Pecan Pie Cheesecake

Cheesecake with caramel pecans set on a wooden serving platter.

5 from 26 votes

This pecan pie cheesecake has a brown butter graham cracker pecan crust, brown sugar cheesecake, caramel pecan topping! It is the perfect showstopping Thanksgiving dessert!

Prep Time1

Cook Time1 20

Chilling Time6

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings: slices

Calories: 578kcal

Author: Natalie

Equipment

Ingredients

Pecan Graham Cracker Crust

2 cups graham cracker crumbs about 16 full sheets
⅓ cup granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg optional
½ cup unsalted butter browned or melted*

Cheesecake

32 ounces cream cheese full fat, room temperature
¾ cup brown sugar packed, light or dark
¼ cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs room temperature
1 cup sour cream full fat, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ teaspoon cinnamon

Caramel Pecans

5 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ cup brown sugar light or dark
⅓ cup heavy cream room temperature
½ teaspoon cinnamon optional
¼ teaspoon salt
2 cups pecans toasted then chopped or kept whole
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon bourbon optional

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Graham Cracker Crust

Set one oven rack in the center position and place one rack below it for the roasting pan (for the hot water bath to be used while baking the cheesecake). Preheat oven to 350 Fahrenheit.
Lightly spray the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan with baking non stick spray. Place a round of parchment paper on the bottom of the pan. Lightly spray the parchment paper.
Melt or brown the butter. To brown the butter, start by melting the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Stir occasionally at first. Once it begins to bubble, stir it constantly. It will start to foam. Continue stirring as you watch for it to turn a light, amber color and develop a nutty smell which should happen in about five minutes. Pour the brown butter into a heat safe bowl, making sure the scrape the bottom of the pan for all the bits.
Use store-bought graham cracker crumbs or pulse graham cracker sheets. To make graham cracker crumbs, pulse the graham crackers in a food processor to finely ground crumbs. Pour the crumbs into a medium sized mixing bowl. Stir in the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg (if using). Pour in the melted or browned butter and stir til combined.
Pour the graham cracker mixture into the prepared pan. Use your hands to spread it evenly on the bottom and halfway up the sides of the pan. Pat mixture down with medium pressure with your hands or using a small flat bottom measuring cup. Be sure to press crumbs into place until compact and not loose or crumbly but avoid pressing too hard.
Bake for 10 minutes. Remove and place on a wire rack while you prepare the filling. Reduce oven temperature to 325 Fahrenheit.

Cheesecake Filling

Fill a kettle with water and heat the water to boil. You'll need enough water to add about an inch of water to your roasting pan, so you'll probably need a full kettle. Take out a 9 by 13 inch rectangular pan or a roasting pan. Set aside. This will be for the hot water bath.
Next, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or in a large bowl using a hand held mixer, beat the room temperature cream cheese and sugars on medium speed for 2 minutes until the mixture is creamy and smooth. Add the sour cream, vanilla extract and cinnamon. Beat til just fully combined. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Beat only to combine. Stop mixing as soon as the last egg has been mixed into the batter. DO NOT OVERMIX.
Pour the cheesecake batter on top of the crust. Smooth the top of the cheesecake with an offset spatula or regular spatula. Place your empty roasting pan or 9 by 13 inch rectangular pan on the bottom/lower rack in the oven. Pour about an inch or a little more than an inch of hot water in the roasting pan. Set the cheesecake on the middle rack and quickly close the oven door to keep the steam from the hot water in the oven.
Bake for 60 to 75 minutes until the center is almost set. The center of the cheesecake should jiggle slightly when you gently shake the pan but the sides should be set. Turn off the oven. Crack the oven door open slightly and let the cheesecake sit in the oven for 1 hour.
After 1 hour, take the cheesecake out of the oven. Set the pan on a rack and allow cheesecake to cool uncovered til it's room temperature. Next, use an offset spatula or a small flexible rubber spatula and run it around the edges of the cheesecake. Press the spatula against the pan as you do this. This will mak sure the cheesecake isn't sticking to the pan. Refrigerate the cheesecake uncovered for a minimum of 5 hours or overnight.
Once cheesecake has cooled and set, prepare the pecan caramel topping.

Pecan Caramel Topping

Preheat oven to 300 F. Spread pecans on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place in the oven for 9-11 minutes, until nuts are fragrant. Alternatively, you can toast them in a dry medium-sized skillet over medium heat. Stir as you toast them until they are fragrant. about 3-4 minutes. Remove the pecans from pan and set aside.
Add the butter to a large skillet over low heat and stir til melted. Add the brown sugar and whisk until all sugar has melted and the mixture starts to bubble, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the room temperature heavy cream, cinnamon and salt til combined. Fold in the pecans with a spatula. Coat them completely with the sauce then remove from heat. Stir in the vanilla extract and bourbon (if using). Set a timer for 10 minutes.

Assembly

After 10 minutes, pour the pecan mixture over the cooled cheesecake and enjoy! Use a long, sharp knife to cut the cheesecake. Wipe the knife clean and run it under hot water in between slicing for extra neat slices. Enjoy!
Cover or place leftover cheesecake in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Notes

Cream cheese and sour cream: Use full fat cream cheese and sour cream. They add the best flavor and texture. Use brick style cream cheese, not the tubs.

Room temperature ingredients: Take cream cheese, sour cream and eggs out of the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight. Room temperature ingredients make it possible for ingredients to get fully incorporated and makes your cheesecake creamy. Make sure your heavy cream for the pecan topping is also at room temperature.

Avoid overmixing: Beat the cheesecake mixture til the ingredients are just incorporated. Over beating creates air bubbles which can result in cracks in the baked cheesecake.

Pecan topping: Use anywhere from 1 and 1/2 cups to 2 cups of pecans. Toasting the pecans is optional. It makes nuts crispier and enhances their flavor. Toast nuts on the stovetop or in the oven. You can leave pecans whole or chop them. If you're planning to chop them, do so after toasting them. Be sure to spread the pecan topping over the cheesecake soon after making the topping. It will harden if you wait too long and you won't be able to spread it.

Bourbon: For added flavor, add up to 1 tablespoon to the pecan topping. Add it when you add the vanilla extract.

Nutritional Information: The nutrition information provided is an estimate. The calorie accuracy is not guaranteed.

Storage: Store leftover cheesecake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can freeze individual slices in an airtight container for up to 30 days. Thaw at room temperature 1-2 hours.

Nutrition