Outside The Box: Apple Streusel Cheesecake Bars

For those of you who use sugar cookie mixes, you don’t have to just make cookies with them anymore.  A great use for the mix is to use it as a crust for cheesecake bars.  You can use this as a moment to be creative and add additional flavors to the dough- thinking outside the box (cliché, I know).  Adding citrus zest, vanilla, or buttermilk help to take the dough from basic to unique.  For the crust, I just spread it evenly in the bottom of the pan and baked it just like I would if I was making cookies.

My obsession with apples has continued to grow over the remainder of the fall season.  At our house we currently have about 10 pounds of apples sitting on our back porch.  All of which are either being eaten, made into applesauce, or waiting to be put into that apple pie I plan on making for Thanksgiving.

The streusel topping creates a crunch before you bite into the creamy, cheesecake filling speckled with spiced apples.  Finishing your bite is a soft and chewy cookie crust

Apple Streusel Cheesecake Bars
Yield: 12 squares (9"x11" pan)
Prep Time: 15-20 minutes
Bake Time: 45-50 minutes

Ingredients:
          For Crust:

• 1 package sugar cookie mix
• 1/2 stick butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons buttermilk

          For Filling:

• 8 ounces package cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 apples, peeled, chopped
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg

           For Streusel Topping:

• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 stick butter, cold
• 1/2 cup pecans, chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Combine the sugar cookie package with melted butter and buttermilk until a dough forms.  Spread evenly into a non greased pan and bake 10-15 minutes until edges are golden brown.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the cream cheese with the sugar until smooth.
4. Add egg, lemon zest, and vanilla. Set aside.
5. Coat apples with sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Set aside.
6. With a fork, combine light brown sugar, flour, butter, and pecans until the mixture is crumbly and coarse. 
7. After crust has been baked, spread cream cheese mixture evenly on top.  Spoon apples evenly over top the cream cheese and top apples with streusel topping.
8. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the cream cheese has set and the topping is golden brown.

10 Ways to Use Apples

Apples are probably one of my favorite fruits to eat during the fall.  Why shouldn't they be?  Apples are high in Vitamin C, fiber, and low in calories.  As the saying goes, "An apple a day, keeps the doctor away."  Lately, I have been obsessed with making applesauce.  

1.  Baked Apples.  
Core the apple.  Sprinkle with some cinnamon and brown sugar, maybe even add some raisins and pecans.  Wrap them in foil and bake in the oven until soft.  

2.  Apple Crisp
A much easier option that closely relates to apple pie.  Dice up apple and sprinkle with spices and sugar.  Add to pan and add a crumb on top.  My favorite crumb topping is butter, brown sugar, oats, pecans, and flour.

3.  Apple Pie
You can't go wrong with the classic apple pie.  

4.  Applesauce
Apple sauce is one of the best ways to use apples that are starting to rot.  Cut away the unappealing, rotting portion and throw all the apple in a pot with a small amount of water and spices.  Finish by pureeing the apples to a thin consistency.

5.  Apple Chips
Thinly sliced apples, add spices or just keep them plain.  Place in a 200 degree oven and bake until they are crispy.  Then you have a perfect on-the-go snack.

6.  Apple butter
Similar to making applesauce, simmer and puree the apples to a thick consistency.  Then enjoy spread on bagels or toast.

7.  Applesauce instead of oil
Once you have made pounds of applesauce, you can use it in place of oil when baking.  Instead of using oil in your spice cake, use applesauce.

8.  Caramel Apples
Perfect activity to do with the kids.  You can either make the caramel on your own or melt caramel from the store.  Then dip the apples into the caramel and roll in various toppings like chopped nuts, chocolate, coconut, and more.

9.  Serve them with pork
Saute apple with onions in apple cider to serve along pork chops, it's the perfect fall dinner

And finally...

10.  Just plain eat them!
Apples are perfect for snacking on in the middle of the day.  Add some peanut butter to give yourself some protein.