Cheesecake and Pecan Pie together in one dessert. How could anything be better?
This outrageously good Pecan Pie Cheesecake has a crust made from vanilla wafer crumbs, a nutty and sweet pecan pie layer topped off with a cool and creamy cheesecake layer. I’ve become obsessed with the Crock Pot Dulce de leche I made recently so I drizzled that on top.
This was the first cheesecake I’ve made in eons. I’m surprised I even still had my springform pan.
Note: The recipe (from Taste of the South) did not call for a water bath and I didn’t use one. I thought about it, but I didn’t have any aluminum foil to wrap around the bottom of my springform pan.
When I took the cheesecake out of the oven, it looked absolutely perfect. Completely smooth on top. But when I walked past it about 10 minutes later, it had a giant crack down the middle. Easily fixed with some Dulce de Leche.
Water Bath
But if you don’t want a crack, try using a water bath. Although I’m not sure how much they really help. I’ve heard of plenty of people who have used a water bath and had their cheesecake crack and others who never use a water bath and never have cracks. I should probably check my oven temperature to see if it is running hot.
Anyone have any cheesecake baking tips?
But crack or no crack this is a truly decadent dessert. I love a pecan pie but it is an insanely sweet dessert. This Pecan Pie Cheesecake is perfect for when you want something sweet, but not something sickeningly sweet. You still get to enjoy the flavor of a pecan pie, but the cheesecake layer cuts down on the sweetness.
I’m going to try to start making 1 cheesecake a month, but this one is going to be hard to top!
Storage
Leftover cheesecake can be refrigerated in an airtight container for 4 to 5 days. Serve chilled.
How to Serve
Top with whipped cream and a pecan half and drizzle with either Dulce de Leche or Caramel Ice Cream Topping.
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Try These Other Pecan Pie Recipes
Pecan Pie Cheesecake
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 3/4 cups vanilla-wafer crumbs
- 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 1/3 cup butter, melted
Pecan filling
- 1 cup sugar
- 2/3 cup dark corn syrup
- 1/3 cup butter, melted
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cheesecake filling
- 3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
- 1 1/4 cups firmly packed brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs
- 2/3 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Combine vanilla-wafer crumbs and brown sugar in a medium bowl. Stir melted butter in with a spatula. Press into the bottom and halfway up the sides of a 9-inch Springform pan.
- Bake for 6 minutes and let cool.
- Combine all Pecan-Filling ingredients in a medium saucepan.
- Stir well and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook, stirring continuously, until mixture thickens, about 8 to 10 minutes. Pour into prepared crust.
- Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.
- Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese at medium speed until smooth and creamy.
- Add brown sugar and flour and beat until fluffy.
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Use a rubber spatula to scrape doen the sides of the bowl to make sure everything mixes evenly.
- Add cream and vanilla and beat just to combine. Pour mixture over pecan filling.
- Place in oven and bake for 1 hour. Turn oven off but leave cheesecake in oven with door closed for 1 more hour.
- Remove cheesecake from oven and run a knife around the sides to make sure they are not sticking. Let cool completely. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Serve with Dulce de Leche,
Nutrition
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Sharing with the Country Cook’s Weekend Potluck.
Originally published Octover 15, 2014.
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I’ve made this for a few years now for Friendsgiving and it is always a hit and is now a staple to the menu. It always comes out great. I do a water bath and let it cool in the oven before I put in the fridge to set up overnight and I’ve never had it crack.
My best cheesecake tips: I never fool with an actual water bath. I save the middle rack of the oven for the cheesecake and on the bottom rack, fill a 9×13 with boiling water – the oven doesn’t dry out and you don’t have to bother with the water bath.
Also, slightly under bake the cheesecake and then turn your oven completely off and let the cheesecake come to room temp while sitting in the oven. Do NOT open the door. This will also help with cracks on the top.
I’ve made many cheesecakes but this has been by far the best and highest rated by my family. It is now a holiday request for the menu. I agree with the pan of water in the oven during baking, no cracks! Thank you for sharing this recipe!!!
I made it last year and it was awesome
If you made this in a 9″ deep cake pan how could you cut an serve. Never have been able to understand springform pans. You never see the bottom when they are picturing it cut.
