Gluten Free Apple Cheesecake Bars
This creamy apple cheesecake recipe is served as bars for an easy, no-bake dessert perfect for a fall potluck or holiday menu! The apple cheesecake has a light, mousse-like filling spiced with cinnamon and loaded with tender, juicy apples on top of a buttery crust.
Looking for more gluten-free fall desserts to make while apples are in season? Try my homemade apple cider donuts and apple turnovers next.
Table of Contents
Delicious Details
- Cuisine Inspiration: American
- Primary Cooking Method: No-bake
- Dietary Info: Gluten-free
- Skill Level: Easy
This creamy no-bake apple cheesecake recipe starts with a light and fluffy cheesecake mousse filled with apple pie filling and swirled with cinnamon. Underneath, the no-bake cheesecake crust is a simple mix of almond meal, sugar, and melted butter. It’s just as easy to make as a traditional graham cracker crust and tastes like a shortbread cookie! The recipe is so easy, the hardest part is waiting for these apple cheesecake squares to chill so you can cut yourself a perfect slice.
About This Easy Apple Cheesecake Recipe
- Budget-friendly ingredients. No need to buy special flours or cookies or an overpriced pre-made crust. Almond meal is an affordable, gluten-free alternative that you can use in my peach cheesecake and s’mores bars recipes in addition to this easy apple cheesecake.
- Perfect crust. The crust is firm and holds together, with an irresistibly buttery, crumbly texture. It’s the perfect contrast to the cool and tangy apple cheesecake!
- Fall flavors. The smooth and creamy no-bake cheesecake filling is nicely balanced by crisp-tender caramelized apples and a little cinnamon.
- No oven needed. No baking means you can save valuable oven space during the holiday rush. I prepare this cheesecake as bars, making it an easy last-minute dessert to whip up for parties or Thanksgiving.
What You’ll Need
Here’s a quick rundown of the ingredients to make this easy apple cheesecake recipe. Each component only needs a few simple items. Scroll down to the recipe card below for full amounts and detailed instructions.
No-Bake Cheesecake Crust
- Almond meal or almond flour – An almond flour crust is my go-to gluten-free alternative to a classic graham cracker crust in this cheesecake recipe. Bob’s Red Mill is my favorite brand. You can also make almond meal by pulsing raw, unsalted almonds in the food processor until they’re finely ground.
- Melted butter– Either salted or unsalted butter will work.
- Granulated sugar – You could also use brown sugar for a more caramelized flavor.
Apple Cheesecake Filling
- Apples – Peeled, cut, and chopped to make the apple pie filling. I recommend using a crisp-tart apple variety that holds up well when cooked. For a recipe like this, I prefer Granny Smith. You could also use Honeycrisp, Gala, or Cortland apples.
- Lemon – You’ll just need the juice, but fresh is better than bottled.
- Cornstarch – To thicken the apples a little.
- Light brown sugar – Brown sugar helps caramelize the apples. Granulated sugar works here, too.
- Spices – I spice my apples with cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice, but you can use a pre-mixed apple pie spice or pumpkin pie spice, which has similar ingredients.
- Maple syrup – I love adding real maple syrup to my homemade apple pie filling. If you don’t have the real deal, I don’t recommend substituting artificial pancake syrup. Just skip it instead!
- Heavy cream – Also called whipping cream. For a thick, sliceable no-bake cheesecake, be sure to use full-fat heavy cream.
- Powdered sugar – The fine texture of powdered sugar ensures that the cheesecake filling isn’t grainy.
- Vanilla extract – Be sure to use pure vanilla extract or an equal amount of vanilla paste.
- Cream cheese – Softened to room temperature. Like the heavy cream, the cream cheese should also be full-fat.
- Plain Greek yogurt – Whole milk, sour cream, or nonfat yogurt is also fine here.
How to Make This No-Bake Apple Cheesecake
Here’s an overview of how to prepare these apple cheesecake bars. Scroll down to the recipe card below for more detailed instructions.
- Make the crust. Mix the crust ingredients in a small bowl with a fork until the almond flour is fully moistened. Then, press the crust mixture firmly into the bottom of a lined 8 x 8-inch pan. Chill the crust in the fridge until you’re ready to fill it.
- Prepare the apples. Next, toss the diced apples in lemon juice. Add the apples to a skillet with the cornstarch, sugar, spices, and maple syrup. Simmer until the apples are tender and caramelized, but not mushy. Cool the pie filling before folding it into the cheesecake.
- Prepare the cheesecake filling. Now, whip heavy cream into soft peaks with 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar and vanilla, and set aside. Separately, blend the cream cheese, remaining powdered sugar, and Greek yogurt until smooth. Stir in the cooled apples, and then gently fold in the whipped cream.
- Chill the bars. Spread the apple cheesecake filling over the prepared crust. This cheesecake needs to chill in the refrigerator for 5-6 hours, or overnight. When it’s time to serve, remove the cheesecake from the pan and cut it into squares.
