This caramel pecan cheesecake is a perfect fall cake. Whenever I think of autumn I think of pecans. This cheesecake consists of a delicious pecan cookie crust, a smooth and soft cheesecake that’s topped with pecans covered with the most amazing soft caramel.
When fall arrives the caramel pecan cheesecake is a perfect cake to make. Pecans are my favorite nut and they are just the embodiment of fall and this cheesecake is fall heaven.
It has the most amazing pecan cookie crust, creamy cheesecake filling and topped with a luscious caramel that's mixed together with pecans.
For more cheesecake recipes, try Apple Crumble Cheesecake, Espresso Chocolate Cheesecake and Raspberry Cheesecake.
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WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
- Pecan cookie crust: This crust has blended pecans in it, to give even more of the delicious pecan flavor.
- Creamy cheesecake filling: The creamy and smooth cheesecake filling ties together this delicious cheesecake.
- Caramel pecan topping: This caramel pecan is heaven. The pecans are mixed together with the caramel, coating them all, making for the most amazing topping.
- Perfect fall cheesecake: This cheesecake is so perfect for fall and Thanksgiving.
INGREDIENT NOTES
These are some of the key ingredients for this recipe. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card below.
- Pecans: Pecans are both blended into the crust and folded together with caramel for the topping.
- Digestives cookies: We don't have graham crackers in Danmark, so I therefore use Digestive cookies. But if you can buy graham crackers then you can definitely use those instead if you want.
- Cream cheese: It's important that it's full-fat cream cheese and it's at room- temperature when using it. Take the cream cheese out of the fridge 1-2 hours before baking.
- Sour cream: Measure and let the sour cream come to room temperature 1-2 hours before baking.
- Eggs: Take the eggs out of the fridge 1-2 hours before baking.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS - COOKIE CRUST
Here is how to make and bake the caramel pecan cheesecake. This recipe needs a blender and stand mixer or electric hand mixer.
The full recipe is down below in the recipe card.
Before starting, preheat the oven to 160ºC/ 325ºF conventional oven. Prepare a 22 cm spring pan lined with parchment paper in the bottom.
STEP 1: In a food processor, blend the pecans until finely chopped. Then add the digestive cookies and granulated sugar and blend it all together until a fine sand-like texture. Melt the butter. Add the melted butter to the food processor and blend it together with the blended cookies.
STEP 2: In a 22 cm spring cake pan add parchment paper to the bottom. Add the cookie crumbs and press the cookie crust down with the bottom of a glass, and up agains the side of the pan, so it’s well packed together and flattened out. Bake it for 10 minutes. Then let it cool down so that it’s cool to touch.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS - CHEESECAKE
Keep the oven temperature at 160ºC/ 325ºF conventional oven.
STEP 1: With a hand mixer or in a stand mix using the paddle attachment, cream the cream cheese for 1 minute on low speed. Then gradually add the granulated sugar. Once all the granulated sugar is added, scrape down the sides of the bowl and let it mix for 1 minute on low speed.
STEP 2: In a small bowl, mix together the sour cream and cornstarch until smooth. Add it to the cream cheese with the vanilla extract and let it mix on low speed until combined. Then add one egg at a time and let it mix on low speed until combined. Once all the eggs have mixed in, scrape down the sides of the bowl and give it a final mix to make sure all the ingredients have incorporated.
STEP 3: Pour the cheesecake batter into the spring pan.
STEP 4: Boil up water in a kettle. Place the springform pan in a 25 cm/10 inch cake pan. Place the cake pan in another baking pan or roasting pan and fill it with hot water ⅔ up the side of the pan. This method will prevent water from getting into the crust. Bake for 1 hour and 10-20 minutes.
STEP 5: Once the time has passed, give the tray a very gentle shake. The cheesecake should still be a bit wobbly in the middle. Turn off the oven and have the oven door slightly open and let the cheesecake cool down in the oven for 1 hour.
