Pecan Pie Cheesecake

A rich and creamy cheesecake base on top of a graham cracker crust covered with an amazing caramel pecan pie topping that will receive raving reviews at your party.

Thanksgiving would not be complete without a pecan pie but my family also loves to have cheesecake so I combined both of those delicious desserts into one amazing Pecan Pie Cheesecake. 

This dessert is the best of both worlds and will be a hit this holiday season as a Thanksgiving or Christmas dessert.

Fair warning: this recipe requires baking AND chilling. It is an old-fashioned take on the pecan pie cheesecake. But I share a tip on how to make it a no-bake dessert.

Baking cheesecake is not that scary, it just takes some extra time and effort. I’ve polished this recipe over many holiday seasons, trust me!

What So Special About This Recipe

• A balanced taste profile: not overly sweet, with a tang from the cheesecake creamy filling, with the crunchy texture of nuts and caramel drizzle. Simple yet so elegant and delicious.
• When you add brown sugar to a dessert, you get this rich velvety molasses-caramel flavor. It is a to-die-for dessert.
• Anti-stress. A slice of pecan pie cheesecake seems to make problems go away.
• Easily feeds a big family or a small get-together which is why I love it for holidays when I can make it ahead (1 to 3 days). It is a real crowd-pleaser and it looks stunning!
• No water bath! I don’t like complicated things and a water bath surely sounds like some extra steps. However, there is an added benefit in using this method and I’ll share a quick tip for those willing to try.

Key Ingredients

Crust

• For the base, I use crushed graham crackers. 1 sleeve is enough for my crust.
• To bind the crust together we need melted unsalted butter and brown sugar. Don’t use too much brown sugar in the crust, it can soften the base and the cheesecake slices will fall apart. We will have more opportunities to use brown sugar in the filling and topping.

Pecan Pie Filling

I make New York-style cheesecake filling with softened cream cheese, full-fat sour cream, and eggs.

• Full-fat cream cheese has to be in bricks. It has less water than cream cheese in tubs and works best for baking cheesecake filling. Let it soften before using.
• Sour cream gives the creaminess to the cheesecake filling. It has to be full-fat. Can substitute it with Greek yogurt.
• I add dark brown sugar and flour. Light brown sugar is also ok but adds less flavor as it has only half of the molasses dark brown sugar has. Brown sugar gives caramel flavor.
• Eggs help to properly bind the creamy cheesecake layer while baking

Pecan Topping

• I make homemade whipped cream topping with butter, brown sugar, heavy whipping cream, and ground cinnamon.
• And I add chopped pecans, of course. Don’t use salted pecans. Either raw or toasted. I’ll share below how to quickly toast raw pecans.

Kitchen Equipment You’ll Need

• 8-inch springform pan. If you don’t want a round cheesecake, use 9X13-inch baking pans or a 9-inch pie plate.
• skillet (pot or a medium saucepan) to cook the topping
• Something to crush the crackers: a freezer bag and a rolling pin, blender, or a food processor.
• Stand Mixer

How To Make Pecan Pie Cheesecake

1 – Prepare The Crust

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and grease an 8-inch springform pan. 
2. Combine the fine crumbs, melted butter, and brown sugar in a medium bowl and mix. 
3. Press the crumb mixture into the prepared pan and press halfway up the sides (2 inches). 
4. Chill in the freezer until you are ready to add the filling.

2 – Make The Cheesecake Filling

1. Whip the cream cheese and brown sugar together in a large mixing bowl if you have a mixer beat cream cheese until soft peaks.
2. Add the eggs, sour cream, and flour to the cheesecake mixture.
3. Pour the cheesecake batter over the prepared crust.
4. Place the cheesecake pan on a baking sheet and bake for 60 minutes on the middle rack or until the center just slightly jiggles and the crust is golden brown. Turn off the oven, and let the cheesecake sit in it for 30 more minutes.
5. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and set aside to cool to room temperature. It takes 1 to 2 hours.
6. Then refrigerate cheesecake for at least 4 hours, I prefer overnight. 

3 – Make The Pecan Topping

1. Once ready to serve prepare the pecan pie topping. 
2. Combine the butter and brown sugar in a heavy pot or large skillet. Cook over low heat. If using a saucepan, medium heat is better.
3. Once the mixture starts to bubble add the pecans, heavy cream, and cinnamon.
4. Stir until everything is well combined. 
5. Remove from the heat, and cool for 5 minutes before pouring over the baked and chilled cheesecake.
6. Drizzle this with caramel or whipped cream before serving. You can also pipe the whipped cream with any piping tip you like.

Storage

Store pecan pie cheesecake leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days.

Remove the cheesecake from the pan right before slicing and serving.

When serving don’t let the cheesecake sit out for more than 2 hours, it affects how well it holds its shape and ultimately, the taste.

Baked cheesecakes freeze best. You can freeze the Pecan Pie Cheesecake WITHOUT the topping for 2-3 months.

