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Pecan pie cheesecake combines a creamy cheesecake layer with a buttery, caramel-pecan topping making it a holiday must-have.
a Twist on a Classic
We simply LOVE, LOVE cheesecake and all of its variations!
Today’s dessert is one is a tasty twist on Pecan Pie. That’s right – we’ve combined cheesecake with one of our favorite holiday desserts to make a new holiday fav!
This pecan pie cheesecake is not insanely sweet like a regular pie, because the cheesecake layer perfectly cuts down the sweetness of the pecan filling but still delicious. If you love Pecan Pie and cheesecake, then you’ll want this on your Thanksgiving dessert table.
WHY WE LOVE IT:
- Best ingredients. It has a vanilla wafers crust, pecan pie filling, creamy cheesecake layer, and buttery, caramel-pecan topping.
- Great for holidays. It’s perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and anything in between!
- Make ahead. Make this fall dessert recipe up to 3 days in advance – perfect for busy holiday planning.
Ingredients
PREP TIME: 10 minutes
BAKE TIME: 1 hour 15 minutes
REST TIME: 1 hour
Crust
- 1ยพ cups vanilla wafer crumbs – Use a food processor or blender to get fine crumbs for the perfect crust. Vanilla wafers can be replaced with an equal amount of graham cracker crumbs.
- ยผ cup brown sugar – I use light brown sugar.
Pecan Filling
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- โ cup dark corn syrup – You can use light corn syrup, but the dark syrup has a more robust molasses-like flavor that complements the sweetness of the pecans and cheesecake filling and gives a warm brown visual look.
- โ cup unsalted butter melted
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten – room temperature eggs will incorporate better than cold ones.
- 1ยฝ cups pecans chopped
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cheesecake Filling
- 24 ounces cream cheese softened – use full-fat cream cheese for the creamiest result
- 1ยผ cups light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs – room temperature eggs will incorporate the best
- โ cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Topping
- 3 ยฝ tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- ยฝ cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ยผ cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup toasted pecans chopped – Toast pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently until fragrant and golden brown.
- optional toppings – Drizzle with Caramel Sauce, Hot Fudge Sauce Recipe, or sprinkle on sea salt.
How to Make Pecan Pie Cheesecake
- PREP. Preheat the oven to 350ยฐF. Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- CRUST. In a small bowl, combine 1 ยพ vanilla wafer crumbs and ยผ cup brown sugar. Stir in โ cup melted butter. Press the mixture evenly into the bottom, and halfway up the sides, of a 9-inch springform pan. Chill in the fridge to firm the crust while making the filling.
- PECAN PIE FILLING. In a medium saucepan combine: 1 cup sugar, โ
cup dark corn syrup, โ
cup melted butter, 2 eggs, 1ยฝ cups pecans, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Bring to a boil, over medium-high heat, stirring constantly.
- Reduce heat and simmer, stirring constantly until thickened (about 5-7 minutes). Pour into prepared crust and set aside.
- CHEESECAKE LAYER. In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat 24 ounces cream cheese until creamy. Add 1ยผ cups brown sugar and 2 tablespoons flour, beat until fluffy. Add 4 eggs, one at a time, beating just until combined after each addition.
- Stir in โ cups heavy cream and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Pour the cheesecake batter into an even layer over the pecan filling.
- BAKE. Place the springform pan on a cookie sheet. Put it in the oven and reduce the heat to 325ยฐF. Bake for 60-70 minutes (until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean).
- Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake in the oven, with the oven door closed, for 1 hour.
- TOPPING. In a small saucepan, combine 3ยฝ tablespoons butter and ยฝ cup brown sugar. Cook for 3-5 min, or until very bubbly. Stir in 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ยผ cup heavy whipping cream, and chopped 1 cup toasted pecans. Cool to room temperature.
- SERVE. Release the sides of the springform pan and spoon the topping over the cooled cheesecake.
Pro Tip
Run a knife around the edges of the cheesecake, but donโt take it out of the pan until completely cooled.
