Apple Chai Cheesecake Bars are a great addition when you plan your fall desserts! This is an easy small batch recipe made in a loaf pan. Creamy cheesecake is baked on a shortbread cookie crust then topped with a Chai spice apple crumble. Finish it off with a caramel drizzle for a delicious fall dessert!
Preheat the oven to 350o degrees and adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Line a 9x5 loaf pan with a piece of parchment paper - cut long enough to overhang the sides of the pan.
Shortbread Crust
In a food processor, add all of the ingredients for the Shortbread Crust. Pulse a few times until the butter is in pea size pieces, and the dough starts to lump together. The dough will be crumbly. Note - if you don't have a food processor, you can mix the dough using a pastry cutter to 'cut' the butter into the flour. The dough will appear moist but still be crumbly.
Press the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared loaf pan. You can use your fingers, or the bottom of a measuring cup.
Bake the shortbread for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and rest the pan on a wire cooling rack.
Apple Crumble Topping
Make the crumble topping and cheesecake filling while the shortbread is baking.
In a small mixing bowl, add all of the ingredients for the Apple Crumb Topping. Mix with a fork, to break up and incorporate the butter. Or you can use a pastry cutting to 'cut' in the butter. The topping will be crumbly. Set aside.
Cheesecake Filling
Reduce the oven temperature to 325o degrees.
In a small mixing bowl, add the cream cheese and sour cream. Use a hand held mixer and beat on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add the egg, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Continue to beat on medium-low speed until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
Sprinkle in the powdered sugar and beat on low speed until all of the sugar has been incorporated and the filling is smooth.
Pour the filling on top of the pre-cooked shortbread crust. Then, evenly sprinkle the Apple Crumb Topping on top of the cheesecake filling.
Bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out mostly clean, and still has a little cheesecake residue on it. Cool the cheesecake in the pan set on a wire cooling rack, to room temperature. Then chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before slicing and serving. This recipe will make 4 good sized bars, or you can cut into smaller portions. I recommend keeping leftovers in the refrigerator.