Pecan pie cheesecake bars bring together two of Thanksgiving’s favorite desserts — pecan pie and cheesecake. They’re easier to bake too! No worrying about making the pie crust or about the cheesecake cracking. These pecan cheesecake bars are perfect for a delicious, stress-free holiday celebration.
(Can’t get enough of pecans? You would love bourbon pecan pie bars and banana bread with pecans.)
The holiday baking season is in full swing and we are in the sugary thick of it.
Our kitchen has been churning out cakes, cookies, bars and other delicious treats non-stop.
And these pecan pie cheesecake bars are definitely in everyone’s favorite list.
They are incredibly rich and delicious, just like how proper holiday desserts should be — caramel butter pecan pie topping, creamy cheesecake layer, graham cracker crust with chopped pecans as a cookie base.
Plus, they are very easy to make. Definitely easier than pecan pie, way less stressful than cheesecake, it’s a mouth-watering combination of both.
Let’s get to it.
Why you’ll love making pecan cheesecake bars
- Easy — I’ve always found it challenging to make pie crusts so I love how these butter pecan cheesecake bars get rid of that while still satisfying my pecan pie cravings — imagine a creamy cheesecake layer topped with a rich pecan pie filling. And since we’re topping the cheesecake, no need to worry about the cheesecake cracking either. Stress-free all the way.
- Rich and decadent — each bite is rich, creamy and decadent…perfect for your holiday celebrations!
- Make ahead — plus, you can make it ahead so no need to rush the day that company is coming over.
(Love pecans? You’ll also enjoy turtle bars!)
How to make
Making pecan pie cheesecake squares involve 3 layers (graham cracker crust, cheesecake layer and pecan cheesecake topping) but each one is simple and straightforward to make. Plus, assembly is fun!
Ingredients
You’ll need pantry staples like butter, brown sugar and eggs, plus pecans. Scroll to the bottom of this page for the full ingredient list.
A few things to note:
- Graham cracker crumbs — if you can’t find graham crackers, you can substitute with digestive biscuits or similar.
- Cream cheese — use full-fat cream cheese available in blocks for best results.
- Golden syrup — I highly recommend using golden syrup (it’s so good!) but if you can’t find any, you can substitute with the same amount of maple syrup.
- Heavy cream — heavy cream is at least 36% milk fat. Whipping cream (at least 35% milk fat) will work too.
Baking tools
You don’t need special tools to make this pecan pie cheesecake bars recipe.
I use my handheld electric mixer and stand mixer interchangeably.
A food processor is handy when crushing the graham crackers and chopping the pecans for the crust but not necessary.
You can simply chop the nuts as finely as you can with a sharp knife (I use our old mini-chopper and it does the job quite nicely).
Other than that, just a 9×9 inch baking pan, parchment paper, mixing bowls, measuring cups, measuring spoons and a spatula are all you need.
Step-by-step photos
Preheat oven to 325F. Line a 9×9 inch pan with parchment paper with a slight overhang on each side. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine all crust ingredients. Stir until evenly moist.
Transfer to your prepared pan and use the back of a spoon or measuring cup to pack it tightly to the bottom. Set aside.
In a large bowl using a handheld mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla extract on low medium speed until smooth (about 2 minutes). Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Pour your cheesecake batter into your prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes or until set. Remove from the oven and cool in the pan. In the meantime, you can make your pecan pie topping.
Using a medium, heavy-bottom saucepan on low-medium heat, combine brown sugar, cornstarch and salt. Stir until incorporated. Add egg yolks, golden syrup and warm heavy cream. Whisk until smooth.
Continue cooking until the mixture thickens considerably, about 30 minutes. Stir occasionally.
Stir in the cold butter and vanilla extract. Whisk until thick and fully incorporated.
Stir in the chopped pecans. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
When ready pour your pecan pie filling over your cooled cheesecake.
Spread it out evenly. Chill the cheesecake overnight. To serve, lift the cheesecake off the pan using the parchment paper and slice into squares.
Expert cheesecake baking tips
Easy, right? Here are tips for perfect pecan cheesecake squares every time.
- Use room temperature ingredients. This ensures a smooth cheesecake batter that’s easy to incorporate.
- Add eggs 1 at a time and beat for about 15 seconds or just until blended. Avoid over beating the batter because you don’t want to incorporate too much air into it.
- Before putting your cheesecake in the oven, gently tap the pan on the counter a few times to release any air bubbles hiding in the batter.
- If the top of your cheesecake is getting too brown too soon, loosely cover with aluminum foil and continue baking until set.
- Remember to chill the cheesecake completely. Wait until it’s completely set before slicing.
Recipe FAQs
One of the key ingredients in this pecan pie cheesecake bars recipe (and truly one of my favorite ingredients to work with) is golden syrup.
If you haven’t heard of it, according to Wikipedia: Golden syrup or light treacle is a thick amber-coloured form of inverted sugar syrup made in the process of refining sugar cane or sugar beet juice into sugar, or by treatment of a sugar solution with acid.
