Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars

Pecan pie meets cheesecake to create the most delicious fall fusion dessert! The tanginess of the cheesecake balances the sweetness of the caramel so well and then you get a crunch from BOTH the pecans and the graham cracker crust. This dessert is truly the best of both worlds – why have only pie or cheesecake when you can have both!

At this point it’s become a tradition to come out with a new fall cheesecake recipe every year. The first year we made pumpkin pie cheesecake bars. The second year, it was apple pie cheesecake bars. So naturally, the third year we had to do pecan pie cheesecake bars. In my opinion, pecan pie is the best fall pie and cheesecake is my fave dessert so you know this is going to be good. Let’s make it!

PART 1: THE CRUST

This layer is the easiest to make! It’s just your traditional NY style cheesecake crust made with graham crackers, butter, and a little bit of sugar.

My NUMBER ONE TIP for having the perfect crust on your cheesecake is taking the bottom of a drinking cup or measuring cup and pressing it down firmly. This will pack it in tight so it doesn’t crumble and fall apart when it’s time to enjoy.

You also want to make sure the graham cracker crumbs are very fine, otherwise the crust will be grainy. The graham cracker crumbs that come ready in a box are not as fine as I’d like so I’d just buy the graham crackers and turn them into crumbs yourself in a food processor. If you don’t have a food processor, just throw them in a ziploc bag and use a rolling pint to break it up well.

Just combine the graham cracker crumbs with a bite of white sugar and melted unsalted butter and that’s it!

PART 2: THE CHEESECAKE

Now it’s time to make the cheesecake batter!

HERE’S EVERYTHING YOU WILL NEED:

• cream cheese, room temperature
• granulated sugar
• all purpose flour
• sour cream, room temperature
• large eggs, room temperature
• vanilla extract
• heavy cream
• salt

If you have made cheesecake before, this part will be fairly easy. However if it is your first time, we’ll have you being a pro in no time! Here are some tips to making sure you get that perfect cheesecake:

• Ingredients have to be at room temperature! This includes the cream cheese, eggs, sour cream, and heavy cream. If they are even slightly cold, the batter will be very lumpy and cause cracks in the cheesecake.
• Do not over-beat the batter. Over-beating incorporates air bubbles into cheesecake which is the opposite of we want – cheesecake is dense. Air bubbles will also cause cracks. If you think that you overdid it with the beating, just tap the batter on the counter a few times to deflate it a bit before pouring it into the tray.
• WATER BATH! Fill a deep tray half way with boiling water and put it in the bottom rack of the oven while the cheesecake cooks. It is not absolutely necessary to do this but it ensures it bakes evenly and I think the cheesecake comes out so much more soft this way.
• While it bakes, do not open the oven. The temperature can rapidly change and cause cracks in the cheesecake.

PART 3: ASSEMBLING AND BAKING

Press the crust into the bottom of a 8 inch by 8 inch pan that’s been sprayed and lined with parchment paper. Pack it in very tightly and make sure it’s even.

Pour the cheesecake batter over the crust and spread evenly.

Bake for about 40 minutes in the center rack of your oven. After the baking time, the center will appear to be a bit wobbly and that’s normal. Turn off the oven and take it out. Allow it to cool to room temperature before popping in the fridge for a few hours or overnight until chilled completely. We will not prep the pecan caramel layer until the cheesecake is chilled.

PART 4: THE PECAN PIE CARAMEL LAYER

The pecan caramel layer is basically the filling of a pecan pie but no baking is required! You just need a saucepan and stovetop to make it.

HERE ARE THE INGREDIENTS YOU NEED:

• unsalted butter
• heavy cream
• light brown sugar
• vanilla extract
• chopped pecans
• salt

Add all the ingredients to the pan and turn the heat to medium. Mix all together and bring to a boil. Once bubbly, drop the heat to low and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes. Take off the heat and transfer to a bowl. Allow it to cool down to room temperature.

Once the cheesecake is chilled, take out of the fridge and add the pecan caramel on top and spread evenly across. Pop it back in the fridge until the pecan pie layer is set, about an hour. Pop the cheesecake out of the pan by lifting it from the parchment paper overhanging. Cut into squares, making sure to clean the knife after every cut.

Now just enjoy! Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can also freeze these and enjoy with no rush. Just allow each slice to thaw before enjoying.

If you tried this recipe and loved it, drop by down below and let me know how you liked it with a rating and comment! Feel free to also leave a question there about this recipe and I’ll get right back to it.

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