Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars
These Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars are such a scrumptious dessert! A buttery Pecan Graham Crust, with a creamy and rich cheesecake, and a delicious Pecan Pie Topping.
Combining the rich, creamy goodness of cheesecake with the classic flavors of pecan pie, this dessert is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser that will leave your taste buds singing.
Whether you’re hosting a special occasion or simply craving a sweet treat, this indulgent recipe is sure to impress.
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Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars
Let’s dive into the details of how to create this mouthwatering masterpiece.
I will show you step-by-step how to make this Pecan Cheesecake Bar recipe.
All ingredients are at the bottom of the page. You can click on the Jump to the recipe button on top of the page to be taken to the measurements.
We are using a 9×13″ baking pan for this recipe.
Grease the pan with oil. Line the bottom with parchment paper, and grease the parchment.
Pecan Graham Cracker Crust
For the crust, add graham cracker crumbs to a food processor. Then, add chopped pecans and the brown sugar.
Process until the mixture is finely ground.
Add the melted butter and mix. Pour on the bottom of the prepared pan.
Use a cup to press the crust on the bottom of the baking dish.
Bake the crust for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile make the cheesecake batter.
Cheesecake Batter
To make the cheesecake layer, beat the cream cheese for 3 minutes on a stand mixer, or in a bowl using a hand mixer.
Add the sugar and beat until smooth.
Scrape the bowl.
Add the sour cream and beat.
Next, add the eggs one at a time, mixing one egg fully before adding the next one. Don’t over mix once the eggs have been added.
Add the vanilla, and salt, and mix to combine.
The batter should be smooth.
Pour the cheesecake filling on the bottom of the pan, on top of the crust.
Place the cheesecake pan in a large roasting pan. Pour water on the bottom of the large roasting pan, to form a water bath.
Bake in the oven for about 1 hour. When the cheesecake is set around the edges, but slightly jiggly in the center, turn the oven off.
Leave the cheesecake in the oven for 1 hour, with the oven turned off.
Once the cheesecake cools, place it in the fridge for as least 6 hours.
Pecan Pie Filling
To make the Pecan Pie Filling, place the butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup in a medium saucepan.
Cook the syrup for about 5 minutes.
Add the heavy cream, vanilla, and salt. Mix to combine and cook for another minute.
Add the chopped pecans and mix to coat.
Remove it from the heat, let the pecan topping sit for 5 minutes.
Pour the pecan pie layer on top of the chilled cheesecake.
Let it chill in the fridge for at least 3 hours before serving.
Remove from the fridge and cut into slices to serve.
You can serve the slices with a bit of whipped cream on top if desired.
Tips for making the best cheesecake
- Ensure all ingredients are at room temperature. This will make the batter easily come together and turn smooth.
- Make sure to grease the baking pan.
- Scrape the bowl several times while making the cheesecake batter, to avoid lumpy batter.
- Once you add the eggs, don’t over mix the batter. That can cause it to expand in the oven, and then deflate, which will cause the cake to break.
- Don’t skip on the water bath, it will prevent the cake from breaking.
- Once the cheesecake is done baking, let it sit in the oven for one hour, with the oven off. The harsh temperature change can cause the cheesecake to break on top.
These pecan cheesecake bars are perfect to be made ahead of time.
They are perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any other special holidays! They can be served at a special dinner or gathering! Everyone who tries a bite will absolutely love it!
If you like these easy Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars, try checking out these recipes:
- Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
- Caramel Cheesecake
- Cinnamon Roll Cheesecake
- No-Bake Cheesecake
- Cannoli Cheesecake
- Biscoff Cheesecake
- Pistachio Cheesecake
Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Pecan Crust
- 2 cups graham cracker cookie crumbs 250 grams
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans 56 grams
- 1/4 cup brown sugar 55 grams
- 8 tbsp unsalted butter melted (113 grams)
Cheesecake batter
- 907 grams cream cheese, softened 4 packages of 8 oz.
- 1 cup brown sugar 220 grams
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar 50 grams
- 1/2 cup sour cream 120 grams
- 4 large eggs room temp
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp salt
Pecan Pie Topping
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter 85 grams
- 2/3 cup brown sugar 145 grams
- 1/2 cup dark corn syrup notes (170 grams)
- 1/3 cup heavy cream 78 ml
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 1/2 cups chopped pecans 280 grams
Instructions
Graham Cracker Pecan Crust
- Pre-heat the oven to 325ºF.
- Grease the bottom and sides of a 9×13” pan with spray oil or butter. Line the bottom of the pan with a piece of parchment paper. Grease the parchment.
- Place the graham crackers in a food processor. Process until they become a fine crumb.
- Add the pecans, and the sugar to the bowl. Process until the pecans are ground.
- Add the butter and mix until combined.
- Pour the crumbs on the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Use the bottom of a cup or your hands to press the crumbs down the bottom.
- Bake the crust in the pre-heated oven for 10 minutes.
- Remove and let it cool down.
Cheesecake Batter
- Beat the cream cheese for 3 minutes with a mixer at medium speed, until creamy.
- Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar to the cream cheese and beat for another 2 minutes at medium speed.
- Scrape the bowl and beat for another 30 seconds.
- Add the sour cream and mix to combine. Scrape the bowl.
- Make sure to scrape the bowl a few times during the mixing process, to avoid the cream cheese from forming lumps in the batter.
