These Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars combine two favorite holiday flavors into one, with a buttery graham cracker crust, creamy cheesecake, and a gooey pecan pie topping! They’re rich, sweet, and absolutely irresistible. They’ll be everyone’s favorite dessert if you make them for Thanksgiving or Christmas!
I’m already planning out our Thanksgiving menu, and these easy Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars will definitely be on it! In case you’re planning too, I promise you’ll want to make these! These bare are SO good!
They’re so much easier than baking a whole cheesecake because there is no water bath, no springform pan, and less risk of cracking. Plus the gooey pecan topping will hide any if they do crack!
I’ve made a lot of cheesecake bars, and this version is one of my favorites. The sticky pecan topping balances perfectly with the tangy cheesecake. But definitely don’t miss my Cranberry Cheesecake Bars, or Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars.
Why you’ll love these Bars
- Two Desserts in One: A creamy classic cheesecake base meets gooey pecan pie topping. They pair so nicely together, and combine two holiday favorites into one!
- Great for Making Ahead: Cheesecake bars are such a great make ahead dessert because it tastes even better after chilling in the fridge overnight. Add the pecan topping right before serving (You can make it ahead of time too, just zap it in the microwave for a few seconds before serving.)
- Easy to Make: These can be made without a water bath, or springform pan, Less than 30 minutes of actual work, they’re made in 1 hour. The hardest part is waiting for them to chill.
Ingredients Needed
This is a quick overview of the ingredients you’ll need for this Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bar Recipe. Specific measurements and full recipe instructions are in the printable recipe card below.
- Graham Crackers: You can crush graham crackers in a blender or food processor, or buy store-bought graham cracker crumbs.
- Butter: You can use salted or unsalted for this recipe.
- Cream Cheese: Use full fat blocks of cream cheese.
- Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the graham cracker crust and cheesecake layer.
- Eggs: Let them come to room temperature for a bit before beating into the cheesecake. It will bring structure and richness to the filling
- Vanilla Extract: Adds flavor to the cheesecake and pecan topping.
- Pecans: I like using a mix of chopped and whole pecan halves because they spread nicely, and look nice on top of the cheesecake
- Brown Sugar: Adds a nice molasses flavor to the pecan topping
- Corn Syrup:
- Heavy Cream:
How to make Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars
Step 1: Make the homemade graham cracker crust. You will need graham cracker crumbs, melted butter and a little sugar. Press them into the bottom of a lined 8x8inch pan and bake for about 10 minutes until the crust is golden. Remove from the oven and let it cool for a bit.
Step 2: Make the Cheesecake Filling. Mix the cream cheese in a large bowl with an electric mixer (hand mixer or stand mixer with a whisk works great) until it is smooth. Then add in the sugar, sour cream, and mix for a couple of minutes on medium speed. Add in the eggs, vanilla, and salt, and mix on low speed until just combined.
Step 3: Bake the Bars. Bake the cheesecake bars until the sides are set and the center is just barely jiggly. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and let it cool in the pan on the counter for about 2 hours. Transfer it to the fridge for another 2 hours to chill.
Step 4: Make the Pecan Pie Topping. Add the butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup to a sauce pan and cook until the butter is dissolved. Add in the heavy cream and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often until it thickens. Stir in the pecans, vanilla, and salt and remove from the heat.
Step 5: Assemble the Bars. You can pour the cooled pecan topping over the bars before or after slicing. I like to spoon some over each bar individually because then it makes it easier to get clean and even slices.
Tips and Tricks:
- Line your Pan: Line your pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil to make the bars easy to remove, and easier to cut into nice even slices.
- Toast your Pecans: For the best flavor toast the pecans for a few minutes at 350 F, or in a skillet before adding them to the caramel.
- Graham Crackers: For our non US readers, or if you prefer something else, you can use Biscoff cookies, or Digestive Biscuits instead of graham crackers. You can also substitute Golden Syrup for the Light Corn Syrup, and the Cream Cheese may be sold in tubs instead of blocks.
- Softened Ingredients: Let the cream cheese, sour cream and eggs sit at room temperature for about 1 hour before mixing into the filling to avoid lumps, and ensure everything mixes together nicely.
- Don’t Over Bake: These cheesecake bars will be slightly jiggly in the center when they are done baking, they will keep cooking in the pan after they are removed from the oven. If the cheesecake is loose or jiggles a lot then the bars are not done, and bake a little longer. Do not bake until the cheesecake is fully set in the oven.
Storage Instructions
These cheesecake bars will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. I like to store the cheesecake bars and pecan pie topping separately, then top the bars right before serving, but they can be stored together as well.
