Pecan Caramel Cheesecake

Any type of celebration that can range from personal occasions like birthdays, baby showers, and anniversaries to religious and cultural events such as Christmas, Easter 🐰, Mardi Gras, and others is worth highlighting with sweets or desserts.
 
Recently, David and I celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary 💍 although it takes place on two different dates: the legal one in September and the official one in January. For either one of them, I like baking a nice dessert and this year, I chose this one… my Pecan Caramel Cheesecake!
 
This scrumptious recipe is beyond OMG 🤯! With a creamy, smooth and velvety cake on a graham cracker crust, topped with a fabulous topping, this incredible dessert is totally on another level of yumminess! This is pure indulgence!
 
When it comes to this type of cake, we have a long list of favorites 💖. Besides this Pecan Caramel Cheesecake, there’s Blueberry, Key Lime, Strawberry, Holiday Eggnog, Coffee, Tiramisu, Mango, Lemon, and so on…
 
Unless I make 👩‍🍳 certain cake recipes using other ingredients for my crust, like in the case of my Pumpkin Cheesecake with a speculoos crust, Eggnog with a gingersnap base, and chocolate cookies for the making of my Mint Cheesecake, the base is still the same… graham cracker crumbs.
 
The base is quick to make but it takes time to set it properly in a non-stick springform pan – if you don’t use a non-stick, lightly grease the pan with butter 🧈. It’s important to compact the crumbs as high up as possible, pressing down firmly.
 
Like I mention in all my cheesecake videos 🎥, I’m very finicky when it comes to the crust. It has to be perfect otherwise there can be some crumbs falling on top of the cake or WORSE… the sides can collapse! Put the time in to do it correctly.
 
From here, it’s baked for 7 minutes ⏳ at 350ºF. It might puff up here and there at the bottom but when time is up, it’s transferred to a wire rack to cool, and with the drastic change in temperature from the oven to the ambient air of your kitchen, the “puffy” spots will settle down so there’s no need to panic.
 
Making the filling is super easy as long as the cream cheese 🧀 is at room temperature. There’s an amazing trick to soften it quickly so click here to find out… Although I often used full-fat sour cream in the past, I now use 5% to cut down on calories and it works just fine.
 
There’s an ingredient that plays an important role in the cheesecake and its cornstarch. “How’s that?” 🤔 – you may ask. Besides acting as a thickener which helps the cake to set better, it prevents it from cracking while baking as well as after, when cooling. It basically gives more stability.
 
As much as it sounds tedious, it’s important to scrape the sides and especially the bottom of the bowl. There’s always chunks of cheese and they need to be broken down otherwise the cake 🍰 won’t set properly. It has to be smooth with a lump-free texture!
 
When the filling is done and poured into the prepared, cooled crust, it should be gently tapped on the counter to dislodge any trapped bubbles – I forgot to do it in the video. It’s baked for 10 minutes at 350º then reduced to 300ºF for another 50 to 60 minutes ⏰ or until the edges are puffed.
 
After the baking time is up, the temperature is turned off and the cake sits in the oven, undisturbed, for 1 hour. It means DON’T open the door or start jumping 🤸‍♂️ in front of the stove… leave it alone! It allows the cake to firm up, set properly without being shocked with rapid temperature change which in return, helps keep it from cracking, ending it with a lovely texture.
 
An hour later, the springform pan is placed onto a wire rack to cool for another hour. While the cake is still warm, run a thin knife around the edges to help release it from the pan when ready to serve. After it finally gets to room temperature, otherwise let it sit longer, it’s transferred to the fridge for at least 8 hours but preferably overnight 🌛.
 
The next day, it’s time to make the topping or when ready to serve…
It’s smart 🧐 to toast the nuts as it enhances their buttery flavor while making them crunchier. The best way to do it is to place them in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake at 350ºF for 8 to 10 minutes or until fragrant, stirring them halfway through for even toasting.
 
When cooled enough, I roughly chop about 1 cup of toasted pecans halves and reserve the remaining ½ cup as is. As they’re in the final presentation of the cake, I don’t want them too fine otherwise they’ll be lost in the topping mixture plus it gives a nice 😍, rustic look to the dessert.
 
To make the caramel, butter-brown sugar-salt are cooked until the sugar is completely dissolved and the mixture starts bubbling . The heavy cream is slowly mixed in 🥄 before adding the pecans and coating them well with the sauce.
 
