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Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars are here to change your life. Dramatic? Maybe. True? Definitely! These soft, creamy cheesecake bars are topped with the most incredible sweet, crunchy pecan pie topping. This is a Fall-favorite recipe that’s guaranteed to make Thanksgiving ten times more delicious this year!
Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars
Gooey, sticky pecan pie topping spread across the most perfectly baked cheesecake bars are what my Fall fantasies consist of. Pecan pie is one of my favorite desserts around the holidays (I oddly don’t crave or eat it any other time but once November hits, I’m ALL about it), and it’s somehow even better when those classic flavors are smothering creamy cheesecake bars!
From the buttery graham cracker crust to the cheesecake to the topping, these bars are truly perfect from top to bottom.
They’re also wonderfully easy to make! This is a cheesecake recipe that doesn’t require a water bath, which is always a win in my book.
As much as I enjoy a traditionally baked cheesecake, these simple bars are truly the best as they’re such a cinch to bake in the oven. Plus, no water bath means no me yelling at the tiny drop of water that usually finds its way into my cheesecake. It’s a win-win!
The pecan pie topping is the real star of the show here, though. It’s made with all of your favorite pecan pie ingredients, but the consistency is almost like a glaze.
Plus, the pecans give the bars a nice crunch on top that balances perfectly with the smooth and creamy cheesecake itself! Honestly, I know I just said I don’t crave pecan pie until holiday time but of course now that they’re on top of cheesecake…I can see myself crave them all year long.
Ingredients for pecan pie cheesecake bars
For the crust, you’ll need:
- Graham crackers – Plain ones work best.
- Butter – Unsalted and melted.
- Brown sugar – I like to use light brown sugar, but dark works as well.
The cheesecake calls for:
- Cream cheese – Allow it to soften to room temperature before using so it mixes well.
- Sour cream – Low-fat or regular will both work.
- Eggs – I like to use free-range organic eggs.
- Sugar – White granulated sugar is what you’ll need.
- Vanilla extract – Use pure vanilla extract, not imitation!
- Salt – Just a small pinch.
- Flour – All-purpose is what you should use, nothing fancy.
The unforgettably good pecan topping consists of:
- Butter – Unsalted works best here.
- Brown sugar – Make sure it’s packed!
- Corn syrup – Use light, not dark corn syrup.
- Vanilla extract
- Cinnamon – You can add a little extra if you’d like the flavor to be more pronounced.
- Salt – Omit this if you use salted butter.
- Heavy cream – This will give the topping the most amazing consistency.
- Pecans – Chopped!
Ingredient substitutions
Fat-free or low-fat cream cheese. They should work just as well as the full fat and if this is something you prefer, feel free to substitute it.
Different nuts. Ideally you could use whatever nuts you want in this but since this is to replicate pecan pie, I would stick to pecans. If you really love another nut, I would suggest mixing some in with the pecans. Pecans and walnuts would be a great combination!
Common questions about pecan pie cheesecake bars
- Why do I need to refrigerate the pecan pie cheesecake bars for four hours? Don’t skip this step, as tempting as it may be to dive right in! This waiting period helps ensure that the cheesecake bars have time to develop the right flavor and settle into the perfect consistency.
- Why do I need to have the cream cheese come to room temperature first? It makes it easier to mix and cream together with all the other ingredients. If you try to do it right when it comes out of the refrigerator, it’s too hard of a block and you’re going to end up with a lot of chunks that can’t be broken up.
- Can I toast the pecans first? You can, but you really don’t need to. I use my pecans raw, straight from the bag, and it’s delicious every time.
Storing instructions
How long will pecan pie cheesecake bars stay fresh? In an airtight container in the fridge, these pecan pie cheesecake bars will stay fresh for up to 5 days.
Move over, pumpkin – pecans are the new favorite ingredient this time of year!
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Equipment
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 18 graham crackers
- 12 tablespoons (168 g) unsalted butter, melted
- ½ cup (110 g) light brown sugar, packed
For the cheesecake:
- 32 ounces (907 g) cream cheese, room temperature
- ⅓ cup (77 g) sour cream
- 3 eggs
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
For the pecan topping:
- 4 tablespoons (56 g) unsalted butter
- 1 cup (220 g) light brown sugar, packed
- 1 cup (341 g) light corn syrup
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup (59 ml) heavy cream
- 2 ½ cups (273 g) chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F (177 °C) and line a 9×13 inch baking pan with parchment paper then set aside for later.
- Add the graham crackers to a large food processor and pulse until a light sand texture starts to form.
- Add the butter and brown sugar and pulse again until a dough starts to come together.
- Press the mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 10 minutes.
- In the meantime, make the cheesecake layer by mixing the cream cheese until smooth.
- Mix in the sour cream, eggs, sugar, vanilla and salt until smooth then stir in the flour just until combined.
- Pour the mixture on top of the baked crust then reduce the oven heat to 325 °F (163 °C) and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until the center of the cheesecake jiggles only slightly.
- Let the cheesecake cool for about 30 minutes while you make the topping.
- Melt the butter in a medium pot over medium heat then stir in the brown sugar, corn syrup, vanilla, cinnamon and salt and bring it to a low simmer over medium heat and whisk every two to three minutes until it thickens, about 15 minutes.
- Whisk in the heavy cream and let it cook down for another 5 minutes before stirring in the pecans.
- Pour the mixture on top of the cheesecake and let it cool completely at room temperature for about 2 hours.
- Then refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight then slice and serve.
Wow! What a delicious recipe! Clear instructions and very easy to make!My fam devoured it!Thank you Julie,keep up the good work!
Wow! Such a great recipe. I made these for thanksgiving and they were a hit. My stepmom does not eat dessert and she not only had seconds but ate some for breakfast the next day. I highly recommend!
I made these for thanksgiving. They were a hit and I came home with a empty pan. They were so good and very easy to make. I followed the recipe exactly as written and I had no troubles. I will be making them again very soon.
I made these cheesecake bars for Thanksgiving and the dessert came out AMAZING. I will definitely make this again. Highly recommend you give it a try.