The cheesecake bars can be frozen for up to 3 months, by wrapping them individually in plastic wrap, and placing bars in a freezer safe bag. Thaw in the fridge, and make topping fresh when ready to serve.
These Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars combine everything you love about classic pecan pie and creamy cheesecake into one delicious, and easy dessert. Every bite is full of holiday flavor, they’re beautiful on a dessert table, and are guaranteed to disappear fast. They’re perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any special occasion this fall!
More Pecan Desserts
- Butter Pecan Cookies
- Caramel Pecan Cinnamon Rolls
- Butter Pecan Ice Cream
- Coconut Pecan Frosting
- Pecan Pie Bars
- Cinnamon Pecans
- Pecan Pie Balls // Best Christmas Desserts
- Pecan Snowball Cookies // Best Christmas Desserts
If you make these Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars please leave a comment and 🌟 rating letting me know what you think! If you post the photo on Instagram, please tag me – I’d love to see what you’re making!
Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
For the Graham Cracker Crust:
- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs (about 10 cracker sheets)
- 5 TBS Unsalted Butter (melted)
- 2 TBS white sugar
For the Cheesecake Filling:
- 16 oz cream cheese (softened to room temperature)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 TBS Vanilla Extract
- 1 pinch Vanilla Extract
For the Pecan Pie Topping:
- 2 cups Pecan Halves
- 3/4 cup Brown Sugar
- 1/4 cup Unsalted Butter
- 1/4 cup Light Corn Syrup
- 1/3 cup Heavy Cream
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1/4 tsp Salt
Instructions
For the Graham Cracker Crust:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 9x9inch baking pan with parchment paper, and set it aside.
- Add the graham cracker crumbs, and butter, and sugar to a medium bowl and stir them together until you have a nice sandy mixture. 1 cup graham cracker crumbs, 5 TBS Unsalted Butter, 2 TBS white sugar
- Pour the graham cracker crumbs into the bottom of the prepared pan, and press it down with the bottom of a cup.
- Bake the crust for about 10 minutes. Remove it from the oven and let it chill.
For the Cheesecake Filling:
- In another large bowl, beat the cream cheese with an electric hand mixer until it is smooth. 16 oz cream cheese
- Add in the sugar, sour cream, and mix at medium speed for a couple of minutes until nice and smooth. 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup sour cream,
- Stir in the eggs, vanilla extract, and salt at low speed until just combined. 2 eggs, 1/2 TBS Vanilla Extract, 1 pinch Vanilla Extract
- Pour the mixture into the prepared graham cracker crust, smooth it evenly over the top.
- Bake the cheesecake for for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the edges are set and the center is slightly jiggly.
- Remove the cheesecake from the oven and let it cool to room temperature. Then place it in the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours, up to 3 days.
For the Pecan Pie Topping:
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Spread the pecans out on a cookie sheet. Bake for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring half way through, until the nuts darken a bit, and smell like they're toasted. Remove from the oven, and chop half of the pecans into pieces. 2 cups Pecan Halves
- Add the Brown Sugar, Butter, and Corn syrup to a small sauce pan. Heat over medium, and stir until the brown sugar is dissolved. 3/4 cup Brown Sugar, 1/4 cup Unsalted Butter, 1/4 cup Light Corn Syrup
- Add in the Heavy Cream and bring the mixture to a low boil. Boil for 2 to 3 minutes. 1/3 cup Heavy Cream
- Stir in the Pecans. Remove from the heat, and stir in the vanilla, and salt. 1 tsp Vanilla Extract, 1/4 tsp Salt
- Let the topping cool for about 20 minutes.
- Cut the cheesecake into bars.
- Spoon the pecan topping on top of each slice of cheesecake that you're ready to serve, and enjoy immediately!
Notes
- Line your Pan: Line your pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil to make the bars easy to remove, and easier to cut into nice even slices.
- Toast your Pecans: For the best flavor toast the pecans for a few minutes at 350 F, or in a skillet before adding them to the caramel.
- Graham Crackers: For our non US readers, or if you prefer something else, you can use Biscoff cookies, or Digestive Biscuits instead of graham crackers. You can also substitute Golden Syrup for the Light Corn Syrup, and the Cream Cheese may be sold in tubs instead of blocks.
- Softened Ingredients: Let the cream cheese, sour cream and eggs sit at room temperature for about 1 hour before mixing into the filling to avoid lumps, and ensure everything mixes together nicely.
- Don’t Over Bake: These cheesecake bars will be slightly jiggly in the center when they are done baking, they will keep cooking in the pan after they are removed from the oven. If the cheesecake is loose or jiggles a lot then the bars are not done, and bake a little longer. Do not bake until the cheesecake is fully set in the oven.
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