Start by making the streusel. In a large bowl, combine the brown sugar, sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Using your fingers, work the butter into the flour mixture. Fold in the apple pieces. Cover and freeze while you prepare the crust and filling.

To make the shortbread, heat oven to 300º. Line a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with parchment paper, allowing it to overhang two sides. Alternately, you can mist the dish lightly with cooking spray. Since I have a metal pan, I didn’t want to cut in the pan and used the parchment so that I could easily remove the bars.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and confectioners’ sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the salt and flour and continue beating until everything is fully incorporated and the mixture resembles wet sand with large clumps.

Using your hands, press all of the crumbs together in the bowl until it all forms a cohesive dough. Transfer to the prepared baking dish, and use your hands to press the dough evenly across the bottom.

Bake for 12 minutes. The shortbread will still be light in color when it’s done baking.

Meanwhile, make the filling. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add the eggs and yolk, one at a time, and continue mixing until combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Mix in the apple cider and vanilla until thoroughly combined.

Increase oven temperature to 400º. Pour the cheesecake filling over the pre-baked shortbread. Evenly sprinkle the cold streusel over the cheesecake. It will sink into the cheesecake batter a bit, but that’s alright.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the edges just turn golden brown, and the center no longer jiggles. Cool completely before serving. Use the parchment handles to carefully transfer the cheesecake to a cutting board, then cut into bars and serve.

These can be made ahead and refrigerated, covered, for up to 3 days.