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Pecan Pie Cheesecake

Pecan pie cheesecake combines a buttery graham cracker crust, a silky vanilla cinnamon cheesecake layer, and a thick caramel pecan topping. Bake in a water bath until just set for a creamy, sliceable texture, then chill for clean cuts before topping.
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Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Chilling 6 hours
Total Time 7 hours 50 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 590
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Crust
  • 2 cup graham cracker crumbs
  • 0.25 cup brown sugar
  • 6 tbsp melted butter
Cheesecake
  • 24 oz cream cheese Use room temperature.
  • 0.75 cup brown sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 0.5 tsp cinnamon
Pecan pie topping
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 cup brown sugar Packed.
  • 0.33 cup heavy cream
  • 1 tbsp corn syrup
  • 2 cup whole pecans
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 0.25 tsp salt

Equipment

  • 1 springform pan
  • 1 oven
  • 1 bain-marie/water bath setup
  • 1 mixing bowl
  • 1 springform pan

Method
 

Bake the crust
  1. Preheat the oven to 325F, then press graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, and melted butter into a 9-inch springform pan to form an even crust layer with compact edges.
  2. Bake the crust at 325F for 10 minutes, until set and lightly fragrant, then transfer to a cooling rack.
Bake the cheesecake
  1. Beat the cream cheese and brown sugar until smooth, then beat in eggs one at a time, followed by sour cream, vanilla, and cinnamon until the batter looks glossy.
  2. Pour the cheesecake batter over the baked crust and smooth the top.
  3. Bake in a water bath at 325F for 60-65 minutes, until the center is just set with a slight jiggle.
  4. Cool the cheesecake completely at room temperature, until no longer warm to the touch.
  5. Refrigerate the cheesecake for 6 hours, covered, until fully chilled and firm for slicing.
Make the pecan pie topping
  1. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt unsalted butter with packed brown sugar, heavy cream, and corn syrup, stirring until the mixture is smooth.
  2. Simmer the topping for 3 minutes, until it thickens slightly and looks cohesive.
  3. Stir in whole pecans, vanilla, and salt, then cool for 15 minutes until warm and thickened.
  4. Pour the pecan pie topping over the chilled cheesecake just before serving so the crust stays crisp and the topping retains its texture.

Notes

For the cleanest slices, let the water-bath setup run hot and keep the water level below the rim of the springform. Refrigerate covered up to 5 days; freeze the cheesecake (without fresh topping) up to 1 month, then thaw overnight in the fridge and add warm topping before serving. For a lower-fat option, use reduced-fat cream cheese, but expect a slightly softer texture.