a time, pulse the graham crackers and butter together in the food processor. Continue pulsing while adding the rest of the butter, until the graham cracker crust comes together in a flaky, slightly-crumbly dough.
- Press the Crust into a Dish – pat the graham cracker crust into the bottom of a 9×13 inch dish and slightly up the sides to create a 1/4 inch thick crust.
To Make the No-Bake Cheesecake
- Make the Cheesecake Filling – add the condensed milk, cream cheese, lemon juice, and vanilla extract to a large bowl, then beat with an electric mixer or stand mixer for 2-3 minutes, until mixture is smooth and fluffy.
To Make the Apple Pie Topping
- Melt the Butter – add the tablespoon of butter to a pan on the stovetop over medium-high heat.
- Add the Apples, Maple Syrup, Spices, and Lemon Juice – once the butter is melted, add the chopped apples to the pan, along with the maple syrup, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, ground nutmeg, sea salt, and lemon juice.
- Saute – finally, saute the apple mixture over medium-high heat until softened and browned just slightly (this should take 5-7 minutes). Be sure to stir the mixture so that it doesn’t burn. Then, let the apples cool completely.
To Assemble
- Add the Cheesecake Layer to the Crust – add the silky smooth cheesecake filling to the pan with the graham cracker crust.
- Add the Apple Pie Filling to the Cheesecake – once the apple pie filling is completely cooled (this is important!), pour over the cheesecake base!
- Refrigerate – stick your completed cheesecake bars in the fridge to set for at least 4 hours.
- Slice, Serve, and Enjoy!
Variations on Apple Cheesecake Bars
These apple pie cheesecake bars are the absolute yummiest fall-inspired cheesecake treat, but if you want to mix things up, feel free! There are a million ways to change up these no-bake cheesecake bars – here are a few of our favorite ideas:
- Top with Homemade Berry Jam – for a berry fruity (see what I did there?!) take on cheesecake, top with our delicious berry jam – find our full berry cheesecake recipe here.
- Top with a Caramel Swirl – to really sweeten things up, grab a saucepan and make a batch of our homemade caramel sauce, and swirl that into your cheesecake bars! Keeping the apple pie topping AND adding a caramel drizzle would really make this dessert reminiscent of caramel apples!
- Top with a Peanut Butter Swirl – if you love peanut butter as much as I do, this one’s for you! Simply swirl some all-natural creamy peanut butter into your cheesecake bars before refrigerating them. To make a PB&J-inspired cheesecake, swirl in some berry jam too!
- Top with Chocolate Chips + Crushed Nuts – for some added texture, top your cheesecake bars with mini chocolate chips + crushed peanuts, pistachios, pecans, or walnuts!
How to Scale this Apple Cheesecake (No Bake) Recipe
If you’re hosting a smaller Thanksgiving this year, or simply just don’t want to make a full batch of bars, you can make a half batch of mini cheesecakes instead! To do this, simply cut the recipe ingredients in half and follow the instructions, then line 6 muffin tins with paper liners. Press the graham cracker crust into the bottom of the liners, then fill with cheesecake filling and top with the apples. Refrigerate for 4 hours, then enjoy!
We know you’ll love these no-bake apple cheesecake bars, and we hope that this is a recipe that you find yourself coming back to again and again!
Storing No Bake Apple Cheesecake Bars
All of your burning cheesecake storage questions are answered below!
Do cheesecake bars need to be refrigerated?
Yes! You’ll definitely want to store your no bake cheesecake bars in the refrigerator so that the consistency stays thick and creamy.
How long can cheesecake bars stay in the fridge?
Stored in an airtight container, your cheesecake bars will last for up to a week.
Can you freeze apple pie cheesecake?
Absolutely! Cheesecake freezes really well. Simply wrap each bar in parchment paper, then pop them all in a gallon-size plastic bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
No Bake Apple Cheesecake FAQs
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No Bake Apple Pie Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
For the Apple Pie Topping:
- 2 small/medium apples cut into 1/2 inch cubes – about 1.5 cups (left the peels on to keep it easy, but can be peeled)
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Pinch of fine sea salt
- Juice of 1/2 a lemon
For the Graham Cracker Crust
- 1 box about 8 ounces graham crackers
- 6 tablespoons butter softened
For the Cheesecake Filling
- 14 ounces condensed milk
- 2, 8- ounce packages cream cheese softened
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- First, make the apple topping. Add butter to pan over medium-high heat. Then, once the butter is melted melted, add the apples, maple syrup, cinnamon, ground nutmeg, sea salt, and lemon juice and stir to combine. Saute over medium-high heat until softened and browned just slightly (5-7 minutes).
- For the graham cracker crust, place the graham crackers into a food processor and pulverize until you have a fine powder (no chunks).
- Add the butter to the food processor and pulse until the graham cracker crust comes together in a flaky, slightly-crumbly dough.
- Pat the graham cracker crust into the bottom of a 9×13 inch pan and slightly up the sides to create a 1/4 inch thick crust.
- For the cheesecake filling, add the condensed milk, cream cheese, lemon juice, and vanilla extract to a large bowl, then beat with an electric mixer or stand mixer for 2-3 minutes, until mixture is smooth and fluffy.
- Pour the cheesecake filling on top of the crust, smoothing to even it out, then spread the apples overtop.
- Refrigerate for 4 hours, then slice and serve!
Nutrition
I’m considering making this and converting it to cherry cheesecake.
As I review the recipe, I cannot help but wonder should I use “sweetened condensed milk” or “condensed milk?” Is the filling really unsweetened?
Hi Kate! Cherry cheesecake sounds delicious! We are sorry for any confusion, the recipe is written for sweetened condensed milk. -Team F&F
Hi! What’s a gf substitute for the condensed milk? Canned coconut milk? Just the milk fat in the canned coconut milk? Hmmm….Thanks!
Condensed milk should be gluten-free already, Carrie! If you’re looking for a dairy-free substitute, this Sweetened Condensed Coconut Milk is great!
Lol whoops, meant DF not GF, ha! But I did find a link on the berry cheesecake recipe to make my own df condensed milk! So I just did that and it’s looking promising! Will keep the one from Amazon in mind tho- THANKS A BUNCH!
Oh good!! You’re so welcome!
How much butter is supposed to go in the crust? In the article, it says 12 T but in the recipe at the end, it says 6 T.
Whoops! 6 tablespoons!
Really looking forward to making this for 2020 Thanksgiving. Considering halving it and putting it in a store bought crust. One piece of feedback is adding 4 hours to the total time of the recipe, 4.5 hours total. That way folks like me don’t have a surprise of not having a set dessert in time. Ask how I know. 😉
Thanks for the suggestion, Charmaine! We hope that you enjoy these bars!