- Add the eggs to the batter, mix just until combined. It’s best to add one egg at a time, waiting for one egg to be incorporated before adding the next one.
- Avoid over mixing once the eggs are added, to prevent cracking of the cheesecake.
- Add the vanilla, salt, and mix briefly.
- Pour the cheesecake batter in the pan, over the baked and cooled crust.
- Place the pan in a larger roasting pan, and add hot water to the roasting pan, to form a water bath. This is very important so the cheesecake doesn’t crack.
- Bake the cheesecake in the pre-heated 325ºF oven for 55 to 65 minutes.
- To check if the cheesecake is done baking, give the pan a little wiggle, it should jiggle slightly in the center, but the edges should look set.
- Turn the oven off, and leave the cheesecake in there for 1 hour.
- Remove the cheesecake from the oven and place it in the fridge for at least 6 hours.
Pecan Pie Topping
- Place the butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup in a saucepan.
- Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat.
- Let the sauce simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the heavy cream, the vanilla, and salt to the pan, mix to combine. Cook the sauce for another 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the pecans and stir to combine.
- Remove the pan from the heat and let it sit for 5 minutes.
To decorate
- Pour the pecan topping on top of the chilled cheesecake.
- Use a spatula to spread the topping evenly over the cheesecake.
- Place it back in the fridge for at least 3 hours before slicing and serving.
Let’s say you make the cheesecake portion at night, all baked up and during the hour it’s sitting in the oven with the temp turned off, you forget to move it to the fridge before falling asleep and wake up in a panic the next morning… still okay’ish? Asking for a friend, obviously – I’d never do that myself. 😉
Okay so after the step Remove the cheesecake from the oven and place it in the fridge for at least 6 hours. What am I covering the 9×13 pan with? Or do I not cover them and just leave them in the fridge to cook for 6 hours
You can cover with foil or plastic. Honestly i sometimes dont even cover.
Okay so after the step Remove the cheesecake from the oven and place it in the fridge for at least 6 hours. What am I covering the 9×13 pan with? Or do I not cover them and just leave them in the fridge to cook for 6 hours
Served these and Thanksgiving and they were a hit! I think there was a typo on the wt of the sugar. It said 220grams. I think a fourth of a cup should be closer to 50grams
you’re correct, i have since fixed it!! sorry about that! i am very glad it was a hit!!! 🎉
My daughter and I made these for Thanksgiving, and they were a hit. The only wonder I have is the topping, my turned out hard. Did we do something wrong, did I overcook it?
Thank you so much for trying the recipe! I’m thrilled to hear it was a hit for Thanksgiving! As for the topping turning out hard, it sounds like it might have been slightly overcooked. The caramel sauce in the pecan pie topping can thicken quickly if cooked too long or at too high a heat. When simmering the sauce, it’s important to keep it at a gentle simmer and remove it from the heat as soon as it thickens slightly—around 5 minutes of simmering should do the trick.
Next time, you might try reducing the cooking time for the caramel or lowering the heat a bit. It should still thicken up nicely once it cools without becoming too hard. I hope this helps, and I’d love to hear how it turns out if you give it another try!
I made these for Thanksgiving and they were a HUGE HIT!!! Thank you for sharing!
Question, can they be baked as mimis? If so, what would be the baking time for the cheesecake? Would any other variations need to be made with the ingredients or oven temperature?
Yes, you can bake this recipe as mini cheesecakes! Here’s how to adjust:
Baking Time
Mini Cheesecakes in a Muffin Pan: Use standard muffin tins with cupcake liners.
Bake the crust for 5–7 minutes at 325ºF before adding the batter.
Bake the cheesecake batter for 18–25 minutes at 325ºF. Check for doneness by gently jiggling the pan; the center should have a slight jiggle but look mostly set around the edges.
Oven Temperature
No change is needed; keep the oven at 325ºF.
Ingredient Variations
No adjustments are needed for the ingredients, but you’ll need smaller portions for the crust and batter per cavity:
Use about 1.5 tablespoons of crust mixture per mini cheesecake.
Pour batter until it’s about 3/4 full in each cavity.
Additional Tips
Water Bath: Not necessary for mini cheesecakes.
Chilling: Allow the mini cheesecakes to cool at room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours before topping with the pecan pie mixture.
Let me know if you’d like more help with the process!
If I don’t have heavy cream for the topping can I use half and half??
I believe it will work just fine!
I have a question about the granulated sugar it says 1/4 cups and 220 grams but 1/4 cup is 64 grams?
That’s definitely a typo, sorry about that. 1/4 cup of granulated sugar is 50 grams. fixed!
What can I use to mix the graham crackers crumbs, pecans and butter? I can’t find the blade for my food processor but my graham crackers crumbs are already processed and ground
you mean how to get the pecans to be ground? you can chop very finely with a knife 🙂
Are you able to bake the pecans on top of the cheesecake as well so the pecan layer hardens a bit like the top of a standard pecan pie?
So, to do that what I would do is use the topping from this recipe: https://www.piesandtacos.com/pecan-pie-brownies/ and add to the top of the almost fully baked cheesecake and bake for another 20 minutes. You’ll probably have to double the topping to fit in the 9×13″ pan.
Beautiful! I made a small one and have extra topping. Am going to add a few eggs and hope this will bake up in a mini pie.
Thank you! So good!?
Ohhh good idea!!! sounds delicious!
Que delícia!! Eu quero que você faça pra mamãe, Cá! Hummmmm!!