The saucepan is removed from the heat and two more ingredients are added to it. It’s pure vanilla extract and, for a little kick, Bourbon 🥃 or dark rum, whichever one you prefer! Of course, this last ingredient is optional but highly recommended. Let the sauce cool off and get thicker, about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
 
When ready to serve 🍴, gently unlatch the springform pan and run an angled spatula under the bottom to release the cake from the base. Carefully transfer to a cake server before pouring the caramel-pecan mixture over, making sure to cover the top entirely.
 
This mouthwatering Pecan Caramel Cheesecake is outstanding! It’s a magnificent dessert to serve for any type of celebration 🥳 or event! Take my word when I say that this is a cake that everyone will love…
Bon Appétit! 🍽
 
Check out these other incredible dessert recipes… 😀
– Orange Flan
– Sweet Potato Pie
– Maple Bacon Cupcakes
– Cannoli
– Eggnog Bread Pudding with Rum Sauce
– Grasshopper Pie
– Chocolate Éclairs
– Pumpkin Squares
– Tiramisu
and for even more cake recipes 🍰, click on this link… Recipe Category • Dessert
 

 
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Pecan Caramel Cheesecake

With its fabulous topping, this incredibly scrumptious Pecan Caramel Cheesecake is on another level of yumminess!

5 from 14 votes

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Servings 10

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Passive Time 1 day d

Ingredients

  

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CRUST

• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 small pinch ground Himalayan pink salt
• 7 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

FILLING

• 4 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup sour cream, room temperature
• 1/4 tsp. ground Himalayan pink salt
• 1 tbsp. cornstarch
• 5 large free-range eggs, room temperature
• 1/2 tbsp. pure vanilla extract

TOPPING

• 1 1/2 cups toasted pecan halves
• 6 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 tsp. ground Himalayan pink salt
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 tbsp. Bourbon or dark rum optional

Directions

 

CRUST

• Preheat oven to 350ºF.
• In the bowl of a food processor, add graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, and salt. Place the lid on and process until mixed.
• Remove the pusher and while the appliance is running, slowly pour in melted butter and vanilla extract through the feed tube.
• Process until it resembles something similar to damp sand. To know if it’s the right consistency - take a measuring spoon, compress the mixture, drop it in your hand and if it holds its shape, then it’s fine.
• Pour mixture into a 9-inch non-stick springform pan – if you don’t have a non-stick one, lightly grease it with butter.
• Using the bottom of a small measuring cup or glass, press crumbs firmly up the sides as high as possible and evenly on the bottom.
• Carefully transfer the pan to the preheated oven and bake for 7 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and place it on a rack. Set aside to cool while making the filling.

FILLING

• In the bowl of a stand mixer, add cream cheese, using the paddle attachment, process on medium speed until creamy and smooth, about 2 minutes; clean the sides and the bottom of the bowl.
• While the machine is still running, slowly add sugar, a little bit at a time.
• Stop the machine and add sour cream, salt and cornstarch. Process on low speed until blended before increasing back to medium again.
• While the appliance is running, add eggs, one at a time, mixing well between each addition; clean the sides and the bottom of the bowl a few times.
• Add vanilla extract and process until there’s no lumps and the mixture is perfectly smooth, cleaning the sides and bottom as often as needed.
• Pour the filling into the prepared, cooled crust and transfer to the 350ºF preheated oven, bake for 10 minutes.
• Reduce heat to 300ºF and continue baking for an additional 50 minutes or until the edges are slightly puffed.
• Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake in with the door closed, undisturbed, for 1 hour.
• Remove the cake from the oven to a wire rack and allow to cool completely for at least 1 hour. While it’s still warm, run a thin knife around the edges to help release the cake later.
• When the cake gets to room temperature, transfer to the fridge for a minimum of 8 hours but preferably overnight.

TOPPING

• The next day, roughly chop 1 cup of toasted pecan and leave the remaining ½ cup as is.
• In a small saucepan over medium heat, add butter, brown sugar and salt. Stir until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved.
• When the mixture starts to simmer, slowly pour in heavy cream, stirring constantly.
• Add toasted pecans (chopped and halves) to the caramel mixture and stir until nicely coated.
• Remove from the heat and add vanilla extract and Bourbon; mix well. Allow to cool until barely warm and the mixture has thickened, about 30 minutes.
• Run an angled spatula under the bottom of the cake to release from the base and carefully transfer to a cake server.
• Pour the caramel-pecan mixture over, making sure to cover the top.

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