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Pecan Pie Cheesecake topped with caramel sauce, with a slice cut out and displayed in the back.

Pecan Pie Cheesecake

The crust of this Pecan Pie Cheesecake is made of Honey Maid Graham Crackers and pecans. The creamy cheesecake is then topped with the best Pecan Caramel Sauce in the world.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword caramel, cheesecake, pecan
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Resting Time 6 hours
Total Time 7 hours 55 minutes
Servings 12 servings
Calories 430 kcal
Author camila

Ingredients

Graham Cracker Pecan Crust

  • 1 full sleeve of Honey Maid Graham Crackers 136 grams, 9 full sheets
  • 1/2 cup pecans 56 grams
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar 25 grams
  • 2 tbsp granulated sugar 25 grams
  • 5 tbsp unsalted butter melted (70 grams)

Cheesecake

  • 4 cups of cream cheese softened (907 grams, 4 8-oz. blocks)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar 200 grams
  • 3/4 cup sour cream 180 grams
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 4 eggs room temperature

Pecan Caramel Sauce

  • 1 cup granulated sugar 200 grams
  • 1 tbsp light corn syrup optional
  • 1 tbsp bourbon optional
  • 2/3 cup heavy cream 160 ml
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter 42 grams
  • 1 cup roasted pecans 113 grams

Instructions

Graham Cracker Pecan Crust

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 350ºF.

  2. Place the graham crackers in a food processor. Process until they become a fine crumb.
  3. Add the pecans, and the sugars to the bowl. Process until the pecans are ground.
  4. Add the butter and mix until combined.
  5. Pour the crumbs on the bottom of a 9” springform pan. Use the bottom of a cup or your hands to press the crumbs down the bottom and slightly up the sides of the pan. The crust should at least go up the sides of the pan enough to cover the crevices of the bottom, so the cheesecake batter doesn’t leak out when it gets added to the pan.
  6. Bake the crust in the pre-heated oven for 10 minutes.
  7. Remove and let it cool down.
  8. Lay two large pieces of foil crosswise on the counter. Place the springform pan in the middle, then fold the foil up the sides, tightly, to prepare the pan for the water bath. The trick is to use the wide aluminum foil, which should be large enough to not let any water slip inside. Set aside.

Prepare the cheesecake batter

  1. Start by beating the cream cheese with a mixer for about 4 minutes, until very creamy. Make sure there are no lumps in the cream cheese, scrape the bowl as necessary. The cream cheese must be at room temperature, cold cream cheese will be lumpy.
  2. Add the granulated sugar and cream for another minute.
  3. Add the sour cream and vanilla. Beat until incorporated, another minute or so.
  4. Scrape the bowl as needed.
  5. Crack the eggs in a small bowl, and lightly beat them with a fork to break them up. This will help the eggs be incorporated into the batter without having to over mix. It’s very important not to over mix the cheesecake batter once you add the eggs in. This will cause cracks in your cheesecake later on because the eggs will expand the more you beat them and incorporate air into them.
  6. Once the eggs have been slightly beaten, add them in 3 installments to the cream cheese bowl. After each installment mix just enough to incorporate the eggs, about 20 seconds. Also, using a spatula, scrape the bowl in between.
  7. After the last egg addition, I like to finish mixing with a spatula, so I don’t end up over beating the batter.
  8. Once the batter is smooth pour it on the bottom of the pre-baked crust.

Prepare the water bath

  1. Boil 4 to 6 cups of water. This will be used in the water bath for the cheesecake. The amount of water will depend on how big the pan you will use for the water bath is.
  2. Place the springform pan in a large roasting pan, with tall sides.
  3. Pour the hot water in the pan, to create the water bath.
  4. It should be about 2 inches high.
  5. Place the cheesecake with the water bath in the pre-heated oven. Bake for 60 to 75 minutes, until the cheesecake looks set around the edges, and slightly jiggly in the middle, and lightly golden on top.
  6. Turn the oven off, prop the door open with a wooden spoon or spatula, and let the cheesecake sit in there for about 1 hour.
  7. Then remove the cheesecake from the oven, run a pairing knife around the edges of the cheesecake, to loosen it up from the sides of the pan. Remove the foil from the bottom, and store in the fridge for at least 6 hours, or overnight.

Pecan Caramel Sauce

  1. Place the sugar, light corn syrup, and bourbon in a saucepan with a heavy bottom. You can skip the light corn syrup and the bourbon, in that case it will be just the sugar in the saucepan, and it will melt way faster without the added ingredients.
  2. Place the saucepan over medium heat, and melt the sugar while stirring non-stop. It’s important to stir at all times so this way the sugar melts evenly.
  3. First the sugar will crystallize, then it will melt, just continue stirring. By the time the last bit of sugar melts, the syrup should have an amber color.
  4. Don’t continue to cook it as the sugar will burn quickly. As soon as the last bit of sugar melts and the syrup is golden, lower the heat to low and add the heavy cream. Be careful as the mixture will bubble up pretty strongly.
  5. Continue to stir the heavy cream for a few seconds until the bubbles subside and the syrup is smooth again. Don’t cook this too much, and don’t keep the heat high. If you cook the caramel at this point, it will become hardened after it cools down.
  6. Quickly add the butter and stir.
  7. Once the butter has melted almost entirely, remove the pan from the heat.
  8. Continue to stir until the last bit of butter melts.
  9. Add the pecans and stir to coat.
  10. Transfer the caramel to a bowl.
  11. It will seem very thin and liquidy and that’s fine. It will thicken up as it cools down.
  12. You can make this sauce quite a bit ahead, it will keep in the fridge for up to 15 days.
  13. Before serving with the cheesecake, you can heat it up for 20 seconds in the microwave.

To serve

  1. Pour the Pecan Pie Sauce over the cheesecake and serve.

Storage

  1. The cheesecake will store well in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can also freeze it for up to 1 month, if very well packaged. To freeze, place it in the freezer uncovered for about 1 hour, when the cheesecake is more or less solid, wrap it in plastic, and place it in a container.
  2. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before serving.

Recipe Notes

Water bath: the water bath is very important and will prevent the cheesecake from cracking.

Eggs: don't over beat the eggs with the batter, to avoid cracks in the cheesecake.

Temperature: leave the cheesecake in the oven for 1 hour after baking, with the door propped open, because harsh temperature changes will make the cheesecake crack.

Aluminum foil: make sure to wrap the bottom of the springform pan with foil, and use wide foil preferably, to prevent the water from slipping in and making the cheesecake crust soggy.

Springform pan: this cheesecake can be made on a 9" pan or on a 8" deep cheesecake pan.

Light corn syrup: totally optional to add it. It helps the caramel not be grainy.

Bourbon: also optional, but a lot of people like to add it.

Caramel sauce: don't over cook the caramel sauce at any point. As soon as the sugar has melted entirely, add the heavy cream, then the butter, and don't over cook, or the sauce will become hardened as it cools.

Make ahead: the caramel sauce can be made up to 15 days ahead. The cheesecake will also freeze well. Check the recipe for freezing instructions.

Nutrition Facts
Pecan Pie Cheesecake
Amount Per Serving (1 slice)
Calories 430
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.