Thanksgiving is one of the best Holidays for the best food. Cheesecake and Pecan pie are my absolute favorite desserts, so why not combine them? This recipe is a super fun way to take two delicious classics and combine them into one. It tastes amazing, you’ll want to make it all year long. And, don't let this recipe scare you, it looks complicated, but is actually very simple. I know there are a lot of ingredients and the steps to making the Heavenly pecan pie cheesecake look overwhelming but it’s really not hard at all, you will see.
Does that not just make your mouth water? I mean look at that smooth creamy center with the delicious crunch of pecans and a graham-cracker crust to wrap this up into a bombshell of a desert.
Ingredients
For the crust
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup pecan halves (ground)
¼ cup packed light brown sugar
8 tablespoons melted salted butter
For the Cheesecake filling
16 ounces soft cream cheese
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup sour cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
For the Pecan Pie topping
1 cup packed light brown sugar
⅔ cup dark corn syrup
1 tablespoon dark rum of choice
¼ cup (56 g) unsalted butter
3 large eggs
¼ cup heavy whipping cream
¼ teaspoon salt
2 and ½ cups Pecan Halves - coarsely chopped pecans
Instructions
Make the crust
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Then line the inside of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper and spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Then wrap aluminum foil around the outside and set aside.
Grind up the pecans, stir in the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, and melted butter together until it resembles the consistency of wet sand. Press the crumb mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the lined spring foam pan. Make sure you go at least ¾ of the way up so it's tall enough to hold the filling.
Bake for 10 minutes. Then set aside to cool while you make the filling.
Make the filling
Set the oven to 300ºF.
In a large mixing bowl beat the cream cheese using an electric hand mixer, until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute.
Add in the sugar, sour cream, vanilla, and the salt. Beat until well combined.
Using a silicone spatula, gently add in the eggs just until well combined, then pour the batter onto the crust. Use the spatula to spread the batter evenly into the bottom.
On the center rack in the center of the oven, bake for 40 minutes. Once the cheesecake goes into the oven, start the topping.
Make the topping
Combine the brown sugar, corn syrup, rum, and the butter into a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat until it reaches a rolling boil, make sure to stir constantly. Continue to boil for a minimum of 2 minutes.
Remove from the heat and let cool while the cheesecake is baking. In the meantime, whisk the eggs, salt, and cream together; then set aside.
When cheesecake is done, remove it from the oven and set aside to cool.
Slowly whisk the egg mixture with the cooled sugar syrup until it is combined, then stir in the chopped pecans.
Once the Cheesecake has cooled, gently spoon the pecan topping over the cheesecake. (Be careful to add just enough of the syrup to fill the crust. If it goes above the crust, it will leak down under the crust and make the crust soggy. But worst of all it will also basically glue the springform and the cake together.
Return the cheesecake to the oven and bake for another 40-50 minutes, until the top of the cheesecake is golden brown and crisp. If it Starts to burn before done, cover it with foil.
Once done baking, transfer to a wire rack and cool completely. Cover the cheesecake and refrigerate for4 hours before serving.
To serve this Heavenly Pecan Pie Cheesecake
Gently loosen all the sides of the springform pan. If the sides are sticky and stuck, gently run a butter knife around the inside edges of the cheesecake to loosen it while you press the bottom of the pan upwards. Once the cheesecake is free, lift the outer ring of the pan to remove it.
Freeze the Cheesecake for 2 hours before transferring to a serving platter. This makes it super easier to make nice clean slices.
My best trick is to run a sharp knife under hot water and then dry the blade. Make a cut in the cheesecake. Repeat with rinsing the blade under hot water, carefully dry it, until all cuts are made.
Let each slice sit on it's plate for a minimum of 30 minutes to completely thaw out.
Trust me you are going to want to make this, it takes Pecan pie and cheesecake to a whole new level and no-one will ever want anything else. Let me know how yours turns out.
xoxo
Haley Fox
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