STEP 6: Then take it out of the oven and remove it from the water bath. Take off the aluminium foil and place the cheesecake on a cooling rack. Let it cool down fully for about 1 hour to room temperature. Finally, once at room temperature, place it in the fridge and let it set for at least 6 hours, preferable overnight.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS - CARAMEL PECANS
STEP 1: Preheat the oven at 200ºC conventional oven and toast the pecans for 5 minutes. Let them cool down on a wire wrack.
STEP 2: In a saucepan, slowly melt the granulated sugar and corn syrup over medium/high heat until golden brown. At the same time in another small saucepan, heat the heavy cream to a boil and turn it off. Once the caramel is golden brown, stir in the butter until it has melted into the caramel. Then add the heated heavy cream, a little at a time while stirring. It will bubble up strongly so be careful of your fingers. Stir constantly until it has gathered. Continue stirring for 2 minutes.
STEP 3: Take the saucepan off the heat, add the salt and stir it in. Then add the pecans and fold them together with the caramel. Transfer it to a shallow bowl, so it can cool down faster, and let it cool down at room temperature. It takes about an 1 hour to become room temperature. Pour the pecan caramel over the cheesecake and it’s ready to be served.
EXPERT BAKING TIPS
- Use a kitchen scale: My default setting for my recipes is grams. It is the most precise way of measuring out your ingredients, I therefore highly recommend using a kitchen scale.
- Don't over mix your batter: I always use a spatula after everything has mixed together, to give it one final gentle fold together. This makes sure everything in the bottom of the mixing bowl has been mixed into the batter.
- Light vs. dark baking pans: For the best result, use an aluminum baking pan, greased with butter and lined with baking paper in the bottom. Aluminum pans are light in color and therefore attract less heat. That means it bakes more gently which results in a softer cake. If you use a black baking pan it'll attract a lot more heat. That will then give a darker crust, which can result in a dryer cake.
FAQ
Give the cheesecake pan a small shake, it's only slightly jiggling in the center of the cheesecake then it's done.
Yes, use full-fat greek yogurt.
Yes, this recipes would also work great with walnuts.
Corn syrup gives caramel a great chewy texture, but if you don't want to use it, switch it out the corn syrup 1:1 with granulated sugar.
WHY BAKE THE CHEESECAKE IN A WATER BATH
Why is baking a cheesecake in a water bath so important? What the water bath does, is that it makes the cheesecake bake more gentle. When baking a cheesecake without a water bath, it is more likely for it to over-bake, which will give a curdled texture, a cracked and lopsided top. The hot water protects your cheesecake while it's baking in the oven. It makes sure your cheesecake comes out smooth and cream
STORAGE
Store the caramel pecan cheesecake in the fridge in an airtight container. It's best enjoyed within 5 days.
Other Cheesecake Recipes To Try
Make sure leave a STAR REVIEW if you loved this recipe! Make sure to tag me on Instagram @juliemarieeats. To get more ideas by following me on Pinterest.
Caramel Pecan Cheesecake
Equipment
- 22 cm spring-form
Ingredients
PECAN COOKIE CRUST
- 50 g pecan nuts
- 150 g digestive cookies
- 1,5 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 45 g butter melted
CHEESECAKE
- 600 g cream cheese full fat, room temperature
- 200 g granulated sugar
- 150 g sour cream 18% room temperature
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs room temperature
PECAN CARAMEL SAUCE
- 200 g pecan nuts
- 70 g granulated sugar
- 50 g corn syrup or glucose syrup
- 200 g heavy cream
- 40 g butter
- Pinch of salt
The US customary cup measurement serves as a rough estimate, as it can have uncertainties, so for precise results, it's recommended to weigh your ingredients using a digital scale in grams. Baking is both an art and a science, which most often requires precision and accuracy.
Instructions
PECAN COOKIE CRUST
- Preheat the oven at 160ºC/320ºF, conventional oven.
