Apple Pie Cheesecake Bars

Recipe adapted from Carolyn Ketchum's Apple Pie Cheesecake Bars

Ingredients

• Apple Filling:
• 2 C chopped, peeled apple (about 3 apples)
• 1/4 C BochaSweet or Allulose (can use Swerve, but it may recrystallize)
• 3 T water
• 1 tsp cinnamon

• Crust:
• 3/4 C almond flour
• 1/2 C vanilla UPP
• 1/4 C powdered swerve
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 T coconut butter, melted
• 3 T coconut oil
• (*If not dairy sensitive, you could use 6 T butter)

• Cheesecake Filling:
• 2 8-ounce pkgs Kite Hill DF cream cheese, softened
• 2/3 C powdered Swerve sweetener
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 tsp caramel apple extract
• 1/2 tsp vanilla

• Crumb Topping:
• 1/4 C almond flour
• 1/4 C vanilla UPP
• 1/4 C Swerve Brown sugar
• 2 T coconut flour
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 T coconut butter, melted
• 2 T coconut oil, melted
• (*if not dairy sensitive, use 4 T butter)

Directions

Apple Filling:
1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the apple, sweetener, water and cinnamon and bring to a simmer. Cook about 10 minutes, until the apples are tender.
2. Remove from heat and let cool while preparing the cheesecake bars.

Crust:
1. Preheat the oven to 325ş.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond flour, UPP, sweetener, and salt. Stir in the melted coconut butter & oil until the dough begins to clump together.
3. Press firmly and evenly into the bottom of a 9-inch square metal baking pan. Grease it with coconut oil. Bake for 10 minutes.
4. Remove and let cool while preparing the rest of the cheesecake. Reduce the oven temperature to 300ş.

Cheesecake Filling:
1. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth, then beat the sweetener until well combined.
2. Beat the eggs in one at a time, scraping down the beaters and the sides of the bowl as necessary. Beat in the extracts until the mixture is smooth.
3. Pour the cheesecake filling over the cooled crust, then top with the apples, spreading them out for even coverage. Drizzle any liquid from the apples overtop as well.

Crumb Topping:
1. In another medium bowl, whisk together the almond flour, UPP, sweetener, coconut flour, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in the melted coconut butter & oil until the mixture resembles course crumbs.
2. Sprinkle evenly over the cheesecake filling and bake for 30-40 minutes, until the edges are set but the center still jiggles slightly.
3. Remove and let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate to firm, at least 2 hours.

Number of Servings: 16

Preparation Time: 40 minutes