Description
These Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars combine a buttery graham cracker crust with a creamy cinnamon-spiced cheesecake layer, topped with a rich pecan pie topping. Perfectly balanced with sweet and nutty flavors, these bars are baked in a water bath for an ultra-smooth texture, making them an irresistible dessert for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Crust
- 14 graham crackers
- 5 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 2 Tbsp packed light brown sugar
- Pinch of kosher salt
Cheesecake
- 2 (8-oz) packages cream cheese, softened
- 2/3 cup (145 g) packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup (2 oz) sour cream
- 2 large eggs
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
Pecan Topping
- 1/2 cup (110 g) packed light brown sugar
- 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 cup (125 g) roasted, salted pecans
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- Pinch of kosher salt
Instructions
- Prepare the crust. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a 9″ x 9″ baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2″ overhang on two sides for easy removal. Crush the graham crackers into fine crumbs using a food processor or by placing them in a bag and pressing with a heavy skillet until you have about 2 cups. In a bowl, combine the crumbs with melted butter, brown sugar, and a pinch of kosher salt, mixing until the texture resembles wet sand. Press this mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan and bake until lightly golden, about 15 minutes. Let it cool before adding the filling.
- Make the cheesecake filling. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F and bring a pot of water to boil for the water bath. In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and brown sugar with a handheld mixer on medium-high until smooth. Add the sour cream and mix until no lumps remain. Then add eggs one at a time, blending well after each. Finally, beat in the flour, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, and kosher salt until fully combined and smooth.
- Bake the cheesecake in a water bath. Pour the cheesecake batter onto the cooled crust and smooth the top. Place the baking pan into a larger roasting pan and carefully pour boiling water into the roasting pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the cheesecake pan. This water bath ensures even baking and prevents cracking. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the center is still slightly jiggly. Remove the pan carefully from the water bath and let cool to room temperature.
- Chill the cheesecake bars. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate the cheesecake bars until fully cold, at least 4 hours or up to 1 day, to set properly.
- Prepare the pecan topping. In a medium nonstick skillet over low heat, combine brown sugar and butter, stirring continuously until the mixture is bubbly, about 3 minutes. Stir in the pecans, heavy cream, ground cinnamon, and a pinch of kosher salt until the pecans are fully coated and the topping is evenly combined. Remove from heat and let cool.
- Assemble and serve. Spoon the cooled pecan topping evenly over the chilled cheesecake bars. Using the parchment paper overhang, lift the entire dessert from the pan and transfer to a cutting board. Cut into 16 squares and serve. The topping can be made up to 1 hour ahead and stored at room temperature in an airtight container; avoid refrigeration to prevent the butter from solidifying.
Notes
- The water bath is essential for a smooth, crack-free cheesecake texture.
- Allow the pecan topping to cool before spreading to prevent melting the cheesecake layer.
- Use parchment paper with an overhang to easily lift the bars out of the pan for clean slicing.
- For best results, use room temperature cream cheese and sour cream to avoid lumps.
- Topping can be prepared in advance but store at room temperature, not refrigerated.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar (about 1/16th of recipe)
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 26g
- Sodium: 140mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0.2g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 1.5g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
