Pecan Pie Cheesecake

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Pecan Pie Cheesecake is the ultimate holiday dessert mashup. It combines a creamy, rich cheesecake topped with a sweet, nutty pecan pie layer. This decadent treat is perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any special occasion.

If you can’t decide between cheesecake and pecan pie, this Pecan Pie Cheesecake is the best of both worlds. It starts with a smooth, brown sugary cheesecake base, then gets topped with a gooey, caramel-like pecan topping that tastes just like the classic pie.

slice of cheesecake with pecan pie topping on it on a white plate

This pecan pie cheesecake has a traditional graham cracker crust, and a brown sugar and cinnamon cheesecake. It is super rich, creamy, and decadent. Then it is topped with the gooey pecan part of pecan pie that everyone knows and loves.

Cheesecake is one of my favorite desserts to make for special occasions because you can make it in stages and work on it the day before. Then the last minute you can put on the gooey topping and everyone will go crazy for it.

What’s In Pecan Pie Cheesecake

Be sure to scroll to the bottom of the post for the FULL PRINTABLE recipe card.

Graham Crackers – If you can’t find graham crackers you could use digestive biscuits

Brown Sugar

Butter

Cream Cheese – full fat cream cheese works best for cheesecake

Vanilla Extract

Cinnamon

All-Purpose Flour

Eggs

Heavy Cream

Corn Syrup

Pecans

cheesecake filling in graham cracker crust

How To Make Pecan Pie Cheesecake

Cheesecake is one of those desserts you really want to make the day ahead of time. It takes a couple hours to bake, and then you need to cool and fully chill.

Make Crust. Mix together graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter until it is like wet sand. Press into a 9 inch spring form pan and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside while you make the rest.

Make Filling. Beat the cream cheese and brown sugar in an electric mixer until it is smooth and creamy. Stir in the vanilla extract, cinnamon and flour until it is fully incorporated. Mix in the eggs one at a time, making sure they are fully incorporated before each addition. Scrape down the sides as necessary to ensure that everything blends together well.

Spread. Pour cheesecake into the graham cracker crust and spread into an even layer.

pouring water into water bath to bake cheesecake

Do I Have To Bake Cheesecake In A Water Bath

Normally my answer is yes! It is a must, it leads to a cheesecake that is evenly cooked and there is a lot less chance of cracking. This cheesecake is topped with a gooey pecan pie topping, so the cracking isn’t as big of a deal with this one. I still prefer to use a water bath, because I think the cheesecake is just creamier and better. But if you are short on time, out of foil or just want to save 2 minutes, you can get away with skipping the water bath this time.

Wrap spring form pan with 2-3 layers of foil so no water leaks into the pan.

Place in a large roasting pan and pour water at least 1 inch up the side of the spring form pan.

Bake cheesecake for 60 minutes until the edges seem set. The center will still be slightly jiggly.

Leave the oven closed, turn off the heat, and leave the cheesecake in there for 60 more minutes. This will gently finish cooking the cheesecake.

Remove from the oven and let cool completely to room temperature. Place in the fridge for at least 6 hours until it is completely chilled.

Storage

Cheesecake needs to be kept in the fridge. Cover it well and it will last for 4-5 days.

Freezing

Cheesecake is one of the best desserts to freeze. Once the cheesecake is fully cooled and chilled you can freeze as a whole cheesecake or just a couple of leftover slices. Just wrap tightly and place in the freezer 2-3 months.

If you are making this whole cheesecake ahead, it is best to wait to put the pecan pie topping on AFTER you remove it from the freezer. It works when you freeze it, but it isn’t nearly as gooey as before you freeze it.