Recipe Tips
- Line the pan. Be sure to line the 8 x 8-inch square pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper and let it overhang the edges. This will allow you to easily lift the bars out of the pan when it’s time to slice and serve.
- Use the right tools. This simple, inexpensive Hamilton Bead Hand Mixer is great for recipes like this because you can use the whisk attachment to whip the cream without having to haul out a big stand mixer. Afterward, just swap that out for the beaters to blend the cream cheese mixture. A small offset spatula is useful for spreading and smoothing the cheesecake mixture over the top of the crust.
- Let it cool. Make sure your apples cool completely so they don’t melt and deflate the cheesecake mousse.
- Chill the bowl. Using very cold heavy cream and chilled equipment makes it faster and easier to whip the cream, and avoids overbeating it.
How to Store
- Refrigerate. This apple cheesecake must be refrigerated. If covered, they will keep for up to 3 to 4 days.
- Freeze. You can freeze this no-bake cheesecake for up to 2 months. Thaw it in the fridge before serving.
More Apple Dessert Recipes
No-Bake Apple Cheesecake
This light and fluffy apple cheesecake recipe is an easy no-bake dessert with a thick, mousse-like filling, juicy cinnamon apples, and a buttery gluten-free crust. Cut this cheesecake into bars to serve at your next fall potluck!
Servings: 16 servings
Ingredients
For the apple mixture:
- 3 medium apples, peeled, cored, and chopped into about 1/2 inch pieces (2 cups total)
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1/2 Tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon allspice
- 2 Tablespoons maple syrup
For the crust:
- 1½ cups almond meal
- ¼ cup melted butter
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
For the cheesecake:
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 2 Tablespoons plus 1/4 cup powdered sugar, divided
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
Instructions
For the apples:
- Place the apples in a medium skillet. Squeeze the juice from a whole lemon over the apples.
- Add the remaining ingredients, and toss to coat.
- Over medium-low heat, bring to a bubble and cook the apples for about 7-10 minutes until they are tender but not mushy, and nicely caramelized.
- Transfer to a bowl and cool completely in the refrigerator, about 15 minutes.
For the crust:
- Line the bottom of an 8 x 8 pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Place a small metal bowl in the freezer while preparing the crust so it is chilled by the time you start making the cheesecake filling.
- In a small bowl, combine almond meal, melted butter, and granulated sugar, and toss together with a fork. Pour the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan and press down firmly with hands or the bottom of a cup. Place in the freezer for 10-15 minutes.
For the cheesecake:
- In the bowl that was in the freezer, using a whisk or hand mixer, whip the cream, 2 Tablespoons powdered sugar, and vanilla to form soft peaks. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, using a hand mixer, blend together the cream cheese, 1/4 cup powdered sugar, and Greek yogurt until light and fluffy. Stir in the chilled apple mixture.
- Gently fold in the whipped cream.
- Pour the cheesecake filling on top of the crust. Refrigerate for at least 5-6 hours or overnight.
- Cut into squares and serve. It may help to use the parchment or aluminum foil to life the bars out of the pan for slicing.
Notes
The bars are adapted from the No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Bars from Garnish with Lemon, and the apples are based on Stovetop Apple Pie Filling from Beyond Frosting.
Nutrition Facts
No-Bake Apple Cheesecake
Amount Per Serving (1 bar)
Calories 211
Calories from Fat 126
% Daily Value*
Fat 14g22%
Saturated Fat 5g25%
Cholesterol 30mg10%
Sodium 137mg6%
Potassium 97mg3%
Carbohydrates 17g6%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 12g13%
Protein 6g12%
Vitamin A 340IU7%
Vitamin C 2.4mg3%
Calcium 108mg11%
Iron 0.5mg3%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Disclaimers: Please discuss your individual dietary needs (i.e. gluten free) with a physician. Even when not specified, be sure to verify all ingredients are gluten free, if needed, by reading labels on all packaging and/or confirming with the manufacturer this varies by brand and can change at any time. Nutrition information shown is an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate.
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I am crushing on that almond meal crust. And let’s be real, that GIANT cheesecake layer. Yep. all of that please.
Thanks, Kita! Yeah, the cheesecake layer is sort of amazing!
All I needed to see was “no bake”, but then you took it up a notch. Amazing!
Oh yes, the good old Christmas catalogs! My 12-year old has a stack of them, with multiple pages dog-eared. Ack! Can I tell you how much I love that these cheesecake bars are no-bake? Perfect for the busy holidays.
Oh my gosh, these look fantastic. I’m addicted to all things apple, and love just about anything with a crust. Very cool that it doesn’t need to be baked!
You had me at no bake! Adding in apple and cheesecake just made it that much more appealing. Pinned and I can’t wait to try it!
I love the recipe is much thanks for sharing