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Pecan Pie Cheesecake
Equipment
Ingredients
Crust
- 1ยพ cups vanilla wafer, crumbs
- ยผ cup brown sugar
- โ cup unsalted butter, melted
Pecan Filling
- 1 cup sugar
- โ cup dark corn syrup
- โ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1ยฝ cups pecans, chopped
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cheesecake Filling
- 24 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1ยผ cups brown sugar
- 2 tablespoon all purpose flour
- 4 large eggs
- โ cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Topping
- 3ยฝ tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- ยฝ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ยผ cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup toasted pecans, chopped
Instructions
Crust
- Line the bottom of 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- Combine vanilla wafer crumbs and brown sugar, stir in melted butter, then press the mixture evenly into bottom and halfway up the side of 9-inch springform pan. Set in the fridge to firm the crust while making the filling.
Pecan Filling
- In a medium saucepan combine sugar, corn syrup, melted butter, eggs, pecans, and vanilla and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer stirring constantly until thickened, 5-7 minutes. Pour into prepared crust and set aside.
Cheesecake Filling
- Preheat the oven to 350ยฐF.
- Beat the cream cheese until creamy, then add brown sugar and flour and beat until fluffy.
- Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until combined after each addition. Do not overbeat it!!! Stir in heavy cream and vanilla, then pour cheesecake mixture over pecan filling.
- Place springform pan on a cookie sheet, put it in the oven, and reduce the heat to 325ยฐF Bake the cake for 60-70 minutes (until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean). Turn off the oven and leave cheesecake in with oven door closed for 1 hour.
- Run a knife around the edges of the cheesecake but donโt take it out of the pan until completely cooled.
Topping
- In a small saucepan combine butter and brown sugar. Cook for 3-5 min or until very bubbly, then stir in cinnamon, heavy whipping cream, and chopped pecans. Cool to room temperature.
- Release the sides of springform pan and spoon the topping over cooled cheesecake.
- Store the cake in the fridge.ยฝ cup brown sugar
Video
Notes
- Dip the blade of the knife into the hot water and wipe dry.
- The first cut I make is right down the center of the cake. Then I cut it into quarters.
- Depending on how large you want each slice to be, cut each quarter in half, thirds, or smaller quarters.
- Be sure to dip the blade in hot water to warm it up and wipe it clean after EACH cut.ย
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
Once you add the eggs DON’T overmix! The eggs will hold too much air, the air bubbles will then rise and create cracks on top.ย Also, try not to open the oven often, since uneven temperatures can cause cracks. If the cheesecake does crack, don’t worry. It will be covered with the pecan pie topping.
Using one in this recipe is not necessary, but you can if you wish!
Dip the blade of a long thin kitchen knife into a cup of hot water and dry completely before cutting each slice.
Store loosely covered in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
Freeze uncovered, until firm. Then, remove the cheesecake and wrap it in plastic wrap and then again with aluminum foil or place it in a freezer bag. Seal and freeze for up to 2 months.
For more recipes just as amazing as this one, head over to OMG Chocolate Desserts.
I’ve made this three times first time I followed the recipe and after that I substituted the dark corn syrup with pure maple syrup with cassia cinnamon stick and it was amazing. Everyone loves it and this recipe has replaced my husband’s family cheesecake recipe that used to be a staple for the holidays. Thanks for sharing.
Oh yay!! That makes me so happy to hear that your family loves this recipe!
Just FYI your recipe says to put filling on crust and set aside, but the video shows to refrigerate. I only sat to the side so it wasnt as โsetโ like your video. Other than that, good recipe
Thanks for pointing that out! Glad to hear you enjoyed the cheesecake.
This is the absolute best. Everyone raves about it. Can you give me any tips on the filling? The last time I made it, it was very sticky and hard or the fork to go through. The first couple of times it was perfect so I’m not sure what I did differently
Made this and it came out beautifully.
Taking to a party so haven’t tasted it yet, but I’m impressed with the way it looks!
I had zero leftovers when I made this. I’ve never made cheesecake before and it was so easy and absolutely amazing. My husband hates pecan pie and loved this! Definitely something I’ll make you round!
Yay!! So glad to hear it was easy to make and was a hit!
No water bath? I’m curious why you didn’t use one
We just didn’t feel like it was necessary for this recipe! You could certainly use one if you prefer baking your cheesecakes that way.
Loved it!