Pecan Pie Cheesecake

5 from 1 vote

This pecan pie cheesecake recipe is the perfect dessert to make for the holidays! A creamy cinnamon cheesecake filling, with a buttery graham cracker crust, and after baking it's topped with a toasted pecan maple topping. And the best part is the cheesecake can be made the day before!

Prep Time45

Cook Time1 50

Chilling time6

Total Time8 35

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 812kcal

Author: Heather Perine

Ingredients

For the crust:

1 ¾ cups (210 g) graham crackers (about 14 crackers)
Pinch salt
6 Tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter melted
¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar

For the cheesecake filling:

2 pounds (four 8-ounce) blocks cream cheese softened to room temperature
1 ½ cups (320 g) packed light brown sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 large eggs room temperature
⅔ cup (151 g) sour cream
⅔ cup (160 ml) heavy cream

Pecan Topping:

½ cup (1 stick, 113 g) unsalted butter
¾ cup (167 g) packed light brown sugar
¼ cup (60 ml) maple syrup
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ½ cups (171 g) toasted, pecan halves

Instructions

Make graham cracker crust

Prep oven. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C), with rack in middle of oven.
Make cookie crust. Pulse the graham crackers in a food processor or blender until finely ground. Put in a large bowl, and stir in the salt, melted butter and brown sugar. 1 ¾ cups (210 g) graham crackers Pinch salt 6 Tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
Assemble the crust. Press the crumb mixture firmly into the bottom and slightly up the sides of a 9 inch springform pan, using the bottom of a measuring cup (or you can use your fingers).
Bake the crust. Place the pan on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F (180°C) for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.

Make cheesecake filling

Combine cream cheese and sugar. In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, beat cream cheese and brown sugar on medium speed for 4 minutes. 2 pounds (four 8-ounce) blocks cream cheese 1 ½ cups (320 g) packed light brown sugar
Add remaining ingredients. Add the salt vanilla extract, and cinnamon beating after each addition. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating for one minute after each addition. Add the sour cream, beat until incorporated. Add heavy cream and beat until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and along the bottom to make sure all of the cream cheese has been incorporated. ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon pinch salt 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 4 large eggs ⅔ cup (151 g) sour cream ⅔ cup (160 ml) heavy cream

Bake the cheesecake

Lower the heat on the oven to 325°F (160°C).
Wrap springform pan. Wrap the outside of the springform pan in 3-4 layers of aluminum foil, ensuring none of the pan is exposed and any water can get jn. I also recommend wrapping in a slow cooker liner. Or you can place the pan into a larger pan like a 10-inch cake pan then place the larger cake pan into a large roasting pan. I find if I use just tin foil water it still gets in.
Prepare the water bath. Prepare pan and boiling water: Place the foil-wrapped springform pan in a large, high-sided roasting pan. Prepare 2 quarts of boiling water.
Pour filling into the pan. Pour the cheesecake filling into the springform pan, over the graham cracker crust. Smooth the top with a rubber spatula.
Place in the oven. Place the roasting pan with the springform pan in it, in the oven.
Add hot water. Carefully pour the hot water into the roasting pan, pouring until the water reaches halfway up the side of the springform pan.
Bake the cheesecake. Bake at 325°F (160°C) for 1 ½ hours until the edges of the cheesecake are set and slightly golden brown, and the middle of the cheesecake is set but still slightly wobbly. If you notice the top is browning too quickly, tent the top of the pan with tinfoil halfway through baking.
Allow cheesecake to cool in the oven. Turn off the heat of the oven. Crack open the oven and let the cake cool in the oven, for another hour, which will help prevent the cheesecake from cracking.
Chill the cheesecake. Remove the cheesecake from the roasting pan. Run a knife around the edges on the inside of the cheesecake to release from the springform pan. Cover the top of the cheesecake with a paper towel or wax paper(to help with condensation forming) and then cover in foil. Chill in the refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours, or overnight.

Make the pecan topping.

Make the topping. While the cheesecake cools make the topping. I recommend making the topping right before serving as it can harden if it sits. In a medium saucepan, over medium heat combine the butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, and salt. Bring to a boil and let it simmer for a few minutes, making sure to stir constantly. ½ cup (1 stick, 113 g) unsalted butter ¾ cup (167 g) packed light brown sugar ¼ cup (60 ml) maple syrup ¼ teaspoon salt
Add vanilla and pecans. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and pecans. Set aside. Allow to cool slightly before topping cheesecake. If the topping becomes too firm as it cools, simply reheat until soft again in the microwave. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 ½ cups (171 g) toasted, pecan halves
Serving the cheesecake. When ready to serve, remove the foil and springform pan. Cut into slices, top with the pecan topping and serve.

Notes

Storage: Stored properly, the cheesecake can last up to 4-5 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
Freezing: You can also freeze any leftover cheesecake. I like to freeze individual slices can be wrapped and frozen for later enjoyment. I like to place individual slices of cheesecake on a cookie sheet and freeze uncovered for an hour. Once frozen I wrap each slice in plastic wrap and then place in a freezer bag for added protection. When ready to eat, thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then unwrap and enjoy!
Graham crackers - If you can't find graham crackers you can also use vanilla wafers or digestive biscuits.
Butter - I used unsalted butter but you can also use salted butter. Just omit the added salt.
Cream cheese - Make sure your cream cheese is softened before you begin. Read my tutorial on how to soften cream cheese. I also recommend full-fat cream cheese in the blocks, not the tubs which can have a different texture.
Sour cream - Full fat is best, but a low-fat may still work. I do not recommend fat-free sour cream. And you could try swapping and use plain full-fat Greek yogurt.
Heavy cream - You want heavy whipping cream. For the whipped cream, you want the cream cold so it whips up to full volume.
Pecans - I recommend toasting the pecans first for more flavor.
Wrap the springform pan well. You don’t want any water from the water bath to leak in and ruin the cheesecake and oreo crust. I like to wrap in a few layers of tin foil, and then wrap in a slow cooker liner. I’ve also used a silicone pan as well that’s also a great option. Read more here about what is a water bath?
Bake in a water bath. A water bath, or also known as a bain marie, allows the cheesecake filling to cook slowly so you get a smooth filling and no cracks in the top of the cheesecake.
Cool slowly. You need to let the cheesecake cool in the oven with the heat off and the door open. This will help prevent cracks in the top of the cheesecake.
Make pecan pie layer before serving. The topping can solidify as it sits in the fridge, so I like to make the topping right before serving.

Nutrition