Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 13×9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, letting excess extend over the sides of the pan.
2. Prepare the crust:
   1. In a large bowl, beat butter and brown sugar with a mixer at medium speed for 3-5 minutes.
   2. Incorporate the flour into the mix at low speed until just combined.
   3. Press mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. (see video tutorial)
   4. Bake for 8 minutes or until lightly golden. Set aside.
3. Prepare the filling
   1. Peel and dice apples 
   2. In a small bowl, mix apples with cinnamon and sugar. Set aside.
   3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together cream cheese and sugar at medium speed until smooth and creamy. The sugar should be well incorporated into the cream cheese- this takes a good 5 full minutes (scraping sides of bowl as needed).
   4. Add in the eggs one at a time, mixing until just combined at low speed. Set aside
4. Prepare the streusel topping:
   1. In a medium bowl, mix together flour, butter, oats, and brown sugar using a fork or pastry cutter. Set aside
5. Assemble: 
   1. Pour cream cheese filling evenly over shortbread crust. 
   2. Sprinkle the cinn/sugar-coated apples evenly over the cream cheese filling (don’t mix it in)
   3. Crumble the streusel over the apples
6. Bake uncovered for 30-35 minutes or until the center is set.
7. Allow to fully cool in the pan
8. Using excess parchment as handles, remove from pan, and cut into small bars/squares
9. Refrigerate until chilled. (They taste the best if chilled overnight/8 hours+)
10. Drizzle with caramel before serving. (optional)