Simple Pecan Pie Cheesecake

Cheesecake is one of my favorite things to make. If cooked right, it is absolutely delicious. I will admit that cheesecake can be an intimidating dessert to master. However, it really isn’t and this pecan pie cheesecake is a great example of how amazing and simple cheesecake can be. 

Pecan Pie Cheesecake makes the perfect desert and is a hit every time you make it. I made this recipe after my husband was on a cheesecake kick, but I wanted a pecan pie. My husband could eat cheesecake every day of the week if you let him. After ten years of being together, we still have days where we can’t agree. While this isn’t the standard, where do you want to eat battle? It was an argument that turned into what may just be one of my favorite desserts.

This cheesecake uses a basic graham cracker crust, sweet cheesecake filling, and a gooey pecan and sugar combination to make a tasty hit. It will make you think of a pleasant holiday dinner with the family. This dessert brings the creaminess of a cheesecake to the crunchiness of a pecan pie. It does take some baking skills, but it isn’t as hard as you may think. Plus, it doesn’t require a water bath like most cheesecakes.

INGREDIENTS:

Crust:

• 1 Sleeve of graham cracker or 1 cup of graham cracker crumbs
• 4 Tbs melted butter

Cheesecake

• 2 blocks of cream cheese
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 tbsp Flour
• ⅔ cup sour cream
• 4 eggs
• 1 ½ tsp vanilla

Topping

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 4 tsp butter
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• 1 cup chopped pecans.

Instructions:

1. Crush graham crackers and mix with melted butter. Spread in a deep dish pie pan, pressing to make a firm crust coating the bottom and sides of the pan. (This can also be done in a 9 inch spring form pan as well.)
2. Bake graham cracker crust for 10 mins at 325* F. Once out, make sure the crust is still packed tightly. 
3. Mix all of the cheesecake ingredients together (cream cheese, brown sugar, flour, sour cream, eggs, and vanilla) using an electric mixer until evenly blended. 
4. Pour mixture into pie pan on top of graham cracker crust. Bake at 325* F for 50-60 minutes, or until the edges are set and the center jiggles slightly. It will start to have a nice golden color.
5. Melt brown sugar and butter for topping in a small pan over medium heat until bubbling. Stir the mixture frequently. Pour in heavy cream and pecans, continue to stir for an additional 1-2 minutes. 
6. Remove from heat, let cool for 5 minutes, then spread over cheesecake. 
7. Serve warm or cooled.