Do you enjoy good pecan pie? Do you love the rich and creamy taste of cheesecake? If you do, I’ve got a recipe that will give your taste buds the best of both worlds! A delectable cream cheese filling cradled by a crisp and buttery ground pecan and graham cracker crust then topped with a sweet and chunky pecan pie filling. Allow me to show you how it’s done!

 

Difficulty Level: Moderate 

This rich pecan topped cheesecake is jam-packed with delicious flavor from 3 mouthwatering layers of goodness. All you have to do is make the crust and combine the filling ingredients while the crust bakes and cools.

Follow this same trend of making one part of the cheesecake while the other bakes or cools, and you’ll be good to go.   

 

What Makes This Dessert Special?

This pecan pie cheesecake tastes so good; I’m sure it’ll be an instant hit wherever you serve it! From the crispy graham cracker crust to the creamy cheese filling and sweet, nutty pecan topping, the Pecan Pie Cheesecake is rich in flavor and texture!

 

How To Serve 

It best that you serve this decadent treat chilled; I enjoyed having it the way I made it in this recipe, but you can always mix things up if you want to. I recommend drizzling with a bit of rum sauce and top with a swirl of whipped cream.

 

Serving Size

This recipe can yield between 10 to 12 slices of cheesecake, depending on the serving size you’re going for; this amount is suitable for a potluck with friends or a birthday celebration. My favorite, of course, is a post-dinner dessert at home with the fam. 

 

Equipment Needed

Bowl– Use at least 3-4 bowls to separate and combine ingredients.

Rubber Spatula– Use this to smooth out the batter in the pan and scrape the mixtures from the sides of the bowl.

Pot– Medium saucepan

Wooden Spoon– Use to stir ingredients.

Knife– You’ll need this to chop the pecans for the topping.

Whisk– Use a regular whisk or fork to combine mixtures.

Baking Pan– Use a 9-inch springform pan to bake the cheesecake, crust, and all.

 

Main Ingredients 

Cream Cheese– This ingredient gives the cheesecake the moist, rich, creamy, and tangy flavor we’re all pleasantly familiar with; for me, it’s always going to be Philadephia cream cheese; there no going around that. However, you can use your favorite brand; that’s what I did!

 

Substitutes

Corn Syrup– For this recipe, I used darl corn syrup to make the topping. If you don’t have any of this available, you can make your own at home; use a combination of light corn syrup and molasses instead.

 

All The Ingredients

· Graham Cracker Crumbs– Combined with ground pecans, brown sugar, and melted butter to make the crust.

· Pecans– Use in both the crust and topping for flavor.

· Brown Sugar– Adds sweetness and color to the crust and topping.

· Butter– Melted and used in the crust and pecan topping.

· Cream Cheese– Softened and combined with white sugar, sour cream, vanilla, salt, and eggs. It gives the filling that rich and creamy taste we all know and love.

· White Sugar– Sweetens the cream cheese filling.

· Sour Cream– Adds a nice tangy flavor to the filling.

· Vanilla– Used to add flavor to the filling.

· Eggs– Combined with both the filling and topping ingredients. It emulsifies and thickens.

· Salt– Improves the taste of the filling and a topping.

· Corn Syrup– Boiled with rum, brown sugar, and butter to make the topping.

· Rum– Adds a hint of alcohol to the topping.

· Heavy Cream– whisk with the eggs and salt to make the pecan topping.

 

How To Make Pecan Pie Cheese Cake

1. Place the rack on the middle shelf in the oven and preheat it to 350 degrees F.
2. Line a 9-inch springform pan with baking paper, then cover a light coat of non-stick cooking spray. 
3. Using aluminum foil, tightly wrap the outside of the pan and then place it to the side.
4. Crust: In a medium-sized bowl, combine all the crust ingredients until it forms a crumbly mixture. 
5. Using your hands or a measuring scoop, press the crumbly mixture firmly into the baking pan’s bottom and 3/4 way up the sides. Bake the crust for 10 minutes, then set aside to cool; make the filling in the meantime.
6. Cream Cheese Filling: Reduce the oven heat to 300 degrees. Using a mixer on medium speed, beat the cream cheese for about a minute until soft and creamy.
7. In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium to medium-high speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. 
8. Add the sugar, sour cream, vanilla, and salt to the cream cheese and mix on medium speed until thoroughly combined. 
9. Using a whisk or silicone spatula, carefully blend the eggs with wet ingredients just enough to combine. 
10. Pour the cream cheese filling into the baked crust, spread it evenly, and fill in any gaps in the bottom and sides.
11. Bake the cheesecake for 40 minutes and start making the topping during that time.
12. Pecan Topping: In a medium saucepan, combine the first 4 topping ingredients over medium heat. 
13. While constantly stirring, heat the mixture to a boiling point and cook for an additional 2 minutes before removing it from the heat and setting it aside to cool.
14. Whisk to combine the eggs, salt, and cream in a bowl and set aside.
15. After 40 minutes, remove the cheesecake from the oven and set it aside.
16. Slowly whisk the egg mixture into cooled rum and sugar mixture until well blended, then combine it with the chopped pecans.
17. Use a spoon to carefully add the pecan topping over the cheesecake and avoid allowing the syrup to run into the pan’s sides (This could glue the cheesecake into the pan, so be careful). 
18. Cover the crust in foil and return the cheesecake to the oven for another 40-50 minutes of baking until it’s golden brown and crisp on top.
19. Serve: Shift the cheesecake to a wire rack and cool, then cover and refrigerate it for 4 hours or more before serving.
20. To remove the cheesecake from the pan, release the sides of the pan slowly and lift to remove.
21. If you cannot remove it, use a butter knife to go around the edges to loosen it gently, then push the bottom of the pan up to move it; if you can do this easily, try removing the sides again.
22. Once released, carefully move the cheesecake to a serving tray. Slice and enjoy

