I can’t think of anything better than my butter pecan cheesecake for the holidays. Now I know making homemade cheesecake may not be your fave thing, but for this recipe, it’s worth it. I make a brown butter cheesecake filling that gets added to a graham cracker crust and baked. Then I top with a gooey pecan pie filling. It’s got textures on textures, and that cheesecake filling is the creamiest you will ever taste.
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Video Tutorial
How to Make Butter Pecan Cheesecake
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a 9 inch springform pan with at least 2 ¾ inch sides or a 10 inch springform pan with non-stick baking spray. Make sure it is properly secured too! Whisk together graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter.
Step 2: Press mixture into the bottom of the springform pan and bake in the oven for 10 minutes.
Step 3: In a small saucepan, add butter and melt over medium heat. Once the butter has fully melted, white foamy bubbles will begin to appear over the top of the butter. Watch carefully as the butter’s color changes to brown and the smell of the butter becomes somewhat nutty.
As soon as the butter is an amber brown color, remove from heat and cool in the refrigerator for 20-25 minutes or until it reaches room temperature.
Step 4: In the bowl of your stand mixer, beat together cream cheese and both sugars until completely smooth. Next add heavy cream and browned butter then add eggs one at a time, mixing until incorporated.
Step 5: Next add sour cream, vanilla extract and flour and mix until smooth.
Step 6: Pour cheesecake filling into baked crust.
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Step 7: For extra insurance against cracks, USE A WATER BATH! Bake cheesecake for 50-65 minutes then turn the oven off and allow the cake to cool in the oven with the door propped open for 1 hour. If using a water bath, bake a little less time. Remove cheesecake from the oven and allow it to come to room temperature for an additional 30-60 minutes then store in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
Step 8: Preheat the oven to 325°F and spread the pecans on a parchment lined baking sheet. Roast them for about 8-10 minutes or until just fragrant. In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar, heavy cream, corn syrup and vanilla extract. Cook until bubbly, then stir in the toasted pecans.
Step 9: Cool to room temperature before pouring over the cooled cheesecake.
Butter Pecan Cheesecake Recipe
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Ingredients
For the Crust
- 1 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar
- 5 tbsp melted butter
For the Cheesecake Filling
- 1/4 cup salted butter
- 32 oz cream cheese packages room temperature (4 8 oz packages)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup sour cream room temperature
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
For the Pecan Topping
- 1 1/2 cup pecan halves
- 5 tbsp salted butter
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 tbsp corn syrup
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
For the Crust
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a 9 inch springform pan with at least 2 ¾ inch sides or a 10 inch springform pan with non-stick baking spray. Make sure it is properly secured too!
- Whisk together graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter. Press mixture into the bottom of the springform pan and bake in the oven for 10 minutes.
For the Cheesecake Filling
- In a small saucepan, add butter and melt over medium heat. Once the butter has fully melted, white foamy bubbles will begin to appear over the top of the butter. Watch carefully as the butter’s color changes to brown and the smell of the butter becomes somewhat nutty.
- As soon as the butter is an amber brown color, remove from heat and cool in the refrigerator for 20-25 minutes or until it reaches room temperature.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer, beat together cream cheese and both sugars until completely smooth. Next add heavy cream and browned butter then add eggs one at a time, mixing until incorporated.
- Next add sour cream, vanilla extract and flour and mix until smooth.
- Pour cheesecake filling into baked crust.
- For extra insurance against cracks, USE A WATER BATH!
- Bake cheesecake for 50-65 minutes then turn the oven off and allow the cake to cool in the oven with the door propped open for 1 hour. If using a water bath, bake a little less time.
- Remove cheesecake from the oven and allow it to come to room temperature for an additional 30-60 minutes then store in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
For the Pecan Topping
- Preheat the oven to 325°F and spread the pecans on a parchment lined baking sheet. Roast them for about 8-10 minutes or until just fragrant.
- In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar, heavy cream, corn syrup and vanilla extract. Cook until bubbly, then stir in the toasted pecans. Cool to room temperature before pouring over the cooled cheesecake.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Recipe Tips
- Room Temp: Start with room temperature ingredients! This ensures that your cheesecake does not have lumps. And believe me, you don’t want that.
- For clean slices: Put the cheesecake in the freezer for 1 hour before you add the topping then run a sharp knife under hot water. Using a paper or cloth towel, wipe the water off the blade, then slice and repeat.
Recipe Help
I believe at least 4-5 hours is needed for refrigeration but I prefer overnight so it really sets up.
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Hello! I love all of your recipes! Thank you! Can you bake some of the topping in the cheesecake?
Hi Chris, I have not tried that so I am not sure. If you try it let me know how it turns out!
This Butter Pecan Cheesecake looks absolutely divine! I can’t wait to try out the recipe and watch the video for those helpful tips. Pecan and cheesecake are such a perfect combo—thanks for sharing!
Wonderful
Absolutely an amazing cheesecake. Make it for my husband every quarter.
Awe, thank you so much, boo!!
I used this to make mini cheesecakes. And as a heads up, anyone looking to do the same can cut this in half easily. I made 2 full pans of mini-muffin pans (with liners) and only used about 1/3 of the crust and filling.
Hoping it turns out well though!!
Hi, can you substitute organic maple syrup for the corn syrup? Or add some of the maple syrup for additional flavor?
Yes you can sub in the maple syrup here.
Hi Ms. Jocelyn,
I made this recipe 12/20/23 and trust me it is a huge hit! Their is not a crumb left (smile). Question, when making the crust it does not state whether to use salted or unsalted butter. I erred on the side of caution and used unsalted since salted is in the recipe. Anyway, it was a HUGE hit and folks are requesting me to bring it as a signature dish! I want to thank you for the accuracy of your recipes. I follow the instructions as stated with no tweaks. This recipe is Picasso!
I made this for Thanksgiving this year, and it was fantastic! I followed the recipe as written and had no issues! I will definitely be making this cheesecake again!
Wonderful! Glad you liked it!
I am going to make this for Thanksgiving. I like a high crust on my cheesecake- similar to your pecan pie ice cream cheesecake. Would a higher crust work for this cheesecake? if so how is it achieved?
I have no whipping cream. What substitution can I make for the pecan topping?
You can use whole milk, but it won’t be as thick of a caramel.
This recipe is UNBELIEVABLY DELICIOUS! My roommate requested a bday cheesecake and picked butter pecan and luckily I knew that there was a recipe on this blog. The texture of the cheesecake comes together beautifully-especially with room temperature ingredients and the butter pecan topping is so easy to put together. The addition of brown butter to t he cheesecake really takes the flavor to the next level. Literally. I’ve never seen so many jaws drop after a first bite than I did last night at dinner. 10/10 1000 stars out of 5