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Creamy, crunchy, and absolutely irresistible this Pecan Pie Cheesecake is a creamy vanilla cheesecake with a pecan pie glaze that is drizzled over the top making it a delicious holiday dessert.

I love cheesecake! Have I ever said that before? I’m sure I have at one point or another but cheesecakes are one of my absolute favorite desserts.

I also love pecan pie, so I wanted to combine my two loves and make this amazing Pecan Pie Cheesecake. Trust me you guys, this one is an absolute winner.

You have a delicious creamy cheesecake that sits over a graham cracker crust with pecans and then it is all topped off with a pecan pie glaze really giving you a mixture of the two desserts.

I don’t know about you but this recipe is a show stopper and one that you will want to have at your holiday table this year. Especially if you have guests who can’t decide between two desserts.

I often love combining two of my favorite flavors into one, that way I don’t have to choose and I can have both at the same time, that is exactly what I did with this Pecan Pie Cheesecake.

Once you make this, this will quickly become one of your go-to holiday recipes for years to come. It has for us, it is one recipe that we get asked year over year to bring to gatherings.

Obviously, I have no objection to that, the only downside is that I never get to take any leftovers home! But that has to be saying something for this recipe then!

Some of our other favorite pecan-centered desserts we have on our site include: Chocolate Pecan Cobbler, Pecan Brownie Bombs and Cinnamon Sugar Roasted Pecans.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:

This serves a crowd! So it is a great dessert to bring to gatherings.
The flavors pair together perfectly, especially with the extra pecans in the crust.
This can be made ahead of time, who doesn’t love a recipe that can be made a day ahead!

INGREDIENTS NEEDED (FULL RECIPE AT BOTTOM):

Graham cracker crumbs
Pecans
Granulated sugar
Unsalted butter
Cream cheese
Eggs
Sour cream
Vanilla extract
Ground cinnamon
Ground nutmeg
Heavy cream
Dark brown sugar
Light corn syrup
Baking soda
Fine sea salt

HOW TO MAKE A PECAN PIE CHEESECAKE:

Preheat the oven to 325°F.
In a medium-sized bowl mix together the graham cracker crumbs, finely chopped pecans, sugar, and melted butter until fully combined.
Press this mixture into a 9-inch springform pan on the bottom and up the sides. I like to use the bottom of a flat measuring cup to pack it in. Place in the fridge until ready to use.
In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer, whip the cream cheese until smooth with no lumps. Slowly add in the sugar until combined.
Add the eggs one at a time until fully incorporated, making sure the first one is mixed in before adding the next.
Mix in the sour cream, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg until smooth.
Wrap your springform pan that has the crust in it well with heavy-duty foil. Pour the cheesecake mixture into the crust. Place the cheesecake into a large roasting pan. Fill the pan halfway up the side of the cheesecake pan with hot water.
Reduce the oven temperature to 300°F. Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes, turn off the heat, and let the cheesecake sit in the oven for an additional hour, until the center is set. It will still be a little bit jiggly.
Remove the cheesecake from the oven and place it on the counter. Let it cool to room temperature, then place in the fridge for at least 8 hours, up to overnight.
Just before serving, make the pecan pie topping. In a small saucepan place the butter, heavy cream, sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg. Place over medium heat, stirring constantly until everything is melted.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally for 8 minutes. The mixture will darken and thicken.
After 8 minutes take off the heat, add the pecans and vanilla, stir them in to combine. Let the mixture cool for 10 minutes.
Take your cheesecake out of the springform pan and place it on your serving platter. Spoon the pecan mixture evenly on top. Serve immediately.

HOW DO I KEEP FROM THE CHEESECAKE CRACKING?

There are two methods that I use for this. One is using a water bath, this helps release steam into the oven while it is cooking that will help the cheesecake bake up but not crack.

The second method is letting the cheesecake cool completely on the counter before placing it in the refrigerator. Transferring hot to cold quickly runs the risk of it cracking, so make sure it is completely cooled before chilling.

WHAT TYPE AND SIZE OF PAN IS BEST FOR A CHEESECAKE?

Springform pans are best for cheesecakes because this lets you release the sides of the cake while still having a base for the cheesecake to sit on, making it easier to cut.

The size we like to use for our cheesecake is 9″, this is usually the standard-sized cheesecake but you can use a 10″ one as well, but it will not be as thick, but will serve more people.

HOW TO STORE:

If you are not serving the whole cheesecake at once, cut slices of the cheesecake then spoon topping over each individual slice. Once the topping gets cold, it will get hard.

This cheesecake needs to be stored in the fridge. For the topping, place on the stove over medium-low heat until it’s warm enough to pour.

Store covered or individually sliced in airtight containers in the refrigerator where it will last for up to 5 days.

This can also be frozen, remove your springform pan sides and place in the freezer for one hour until sold, then take out and remove cheesecake from the bottom of the springform pan.

Tightly wrap in plastic wrap or foil and place in an airtight container or a freezer bag, this should keep in the freezer for about 3-4 months.

Defrost in your refrigerator overnight then make your sauce and serve.

TIPS AND TRICKS:

Make sure your cheesecake is completely cool before chilling, this is an essential step.
I highly recommend using a water bath so your cheesecake doesn’t crack.
Make sure your cream cheese is at room temperature so you do not end up with lumps in your cheesecake.
This can be frozen, see my tips above.
If you are serving at once, pour pecan topping over the whole cheesecake and slice, if serving one slice at a time pour over individual slices.
You can rewarm your pecan topping on the stovetop because once it gets cool it will get hard.

If you want that perfect dessert for the upcoming holidays, look no further. You have to make this delicious Pecan Pie Cheesecake, you won’t regret it!

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If you’ve tried this PECAN PIE CHEESECAKE let me know in the comments how it turned out! You can follow me over on PINTEREST, INSTAGRAM OR FACEBOOK to find some more of our mouthwatering recipes!

Pecan Pie Cheesecake