I put a cardboard cake round in the bottom before I put the crust in.
Gorgeous cake & wonderful presentation though you got a crack. To avoid them in the future, let ALL cheesecakes cool near completely in the oven. Simply crack open the oven door just slightly too allow the hot air to escape ever so slowly. The cake will not over cook. Leave it there at least 2 hours. Move to a wore rack & cool completely on the counter then cover & refrigerate. Cheesecake is best made the day before it is to be served so it can cool completely & Set up in the fridge overnight. Again, fantastic cake. I am eager to give it a go. I make pumpkin, Oreo, & New York regularly for both family occasions & to sell. Everyone appreciates a perfect cake.
I cooked the cheesecake exactly the way you did was soooo very good. The only thing was the edge was hard so I’m not sure what I did wrong.. Do you have any advice and it was only the edge of the pecan and crust part about less then a half inch in.. Thanks so much for the delicous recipe.
Try putting tin foil over the edges
I hope aluminum foil will work… I haven’t seen tin foil since 1930.
Add an extra egg in the batter. Keeps the pecan pie part less hard.
i baked this pecan pie cheesecake, and oh boy, was this a big hit with all my family. The cheesecake baked perfectly in water bath, I have never seen a more perfect , tall cheesecake, and was it the most delicious thing I ever tasted. I could not even believe I baked such a magnificent product, thank you so much for giving us these wonderful, delicious recipes. Mrs. Eunice Saenz-Mission,TX
I dont have a spring pan could i used a premade gram cracker crust???
I made this cake for the first time the other day, and it turned out perfect. I read some of the other comments about a water bath…there is no need. The cake only cracks if you over beat the mixture when adding eggs. I accidentally cooked my cake at 315 for the first 45 minutes, so then I bumped it up to 325 for the last 15…. turned off the oven and left for exactly an hour….the cake came out perfect…not a single crack..even after it cooled. The pecan mixture I cooked for a little under 8 minutes…it came out perfectly as well…..I followed the instructions on the crust…pre-baked it..still awesome..wasn’t too hard. Not sure why some of the commentators had such problems…lack of experience in making cheesecakes perhaps?? Anyway, great recipe…will be saving in the archives for future use 🙂
This cake is delicious. After making it several times I have learned that in order to get the perfect crust and pecan layer is to cook it in a water bath and actually let the water soak into the pan. I lined the outside of the pan with aluminum foil and cut a slit into the bottom of the foil. The first time I did this it was by accident and I thought I has ruined the cake. I know it sounds extremely strange but it makes it absolutely perfect.
Accidental discoveries are the best ones aren’t they! Thanks for sharing this Amy!
I made this recipe exactly as described- except that I did not pre bake the crust and I only cooked the pecan mixture for about a minute after boil. The cheesecake was absolutely perfect- no cracks- with the hour left in the oven after cooking with the door cracked. No water bath or oven water needed. The pecan level was still challenging to cut through but it wasn’t hard at all. It had a chewy consistency. To be safe I wrapped the outside based of my springform with foil- but it wasn’t needed. When I removed the foil there were no leaks. I was patient and let it cool completely at room temp before removing the sides- and after running a fork around the sides I had nothing stuck at all. It was really picture perfect. I made six pies from scratch for Thanksgiving but this cheesecake was gone first. Gorgeous texture to the cheesecake! Will make again!
Thanks for taking the time to leave all your tips! I’m so glad the cheesecake was popular. Wow! six pies from scratch! I wish I could have been at your house for Thanksgiving!
I really loved this cheesecake and so did my dinner party guest. I did follow some of the suggestions I only cooked the pecan filling for a few minutes and it was not hard but the crust I baked for about 5 min. and it was rock hard and butter melted all over my oven floor. It tasted great, some of the guest were scraping it off the pan bottom. I will make this cheesecake a few more time further tweaking it since it has such potential.
This was AMAZING!!! I made it for our Christmas Eve party and everyone loved it! I had never made a cheesecake before and was fairly certain that I had ruined it due to my lack of experience and some oven issues but it turned out perfect! I followed some of the advice on previous comments and didn’t bake the crust or boil the pecan mixture and it was ooey gooey goodness! I tried the dulce de leche recipe and that didn’t turn out so well so I topped with whip cream and a drizzle of caramel instead. Thank you so much for a fabulous recipe!!