- In a food processor, blend the pecans until finely chopped. Then add the digestive cookies and granulated sugar and blend it all together until a fine sand-like texture. Melt the butter. Add the melted butter to the food processor and blend it together with the blended cookies.50 g pecan nuts, 150 g digestive cookies, 1,5 tablespoon granulated sugar, 45 g butter
- In a 22 cm / 9 inch spring cake pan add parchment paper to the bottom. Add the cookie crumbs and press the cookie crust down with the bottom of a glass, and up agains the side of the pan, so it’s well packed together and flattened out. Bake it for 10 minutes. Then let it cool down so that it’s cool to touch.
CHEESECAKE
- Keep the oven temperature at 160ºC/ 320ºF conventional oven.
- With a hand mixer or in a stand mix using the paddle attachment, cream the cream cheese for 1 minute on low speed. Then gradually add the granulated sugar. Once all the granulated sugar is added, scrape down the sides of the bowl and let it mix for 1 minute on low speed.600 g cream cheese, 200 g granulated sugar
- In a small bowl, mix together the sour cream and cornstarch until smooth. Add it to the cream cheese with the vanilla extract and let it mix on low speed until combined. Then add one egg at a time and let it mix on low speed until combined. Once all the eggs have mixed in, scrape down the sides of the bowl and give it a final mix to make sure all the ingredients have incorporated.150 g sour cream 18%, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 3 large eggs
- Pour the cheesecake batter into the spring pan.
- Boil up water in a kettle. Place the springform pan in a 25 cm/10 inch cake pan. Place the cake pan in another baking pan or roasting pan and fill it with hot water ⅔ up the side of the pan. This method will prevent water from getting into the crust.
- Alternatively, add a triple layer of aluminium foil around the cake pan to safely seal it from the water before placing it in a water bath. There might be a possibility of water leaking in, so make sure it's covered well if choosing this method.
- Bake for 1 hour and 10-20 minutes.
- Once the time has passed, give the tray a very gentle shake. The cheesecake should still be a bit wobbly in the middle. Turn off the oven and have the oven door slightly open and let the cheesecake cool down in the oven for 1 hour.
- Then take it out of the oven and remove it from the water bath. Take off the aluminium foil and place the cheesecake on a cooling rack. Let it cool down fully for about 1 hour to room temperature. Finally, once at room temperature, place it in the fridge and let it set for at least 6 hours, preferable overnight.
PECAN CARAMEL SAUCE
- Preheat the oven at 200ºC conventional oven and toast the pecans for 5 minutes. Let them cool down on a wire wrack.200 g pecan nuts
- In a medium saucepan, slowly melt the granulated sugar and corn syrup over medium/high heat until golden brown. At the same time in another small saucepan, heat the heavy cream to a boil and turn it off.70 g granulated sugar, 50 g corn syrup, 200 g heavy cream
- Once the caramel is golden brown, stir in the butter until it has melted into the caramel. Then add the heated heavy cream, a little at a time while stirring. It will bubble up strongly so be careful of your fingers. Stir constantly until it has gathered. Continue stirring for 2 minutes.40 g butter
- Take the saucepan off the heat, add the salt and stir it in. Then add the pecans and fold them together with the caramel. Transfer it to a shallow bowl, so it can cool down faster, and let it cool down at room temperature. It takes about an 30-60 minutes to become room temperature.Pinch of salt
- Pour the pecan caramel over the cheesecake and it’s ready to be served. Keep it stored in the fridge.
Sophie
Easy to make and great taste! Loved it.
Brigitte Harper
I plan on making this recipe sometime soon. However, under 'equipment used' it states to use 20cm cake tin whereas in the instructions it says to use 22cm. I assume you mean it to be 22cm.
Julie Marie
Yes, you're correct. Thank you for letting me know. It's now corrected to say 22 cm 🙂
Signe
"Det er måske nok den bedste kage, jeg nogensinde har smagt" udbrød min kollega. Så tusind tak for den gode opskrift. Det eneste der drillede mig var, at jeg ikke kunne få alufolien til at holde tæt. Kunne godt have brugt en video.