Pecan Pie Cheesecake
A delightful fusion of creamy cheesecake and buttery pecan topping on a crunchy graham cracker crust, perfect for any gathering.
Ingredients
Crust
- 1/2 cup pecans, pulsed into crumbs
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 8 tablespoons butter, melted
Cheesecake Filling
- 3 8-ounce bricks cream cheese, very soft Soften before mixing
- 3/4 cup full-fat sour cream
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon bourbon (optional)
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Pecan Topping
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2/3 cup dark brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups pecans, whole or chopped
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon bourbon (optional)
Instructions
Preparing the Crust
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- In a bowl, mix the pecan crumbs, graham cracker crumbs, sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in the melted butter until combined.
- Press the mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan and bake for 10 minutes. Let it cool.
Making the Filling
- In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until silky smooth.
- Add the sour cream, dark brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla extract. Mix until well blended.
- Add the eggs and egg yolks one at a time, stirring until just combined. If desired, stir in bourbon and flour.
- Pour the creamy mixture over the cooled crust, spreading it evenly.
Preparing the Topping
- In another bowl, melt unsalted butter and mix with dark brown sugar, cinnamon, heavy cream, salt, whole pecans, and vanilla extract.
- Pour the pecan mixture over the cheesecake and smooth it out.
Baking the Cheesecake
- Bake in the oven for 60-70 minutes. The center should be set but still a bit jiggly.
- Turn off the oven and allow the cheesecake to cool inside for an hour. Then chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
Serving
- Slice and serve the cheesecake cold. Enjoy it plain or with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Notes
For best results, soften the cream cheese before mixing. Don’t skip the chilling step for texture and flavor. Use fresh pecans for best taste. Variations include adding chocolate chips to the topping or using walnuts instead of pecans.