Hello my loves,
Ahh. Thanksgiving. A holiday that is centered around food?! Count me in.
I’ve said it before but I’ll say it again in case you’re new around here, I am a total traditionalist with my Thanksgiving meal. I like all the classics, not really fancied up or twisted in any way. I do experiment with salads and desserts but that’s about it. I always make my pumpkin pie (which um, if you haven’t tried, this is your hint. Try it, you’ll be happy you did) and usually make something with pecans. This year I wanted to take it up a notch in some way. That’s how these pecan pie cheesecake bars came to be.
The bottom is a graham cracker crust that’s buttery and a little chewy. Then a smooth and creamy layer of cheesecake filling gets poured on top. To top it all off is a chewy, caramel-y, nutty pecan pie filling. These bars are decadent and are a great make ahead dessert! They keep well in the fridge and even the freezer! Microwave them for about 20 seconds or let thaw in fridge overnight.
Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust:
- 1 13.5 oz box of graham crackers
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), melted
- pinch of salt
Cheesecake filling:
- 4 packages of cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 whole eggs, room temp
- 2 yolks, room temp
- 1 1/2 tbsp vanilla
- 1/4 cup sour cream
Pecan pie topping:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cubed
- 1/2 cup light corn syrup
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 2 cups lightly chopped pecans, some whole pieces okay
- pinch of salt
Instructions
Graham cracker crust:
- Preheat oven 350° and spray a 13x9" pan with nonstick spray. Line with parchment paper, leaving an overhang so it's easy to remove later.
- Put all ingredients for crust into a food processor and pulse until crumb like. Press into the prepared pan and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly while you make the cheesecake filling.
Cheesecake filling:
- Beat cream cheese and the 1 cup of sugar together until smooth. Then add the eggs and yolks one at a time, allowing each to incorporate. Add sour cream and vanilla and mix to incorporate. When mixed (a few lumps okay) pour over slightly cooled crust and bake for 40 minutes or until the cheesecake is set. A tiny jiggle is okay.
Pecan pie topping:
- Add the butter, corn syrup, brown sugar and salt to a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil while you whisk continuously. When boiling, whisk in heavy cream and allow for the caramel to cook for about 4 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and pecans. Stir continuously for about 4 minutes. Pour over the cheesecake and let cool completely at room temperature. Then move to the fridge and let cool for a few hours or overnight. Remove from pan by lifting the parchment overhang out of the pan and cut into squares. Enjoy!
As always, give me a tag me @tessa_port if you make these! They will not disappoint!