Suffice it to say it is fabulous.
It’s kind of like honey — maple syrup — pancake syrup but better. It’s really hard to describe; you have to taste it…then you’ll be a fan too!
It’s commonly available in the UK (in fact, I buy mine from the British grocery store in our neighborhood) and, of course, good old Amazon always has it.
If you can’t find golden syrup, no worries. You can make this recipe with maple syrup instead.
To warm heavy cream, I simply put the amount I need in a microwavable cup then zap it in increments of 5-10 seconds until it’s warm (not hot) to the touch.
You don’t want it too hot so watch for little bubbles forming at the edges of your cup (you don’t want them). Once it’s warm, leave it on the counter until you’re ready to use it.
Best to microwave it a few minutes before you need it.
Things to look for include:
– Edges that are starting to look firmer and starting to turn a light golden brown
– A middle that still jiggles/wobbles slightly when you gently shake the pan
– Top of the cheesecake that starts losing its shine and begins looking more matte
The topping is ooey gooey and sticky so it’s a little bit of a challenge to get clean slices.
What you can do is slice while the cheesecake is chilled.
Put hot water in a glass and dip your sharp knife into it. Wait a few seconds until the knife is warm to the touch. Dry it with a tea towel.
Lift the cheesecake from the pan (it should release easily) and transfer to a cutting board.
Make your first slice then wipe your knife clean with a paper towel. Dip your knife into the glass with hot water again.
Repeat until you’ve sliced everything.
Once the cheesecake is sliced you can chill the pieces again until you’re ready to serve. Enjoy!
You can keep them covered in the fridge. They should last up to 5 days.
If you want to make them ahead, you can freeze the cheesecake (without the topping) and just thaw and assemble the day you’re serving them.
More holiday cheesecake recipes
Looking for more desserts to add to your celebrations? Check these out:
We love making these easy pecan pie cheesecake bars.
A little goes a long way so this recipe actually feeds quite a number of people. Perfect for all your holiday get-togethers. Hope you like them too!
Happy baking!
Did you make this recipe for pecan pie cheesecake bars? I’d love to hear all about it! Leave a comment or a star rating below.You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook. I’d love to see your creations!
You can also find me on Pinterest and YouTube.
Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars
Equipment
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Pecan Crust:
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 1 cup pecans finely chopped
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
- pinch salt
Creamy Cheesecake Layer:
- 2 8-oz block cream cheese softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs room temperature
Pecan Pie Topping:
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ½ tsp salt
- 4 egg yolks from large eggs
- ½ cup golden syrup or maple syrup
- ½ cup heavy cream warm (see notes)
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter cold and cubed (see notes)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups pecans roughly chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325F. Line a 9×9 inch pan with parchment paper with a slight overhang on each side. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine all crust ingredients. Stir until evenly moist.2 cups graham cracker crumbs, 1 cup pecans, ½ cup unsalted butter, pinch salt
- Transfer to your prepared pan and use the back of a spoon or measuring cup to pack it tightly to the bottom. Set aside.
- In a large bowl using a handheld mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla extract on low medium speed until smooth (about 2 minutes).2 8-oz block cream cheese, ½ cup granulated sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.2 large eggs
- Pour your cheesecake batter into your prepared pan. Bake for 30 minutes or until set.
- Remove from the oven and cool in the pan. In the meantime, you can make your pecan pie topping.
- Using a medium, heavy-bottom saucepan on low-medium heat, combine brown sugar, cornstarch and salt. Stir until incorporated.1 cup brown sugar, ¼ cup cornstarch, ½ tsp salt
- Add egg yolks, golden syrup, warm heavy cream and whisk until smooth.4 egg yolks, ½ cup golden syrup, ½ cup heavy cream
- Continue cooking until the mixture thickens considerably, about 30 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- Stir in the cold butter and vanilla extract. Whisk until thick and fully incorporated.4 tbsp unsalted butter, 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Stir in the chopped pecans.2 cups pecans
- Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. When ready, pour your pecan pie filling over your cooled cheesecake. Spread it out evenly.
- Chill the cheesecake overnight.
- To serve, lift the cheesecake off the pan using the parchment paper and slice into squares.
Video
Notes
- To warm heavy cream, I simply put the amount I need in a microwavable cup then zap it in increments of 5-10 seconds until it’s warm (not hot) to the touch. You don’t want it too hot so watch for little bubbles forming at the edges of your cup (you don’t want them). Once it’s warm, leave it on the counter until you’re ready to use it. Best to microwave it a few minutes before you need it.
- After cubing the butter, keep them in the fridge until ready to use.
- See post more baking tips, FAQs and step-by-step photos.
Nutrition
Nutritional information are estimates only.
Glo
Made these for Thanksgiving dinner but they didn’t make it lol. Kids and hubby loved them. Didn’t have time to make another batch but will definitely make again. Thanks for the recipe!
Jolina
Hi Glo, yes that happens at our house too 🙂 Cookies get snatched straight for the oven! Glad you and the family liked them. Hope you had a happy thanksgiving.