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Pecan Pie Cheesecake

Pecan pie cheesecake combines a buttery graham cracker crust with a creamy cheesecake baked in a water bath, then finished with a thick pecan topping. The slice shows a caramel-like pecan layer with whole nuts over a smooth, set filling.
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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: 690
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For crust
  • 2 cup graham cracker crumbs
  • 0.25 cup brown sugar
  • 6 tbsp butter melted
For cheesecake
  • 24 oz cream cheese softened
  • 0.75 cup brown sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 0.5 tsp cinnamon
For 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 baking pan
  • 1 water bath
  • 1 electric mixer

Method
 

Bake the crust
  1. Preheat the oven to 325°F, then press the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, and melted butter into a 9-inch springform pan. Bake for 10 minutes.
Make and bake the cheesecake
  1. Beat the cream cheese and brown sugar smooth, then beat in the eggs one at a time. Stir in the sour cream, vanilla, and cinnamon until smooth.
  2. Pour the cheesecake batter over the baked crust. Bake in a water bath at 325°F for 60 to 65 minutes, until just set.
  3. Cool the cheesecake completely, then refrigerate for 6 hours to chill.
Cook the pecan pie topping
  1. Melt the unsalted butter with the brown sugar, heavy cream, and corn syrup over medium heat, then simmer for 3 minutes. Stir in the whole pecans, vanilla, and salt.
  2. Cool the pecan topping for 15 minutes, until thickened slightly.
  3. Pour the pecan pie topping over the chilled cheesecake just before serving.

Notes

For the cleanest slices, cool the cheesecake fully before chilling, and use a slow, steady pour when filling the water bath around the pan. Refrigerate leftovers covered for up to 4 days; freeze cheesecake (without topping) for up to 2 months. For a lighter option, swap sour cream for low-fat sour cream to reduce calories while keeping the cheesecake creamy.