Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a 9x13 inch pan with parchment paper. Tip: butter the pan before adding the parchment paper to get it to stick to the pan.

In a mixing bowl combine the ingredients for the shortbread crust - all purpose flour, brown sugar, salt and room temperature butter. Use an electric mixer to combine, the crust will be very very crumby, that’s okay!

With damp hands, press the crust into the pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the edges of the crust begin to slightly brown. Remove the pan from the oven and allow it to cool. Meanwhile make the remaining layers.

In a medium mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla extract until smooth, about 60-90 seconds. Add in the eggs, beating for about 30-60 seconds. Set aside.

Peel, core and dice the apples. Measure 3 cups of apples. In a mixing bowl combine the apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg, stir together, and set aside.

In a mixing bowl combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt and melted butter. Use a spatula to mix the crumb. The mixture will be thick and you must stir well (elbow grease!) to combine all the dry ingredients. Continue to combine until the mixture looks wet. It’s okay if the mixture is “sandy” in texture. Use your hands to squeeze clumps together, forcing the mixture together. Set aside.

Once the crust has cooled for 10ish minutes, pour the cheesecake layer over the crust and spread it into an even layer. Spread the apples evenly over the cheesecake layer. Sprinkle the streusel layer evenly over the apples. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the cheesecake layer is set. Allow the bars to cool to room temperature. To serve later, once the bars cool, cover and store in the fridge. Use a sharp knife to cut the bars. Drizzle with caramel sauce before serving. Pro tip: Wipe your knife clean between each cut to get perfect cut lines.