I always love a good dessert mash-up, especially when it involves cheesecake. Have you seen this caramel apple cheesecake pie or these coconut cheesecake brownies before? Another reader, Sandy, commented: “This was amazing. All of it! The brown sugar cheesecake was amazing on its own, but with the addition of the pecan topping—wow! This will be on the table during the holidays. AMAZING! ★★★★★“ If you enjoy pecan pie and cheesecake, then you’ll definitely fall in love with this incredibly delicious two-for-one combo. 😉 From the thick graham cracker crust, to the smooth and creamy filling, to the gooey-yet-chunky pecan topping… every bite of this rich dessert will take your tastebuds on a texture journey. The flavors of sweet brown sugar, nutty toasted pecans, and tangy cream cheese complement one another beautifully. This brown sugar pecan pie cheesecake is truly a showstopper and worthy of a holiday celebration!
3 Parts to This Brown Sugar Pecan Pie Cheesecake
Press the graham cracker crust mixture into your springform pan and pre-bake for 10 minutes.
Use These 7 Ingredients in the Filling
Success Tip: Make sure all of the cheesecake batter ingredients are at room temperature so the batter remains smooth, even, and combines quickly. Beating cold ingredients together will result in a chunky over-beaten cheesecake batter. And that’s hardly the way we want to start!
Here’s an Easy Cheesecake Water Bath Method
I promise a water bath is nothing complicated. What’s the point, you ask? Cheesecake loves a humid environment. The steam from hot water in the oven lifts the cheesecake up slowly and evenly, reducing the risk of cracks on the surface. Additionally, this slow and even baking method helps prevent the cheesecake from sinking back down as it cools. I actually have an entire post and video tutorial dedicated to How to Make a Cheesecake Water Bath. Taking a few extra minutes to prepare a water bath for this pecan pie cheesecake recipe is worth it. And you do not need to place the cheesecake IN water! I’ve been using an easier method in recent years—and one that doesn’t risk water leaking into your springform pan. Simply place a large baking pan/roasting pan filled with about an inch of hot water on the bottom rack of the oven with the cheesecake in the center of the oven, on the rack above, centered over the pan of water. The cheesecake is on the rack ABOVE the water, not inside the water. It works!
Here’s what I do: I get a kettle of water boiling while I make the cheesecake filling. When I’m ready to bake the cheesecake, I place the cheesecake on the center rack. Then I slide the large pan onto the bottom rack and carefully (so carefully!) pour the entire kettle of boiled water into the pan. Then shut the oven door as quickly as possible to trap that steam inside.
How to Cool & Chill Your Pecan Pie Cheesecake
Careful not to over-bake the cheesecake. Over-baked cheesecake will crack and taste dry and mealy. The cheesecake is done when the edges are set and the center is still a little jiggly. Don’t worry, the cheesecake will set as it cools and then chills in the refrigerator. Cool the cheesecake in the cooling oven. When the cheesecake is done, turn the oven off, crack open the oven door, and leave the cheesecake inside for at least 1 hour. A drastic and sudden change of temperature isn’t ideal for cheesecake—from hot oven to cool counter—so do your best to control the environment by leaving the cheesecake inside. After the cheesecake has cooled in the oven for at least 1 hour (or even longer), you can take it out and let it finish cooling at room temperature. Chill your cheesecake for at least 4 hours or even overnight. There’s no greater test to your willpower than those several hours you’re forced to wait as the cheesecake cools down and then chills in the refrigerator. But every minute is completely worth it when you take that first unbelievable bite.
Caramel Pecan Pie Topping
Brown sugar cheesecake is, of course, delicious on its own, but the sweet pecan pie topping is the finishing touch that takes the whole dessert to the next level. You need pecan halves, butter, brown sugar (I recommend dark), heavy cream, salt, and a touch of corn syrup. Start by toasting the pecans on a baking sheet in the oven for about 10 minutes. You’ll cook the rest of the topping ingredients on the stovetop to make a caramel-like sauce. The sauce will seem pretty thin at first. (If you’ve made salted caramel sauce before, it won’t be as thick as that.) But after you stir in the toasted pecans and let it cool, it thickens significantly. If you want a chunkier topping, you can use 2 cups (240g) of pecans, but if you want it a little more saucy, use 1 and 1/2 cups as listed in the recipe below. The brown sugar caramel pecan topping is so easy… and you’ll be looking for excuses to make it! It’s fabulous spooned over a bowl of ice cream or even oatmeal or yogurt, for a special treat. Here are even more ways you could use the topping:
Spooned over Chai Spice Cinnamon Swirl Bundt Cake or Cream Cheese Pound Cake With Peach Bread, Apple Cinnamon Bread, or Banana Bread Topping for Brownies or Brownie Pie Make this easy Cheesecake Pie in half the time and spoon it over that instead! Serve on Pumpkin Pie, Pumpkin Pie Bars, Sweet Potato Pie, or Pumpkin Slab Pie Just eat it with a spoon (!!!)
Finally, if you want to ride this brown sugar train all the way to the station, make this homemade whipped cream, substituting brown sugar for the granulated sugar. And… I’m done. 😉
