Pecan Pie Cheesecake

You’ll go nuts for a heavenly slice of Pecan Pie Cheesecake with a pecan graham cracker crust that combines two classic desserts into one sinful bite. Serve it as dessert for Thanksgiving or Christmas.

When I think of pie for the holidays, I often think of pecan pie. It’s a Thanksgiving alternative to pumpkin pie and a strong contender for Christmas dessert.

I’ve post variations with German Chocolate Pecan Pie and Small Pecan Pie and thought what else could I make?

It shouldn’t be a surprise to anybody I came up with Pecan Pie Cheesecake with a pecan graham cracker crust.

As the name states, it’s a cross between pecan pie and cheesecake.

The bottom is a homemade graham cracker crust with ground pecans.

In the middle is a classic cheesecake filling.

The topping is what you’d find in a pecan pie – pecans, corn syrup, and cream.

All together it makes a deliciously decadent Pecan Pie Cheesecake recipe.

And since cheesecake needs to sit overnight, you can bake it the day before Thanksgiving or Christmas then you’ll have one less recipe to make during the actual holiday.

What is pecan pie?

As the name states, pecan pie is pie crust filled with pecan nuts mixed with butter, sugar, and corn syrup.

It’s often a very sweet pie thanks to the sugar and corn syrup, so it’s usually a love it or leave it dessert. I have a big sweet tooth, so of course I’m all in.

Instead of pie crust, I made a cheesecake with pecan crust. Then I poured what is usually the pecan pie filling on top.

Ingredients For Pecan Pie Cheesecake

To make your easy pecan pie cheesecake, you’ll need the following ingredients:

• Graham cracker crumbs: The most traditional crust for cheesecake. Use a food processor to finely chop your graham crackers.
• Pecans: You’ll need two types – finely ground for the crust and chopped for the topping. Use the food processor to finely grind the pecans then use a knife to chop the rest.
• Butter: Melted butter is used to bind the crust while tablespoons are used in the topping.
• Cream cheese: Use full-fat blocks of cream. Using whipped or low/no fat may result in a watery filling.
• Sugar: Balances tanginess of cream cheese
• Eggs: Gives the filling its custard-like texture as well as helps the batter to rise
• Vanilla: Enhances all of the other flavors
• Brown sugar: Helps sweeten the filling as well as adds caramelization
• Corn syrup: In addition to sweetening, corn syrup prevents sugar crystallization which means your topping won’t be grainy.
• Heavy cream: Helps loosen the topping you can pour it over the cheesecake
• Salt: Although pecans are salty, you’ll still want a little more salt to balance the flavors.

Can you substitute the corn syrup?

I get it. We’re raised to believe corn syrup is bad for you but the kind you buy at the store is not high fructose corn syrup. Really it’s just liquid sugar that helps prevent crystallization when baking.

Pecan pie is synonymous with corn syrup, so I highly recommend buying it and using it for best results. Please don’t leave it out.

If you can’t find it at the store, check next to the maple syrup. I often find it there and not in the baking aisle.

Which pan should I use to bake pecan pie cheesecake?

You always want to use a springform pan for cheesecake because it’s too fragile to flip out of a cake pan.

The springform pan allows you to remove the pan without damaging your dessert.

For this particular pecan pie cheesecake recipe, I recommend covering the outside of your pan with foil then placing it on a baking sheet. Because the pecan pie topping is liquidy, the pan may leak a bit.

How To Make Pecan Graham Cracker Crust

Typically cheesecakes are made with a graham cracker crust. Because we’re talking pecan pie cheesecake, I added ground pecans for some extra nuttiness. It’s subtle but it’s a nice touch.

The easiest way to make your pecan graham cracker crust is to use a food processor. This makes really fine crumbs that can easily bind together.

Don’t have a food processor? You can also crush them inside a freezer bag with a rolling pin.

Once your crumbs are ready, mix them with melted butter then pat into the bottom and roughly 2 inches up the side of a springform pan.

How To Make Pecan Pie Cheesecake

Before you get started, make sure your cream cheese and eggs are at room temperature. If they’re too cold, they’re more likely to seize up while mixing, creating a lumpy cheesecake batter.

Sometimes I’ll even microwave the cream cheese (without the aluminum wrapper!) for 5-10 seconds to ensure it’s not cold.

After making your crust, beat together your cream cheese and sugar until super smooth, scraping down the bowl as needed.

Then beat in the eggs one a time, being careful not to overbeat then add the vanilla.

Transfer the batter to your crust then place a baking sheet.

Next, make your pecan pie topping by whisking together brown sugar, corn syrup, heavy cream, butter, and salt in a large saucepan.

Bring to a rolling boil then cook for an additional 3 minutes, whisking often to prevent bubbling over. Remove from the heat then stir in the vanilla and pecans.

Pour it over your cheesecake then bake at 350F for 45 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 150F. The center will still jiggle slightly but will firm as it cools.

It’s important you don’t overbake it as it’ll crack if baked too long.

How To Store Pecan Pie Cheesecake

Cool your cheesecake for 1 hour in the pan then carefully run a knife along the edge to loosen the cheesecake.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Remove the pan side before serving. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

More Cheesecake Recipes

Enjoyed this recipe for pecan pie cheesecake? Here are more flavors to make:

• German Chocolate Cheesecake
• Pumpkin Cheesecake
• Carrot Cake Cheesecake
• Gingerbread Cheesecake
• Peppermint Cheesecake
• Strawberry Swirl Cheesecake
• Chocolate Cheesecake with Oreo Crust

First published on November 14, 2016