 

Wrap The Pan In Foil

In preparation for baking the cheesecake, I line the pan with parchment and tightly wrapped the outside in tin foil. I did this to prevent the cream cheese filling from seeping through the gaps in the springform pan and making a mess in the oven.

 

Alternative Lining Method

To prep the springform pan for baking, I lined the bottom and sides with parchment paper before giving a light coat of non-stick cooking spray. If you’ve run out of parchment, you can use tin foil to line the pan instead.

 

How To Store 

It would be best for you to store this cheesecake in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve it; ensure that it is completely cool, cover, then refrigerate; this will last up to 4 days. 

Doing this will keep this filling nice and firm. You can also freeze this dessert, wrap it in plastic, and foil, then freeze for up to 3 months.

 

Rich and creamy cheesecake nestled in a deep graham cracker and pecan crust and topped with a sweet and chunky brown sugar and pecan topping. Excited, aren’t you? You will fall in love with the rich taste and texture of this creamy dessert, and you’ll have a blast making it! 

Pecan Pie Cheesecake

Yield: 10-12 servings

Prep Time: 40 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 40 minutes

Additional Time: 4 hours

Total Time: 6 hours 20 minutes

Velvety smooth Cheesecake with a Pecan Pie topping, this tasty combination will tickle your tastebuds!

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Ingredients

Crust

• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted)
• 1 cup ground pecans
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar

Filling

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 cups cream cheese
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs (lightly beaten)

Topping

• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 2/3 cup dark corn syrup
• 1 tablespoon rum
• 3 large eggs
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 cups pecans (coarsely chopped)

Instructions

Crust

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F or 180°C and position the oven rack to the center slot.
2. Using parchment paper, line the interior of a 9-ich springform pan and lightly grease with cooking spray. Wrap the lower half and bottom of the pan's exterior with foil, then set it aside for later.
3. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the cracker crumbs, ground pecans, sugar, and melted butter until blended; it should be crumbly, like wet sand. 
4. Transfer the crumb mixture to the baking pan, use your hands to press it into the bottom, and 3-quarter way up the sides of the pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, then set aside to and make the filling.
   
   

Filling

1. Turn down the oven temperature to 300ºF or 150°C.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese on medium speed for a minute until softened. Pour in the sour cream, sugar, salt, and vanilla, then continue to beat until thoroughly combined.
3. Carefully fold each egg into the mixture with a rubber spatula until blended, then pour the cream cheese filling into cooled crust. 
4. Spread out the filling evenly with an offset spatula, filling in any gaps, then bake for 40 minutes; make the topping while the cheesecake is baking.
   

Topping

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, sugar, corn syrup, and rum and bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat while stirring constantly. Allow the rum mixture to boil for 2 minutes, transfer the mixture to the counter and let it cool.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk to combine the eggs, salt, and heavy cream, then set aside.
3. After 40 minutes, remove the cheesecake from the oven and transfer it to the counter.
4. Combine the egg mixture with the cooled sugar mixture by slowly whisking until the two are well blended, mix in the chopped nuts.
5. Using a spoon, carefully place the pecan topping on top of the cheesecake with a small amount of the syrup(do not allow the syrup to run over the sides)but not too much as it will make the cake adhere to the pan.
6. Place the cheesecake back into the oven to bake for an additional 40-50 minutes or until the topping is golden brown and crispy.
7. Once baked, move the cheese to a wire rack to cool completely. Cover the cheesecake with foil and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.

Serve

1. To remove the cheesecake from the pan, carefully loosen the sides of the springform pan. If the crust is glued to the pan's interior, try using a butter knife or the backend of a paring knife to slide between the edges and loosen the cheesecake gently. 
2. Once the pan's base can move freely upward, raise the sides of the pan to remove it, then carefully transfer the cake to a plate. Slice and serve.