Name: Apple Cream Cheese Turnovers
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 38 min
Total time: 248 min
Ingredients: 2 cups graham cracker crumbs (from about 14 full graham cracker sheets); 1/3 cup granulated sugar (for the crust); 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick, melted); 3 packages cream cheese (8 oz each, full fat, room temperature); 3/4 cup granulated sugar (for the filling); 3 large eggs (room temperature); 1 tsp pure vanilla extract; 1/4 cup sour cream (room temperature, full fat); 2 1/2 cups peeled and diced apple (about 2 to 3 medium apples, Granny Smith recommended); 3 tbsp brown sugar (packed, for the apple compote); 1 tsp ground cinnamon; 1/4 tsp ground ginger; 1/8 tsp ground cloves; 1 tbsp unsalted butter (for the compote); 1 tsp cornstarch; 1 tbsp water (cold, to mix with cornstarch)

From the roundup: 24 Apple Dessert Recipes for Fall You Will Want to Bake All Season

Jump to Recipe

These apple cream cheese turnovers are actually cheesecake bars, and I want to be upfront about that so you know what you are signing up for. Three layers: a pressed graham cracker crust, a smooth cream cheese filling, and a cinnamon-spiced apple compote baked right on top. You slice them cold, like a bar cookie, and they hold together cleanly.

Active time is around 30 minutes. The rest is oven time and chilling, so plan for about four hours start to finish, or just make them the night before. That hands-off chill time is not optional, it is what makes the bars slice neatly instead of sliding apart on the cutting board.

One pan feeds 16, which is why this one shows up at every potluck and holiday dessert table I bring food to. It looks like you spent the whole afternoon on it, but most of that time you were doing something else entirely.

How this one actually came together

I made these for the first time the week before Thanksgiving when my oven was already committed to two other things. I needed something I could bake a day ahead, refrigerate, and just pull out and slice. I had three blocks of cream cheese sitting in the fridge and a bag of Granny Smiths that were going soft, so this was partly desperation and partly planning.

The first batch I pulled too early because the center looked underdone and I panicked. It was basically apple cheesecake soup when I cut into it. Let it chill the full three hours. I know it is hard to wait, but that is the one thing I would tell myself to do differently.

Why you will love this

Three distinct layers in every slice: buttery graham base, creamy cheesecake filling, and spiced apple compote on top
The foil sling lifts the whole slab out cleanly so slicing is easy and the bars hold their shape
You can bake it the day before and refrigerate overnight, then just slice and serve
One 9×13 pan makes 16 bars, enough for a crowd without doubling anything
The apple compote is thickened with cornstarch so it stays put on top instead of soaking into the filling

Tips for success

Use full-fat, brick-style cream cheese at room temperature. Cold cream cheese will leave lumps in the batter no matter how long you beat it, and lumps will not bake out.
Add the eggs one at a time on low speed and stop mixing as soon as each one disappears. Overbeating after the eggs go in whips air into the batter, which causes cracking on top.
Let the apple compote cool before spooning it over the filling. Hot compote can partially cook the top layer of cheesecake before it even goes in the oven.
The center will look underdone when you pull it from the oven. That is correct. It sets fully during the chill, and pulling it too early is the most common reason these bars do not slice cleanly.

Common questions about these bars

Can I use pre-made graham cracker crust? A store-bought crust is too small for a 9×13 batch. Stick with the crumb mixture pressed into the pan.
Which apples work best? Granny Smith holds its shape during cooking and adds a little tartness that balances the sweet filling. Honeycrisp also works well. Avoid Red Delicious, it turns mushy.
Why did my bars crack on top? Almost always overmixing after the eggs go in. Mix on low and stop early.
Can I skip the foil sling? You can, but slicing in the pan is messy and the first few bars will not come out cleanly. The sling is worth the extra 30 seconds.

Substitutions

For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free graham crackers in the crust. The ratio stays the same. Gingersnaps or Biscoff cookies also work as a swap if you want a more spiced base, though Biscoff will make the crust sweeter. For the filling, full-fat brick cream cheese gives the best texture, but a firm dairy-free cream cheese can work in a pinch. Expect the bars to be slightly softer and to need a longer chill time before slicing.

Any firm apple variety works in the compote. Honeycrisp, Braeburn, or Pink Lady all hold their shape through cooking. Avoid softer apples like McIntosh, which tend to break down into applesauce before the cornstarch even goes in.

Make-ahead and storage

This is one of the better make-ahead desserts I have in regular rotation. Bake the bars, let them cool at room temperature for an hour, then refrigerate the whole pan overnight. Slice them cold the next day for the cleanest edges. Wipe the knife blade between cuts and they will look like you used a ruler.

Store bars covered tightly in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Keep them in the pan with plastic wrap pressed against the surface, or layer them in an airtight container with a sheet of parchment between layers. These bars do not freeze well after baking. The cheesecake layer turns grainy when thawed. Serve cold or let them sit out for about 15 minutes if you prefer them at cool room temperature.

Brittany Stage