When you want to eat it again, simply let it thaw in the fridge overnight. Don’t thaw or reheat the pecan pie cheesecake in the microwave or oven.

Make Ahead

You can make the pecan pie cheesecake recipe 1-3 days ahead except for the topping. The topping needs to be done only 1 hour before serving.

Substitutions

• Crust Ideas. You can use cinnamon graham crackers for more flavor if you like, digestive biscuit crumbs, Biscoff, ginger spice cookies or vanilla wafer crumbs. You can also make pecan crust – simply add ground pecans to the graham cracker crumbs.
• Vegan cheesecake will use vegan cream cheese, vegan butter, coconut or soy yogurt, and vegan or coconut whipped cream.
• Use gluten-free graham crackers and cornstarch instead of flour for a gluten-free recipe.
• You can use chopped pecans or whole toasted pecans.
• For the pecan caramel sauce, you can use dark corn syrup, honey, or maple syrup. A huge downside of syrups is that if they sip through somehow, they get stuck to the sides of the form and it is hard to remove the cheesecake from the pan.
• Lemon juice or orange juice is an optional ingredient for the filling that enhances the flavors around it. It won’t be pronounced in the baked cheesecake.
• Add booze! If no kids attend the party, add rum or bourbon to the pecan pie cheesecake instead of vanilla.
• Pure vanilla extract can add some aroma and very subtle flavor and pairs well with the nutty sweet taste of the cheesecake.
• Caramel pecan topping. Another wonderful flavor combo is pecans and caramel. I’ll share the recipe below.
• The pecan filling sauce can serve as a topping but can also be the first layer, right after the crust followed by the cheesecake. Then, when serving, you will flip the cake upside down! I don’t like this method as liquid syrup can soften the crust a lot and it can cook unevenly or break. I stick to simple things.
• No-bake recipe. To avoid baking you can replace eggs with gelatin. Once you pour the topping, refrigerate cheesecake for at least 4 hours.

Tips and Tricks For The Best Pecan Pie Cheesecake

• If you line the pan with parchment paper, make sure to grease the sides anyway. It will help you release the cheesecake once it is done.
• Make sure to use room-temperature ingredients. They bind, mix, and cook better without lumps.
• If you don’t really like brown sugar or don’t have enough, use half granulated sugar half brown.
• Cooking for a party or potluck? Instead of one pecan cheesecake make mini cheesecakes or bars. The same steps apply, just make sure to not overfill each tin.
• You can pre-bake the crust for just 10 minutes to make sure it is firm and will hold the cheesecake filling nicely.
• Oven temperature. When baking the pecan pie cheesecake filling you can reduce the temperature from 325 F to 300 F. It works well when you pre-bake the crust.
• Don’t overbeat the cream cheese mixture, especially the eggs. It is often the reason why baked cheesecakes crack or sink. As soon as all ingredients are blended together, stop mixing.
• Never skip the chilling in cheesecake recipes. The minimum is 4 hours, but I always do overnight – it is the optimal time for cheesecakes to fully set.
• To easily slice pecan pie cheesecake, hold a knife under hot water and wipe before cutting each slice.
• If the topping is not spreading well, quickly pop it in the fridge before spreading it to cool it down lower than room temperature.

Popular Questions

Can I Bake Pecan Pie Cheesecake Over A Water Bath?

Pecan pie cheesecake bakes well in humidity with a water bath, but it is optional.

If you choose to use this method, wrap the bottom of the springform pan in aluminum foil and set it in the oven.

Place a heat-resistant bowl or a baking pan filled with 1-2 inches of hot water below the cheesecake. It takes around 60 to 80 minutes for the cheesecake filling and crust to bake through with a water bath.

It cooks slower but better because of the heat of the oven and the steam from the bath cooking the cheesecake layer.

Once done, let the cheesecake sit in the turned-off oven with the oven door open for 15-20 minutes. Then, take it out and cool completely.

How To Tell If The Pecan Pie Cheesecake Is Done?

The cheesecake is done once the spot in the center is still shaky but the edges are set and slightly golden.

Don’t wait until all the surface hardens, it can make the cheesecake taste dry and crack.

And don’t worry about the jiggly part – we will leave the cheesecake in the oven to finish cooking and it will set properly.

If using a thermometer, look for an internal temperature of 150F.

How to Make Caramel Sauce For Pecan Pie Cheesecake?

On the stove, over medium heat, melt butter.

Add dark brown sugar, heavy cream, salt, and corn syrup. Mix in chopped pecans and simmer.

How To Toast Pecans For Pecan Pie Cheesecake?

Toasted pecans taste amazing and they are super easy to make.

Spread whole or halved pecans onto a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes at 300°F until browned.

Let them cool before mixing into the sauce or toppings. 

If you love this pecan cheesecake recipe, you’re going to love these other tasty pecan recipes too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!

More Holiday Cheesecake Recipes

Caramel Apple Cheesecake

Gingerbread Cheesecake

Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars

Christmas Cheesecake

---

---