Glad you enjoyed it Tracey! 🙂
I always use a 9″ springform pan. I bought a silicone pan that fits over the springform pan. Then purchased a 11″ metal watering dish from tractor supply store! Put the springform pan inside the silicone pan and place both in watering dish. Fill dish half way with water and bake at 300 degrees until tiny circle in middle of cheesecake wiggles only.. Always let sit in oven after turning off oven! I never have a cheesecake crack!!
I have a question: Should i serve/drip the dulce sauce hot or cold?
recently made this made me giggle a little in the baking instructions. i did not follow them instead i baked the cheese cake at 300° for 1 hour and about 20 min when the center and side put up the same amount of resistance. also in my bake shop we dont use sping form pans, i used a 9in cake pan with parchment on the bottom and on the sides to aid in the removal. i also froze it so that way i was able to get a very clean cut line.
oh every body enjoyed it thanks
forgot to mention i bake the cheese cake in a water bath a must
Okay so this cheesecake was a HIT! I made it for thanksgiving and my entire family absolutely loved it. I followed the tips I found in the comments such as leaving the cream cheese out overnight so it’s nice and soft when you use it, I did not pre bake the crust, I only cooked the pecan filling in the pot until the edges rose and got bubbly, and then I poured it right in the crust. I then poured the cheesecake right over the top (it will start to kinda mix together). Then I baked for a little over 1 hour at 300 degrees and let it sit in the oven for 1 hour with a wooden spoon in the door. AMAZING. No cracks, baked to perfection.
Wow..this was delicious. The only thing I altered from was keeping the oven door propped open with a wooden spoon the 2nd hour. Oh, and I used store bought caramel. The crust was amazing. The cheesecake even better. Wow.
Is there any substitute for the heavy whipping cream in the cheesecake layer? Would I just be able to leave the cream out and have the cheesecake turn out fine?
Hi Megan. Wish I could give you good advice but I have never tried making it without the heavy cream so I can’t say for sure. Let me know how it turns out if you give it a try. You could probably get away with using half-and-half if you have that.
My husband made this for the first time last night and after chilling it overnight in the fridge I had it for breakfast. AMAZING. He will have to tweak the recipe a bit however. Our advice is to NOT pre-bake the crust or Pecan pie filling before hand. It already bakes for a whole hour. The Pecan pie filling was delicious but many parts were super chewy, I’m guessing because the corn syrup and sugars caramelized a bit too much. Also, we took the advice from previous commenters and lowered the oven temp to 300 degrees during baking and cracked the oven open with a wooden spoon during the cooling part (second hour). If you can, chill it overnight to get the real cheesecake feel. The cheesecake portion was amazing and it’s a good recipe to keep if you just want plain cheesecake! It’s not a difficult recipe but it does require some work! Well worthwhile!
So glad you enjoyed it Monica and thank you so much for sharing your tips for making this recipe better! 🙂
Just wanted to leave a tip! To prevent your cheesecake from cracking cut out some parchment paper and lay it directly on top of the cheesecake. Remove it after the cooling period. I’ve made a lot of cheesecakes and this trick works just about every time! (Oh and my cheesecakes are gluten free…this recipe worked with gluten free flour!)
Sounds interesting. My honey loves pecan pie. As for tips, I have some. I make a lot of cheesecakes, here’s what i do. Room temp ingredients. Don’t over beat, esp. when putting eggs in. Lower the temp to 300. It takes longer to cook but you will have a flat top, even color and no overcooked raised edges. Also, I never use a water bath either. I do put a pan of water (I use my 9×13 pyrex cake pan) and fill it 2/3 to 3/4 full of boiling water after I set it on the bottom rack of the oven then put the cheesecake on the rack above it. When done, turn off the oven, leave the door shut for an hour, run a knife around the edges (do not remove the the side) leave it in the oven to finish cooling. I rarely deal with cracks doing this and when I do its because I used cool ingredients or overbeat the filling.