This pecan pie cheesecake has a salted cinnamon graham cracker crust, creamy no bake vanilla cheesecake, and sweet brown sugar caramel pecan pie topping. This decadent pecan cheesecake makes a wonderful alternative to pecan pie for the Thanksgiving holidays.
You might also love these recipes for carrot cake cheesecake, black and white cheesecake, and cranberry cream cheese pie.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Simple to Make. A no bake cheesecake is the easiest type of cheesecake, since it doesn’t require the water bath, long bake time, and long cooling/chill time usually required of traditional cheesecakes. While the filling itself isn’t baked, you will need to bake the crust for just a few minutes, which helps it hold together.
No Gelatin. While I have made recipes for no bake cheesecake with gelatin to set the filling, I’ve come to prefer the texture of no bake cheesecake without gelatin. When the heavy whipping cream is whipped with the cream cheese, you get a soft but stable filling that sets up perfectly without the need for a thickening agent.
Tastes Like Pecan Pie. If you can’t choose between pecan pie and cheesecake for your Thanksgiving dessert table, then this delicious combination is perfect for pie season. The topping is very similar to the gooey, caramel frosting that I make for German chocolate cakes, but without the coconut.
High Altitude Tested. I develop all the recipes on my site for Denver’s altitude of 5,280 feet. If you’re at a lower or higher elevation, please see my FAQs for guidance on adjusting recipes for your altitude. Today’s recipe will work at any altitude without adjustments, though.
See the recipe card at the end of the post for the full ingredients list and instructions.
Ingredients
- Graham Crackers. You can use plain or cinnamon graham crackers for this recipe.
- Pecans. You’ll need pecans for the pecan pie topping, of course, but I also added some to the crust. I just finely chop them in my small Ninja, then use it to crush the graham crackers.
- Sugar. You’ll be using light or dark brown sugar for the crust and the pecan sauce, as well as powdered sugar in the cheesecake filling.
- Salt. Helps to balance the sweetness and enhances flavors.
- Butter. Melted butter binds together the crust, and adds rich flavor to the sauce.
- Vanilla Extract. Flavor.
- Cream Cheese. Use full fat block cream cheese for the best flavor.
- Heavy Whipping Cream. You’ll be using cream in both the cheesecake filling as well as the pecan sauce.
- Egg Yolks. Helps to thicken and set the sauce.
Instructions
Crust
- Preheat the oven to 325F, and position a rack in the center of the oven. Lightly spray the bottom of an 8-inch springform pan with non-stick baking spray, or line it with parchment paper.
- Combine the crushed graham crackers with the chopped pecans, brown sugar and salt. Drizzle with the melted butter, and toss with a fork until moistened and crumbly. Dump the crumbs into the pan, and press the crumbs firmly against the bottom and halfway up the sides of the pan.
- Bake the crust for 10 minutes, until fragrant and golden brown. Cool completely. You can speed up the cooling by letting it cool at room temperature for 10 minutes, then in the refrigerator for another 10 minutes.
Filling
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar on medium speed for 2 minutes, until smooth.
- Scrape the bowl down and beat in the vanilla extract and 1/4 cup of the cream, until smooth.
- Pour in the rest of the cream, switch to the whisk attachment, and beat for several more minutes on medium speed until thick, fluffy peaks form that hold their shape.
- Spread the filling into the cooled crust. Refrigerate the cheesecake for at least 2-3 hours to firm up before serving.
Topping
- In a saucepan, whisk together the cream, brown sugar, egg yolks and salt. Cook over medium heat for about 5-10 minutes, whisking frequently, until the mixture gets thick and bubbly.
- Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter and vanilla, until smooth, then stir in the chopped pecans.
- The sauce is fantastic warm or cold, so if the cheesecake is ready, you can serve slices with warm pecan sauce on the side. To serve the sauce on top of the cheesecake, let it cool completely, then spread it on top of the cheesecake before serving. If you like, decorate the cheesecake with a few more pecan halves arranged on top of the sauce.
Serving
- To serve, run a sharp knife around the sides of the pan to loosen the crust from the pan, then carefully remove the sides of the pan.
- Set the cheesecake on a serving plate or cake pedestal and cut into slices.
Be sure to read all of my BAKING FAQs where I discuss ingredients, substitutions and common baking questions, so that you can be successful in your own baking!
Frequently Asked Questions
Leftover no bake cheesecake should be covered and refrigerated, and is best eaten within 2-3 days.
The pecan sauce is fantastic warm or cold, so if the cheesecake is ready, you can serve slices with warm pecan sauce on the side. To serve the sauce on top of the cheesecake, let it cool completely, then spread it on top of the cheesecake before serving.
Since this recipe doesn’t contain any gelatin, the texture will be more soft and not as “set” as one made with gelatin. If you like yours to have a firmer more set texture, see this recipe for no bake vanilla cheesecake.
An 8 inch springform pan isn’t a very common size. I found mine at Michael’s years ago, so it’s the size I use most often for my cheesecakes. You could also use 9 inch, or even 10 inch, but your cheesecake will be thinner, unless you scale up the recipe for the filling.
I have a wonderful high altitude vanilla cheesecake recipe, which would be delicious topped with the pecan sauce.
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No Bake Pecan Pie Cheesecake
All recipes on Curly Girl Kitchen are developed for high altitude at 5,280 feet. See FAQs for adjusting to higher or lower elevations.
Equipment
- 8-inch Springform Pan with Removable Bottom
- Electric Mixer (Stand or Handheld)
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 ¾ cups finely crushed cinnamon graham crackers, approximately 1 1/2 "sleeves"
- ¼ cup pecans, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp light brown sugar, optional
- 1 tsp coarse Kosher salt (if using table salt, use half the amount)
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
Filling
- 1 lb cream cheese, softened for 30 minutes at room temperature
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup cold heavy whipping cream
Topping
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- â…” cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed
- 2 large egg yolks
- ¼ tsp coarse Kosher salt (if using table salt, use half the amount)
- â…“ cup unsalted butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups pecans, chopped
Instructions
Crust
- Preheat the oven to 325F, and position a rack in the center of the oven. Lightly spray the bottom of an 8-inch springform pan with non-stick baking spray, or line it with parchment paper.
- Combine the crushed graham crackers with the chopped pecans, brown sugar and salt. Drizzle with the melted butter, and toss with a fork until moistened and crumbly. Dump the crumbs into the pan, and press the crumbs firmly against the bottom and halfway up the sides of the pan.
- Bake the crust for 10 minutes, until fragrant and golden brown. Cool completely. You can speed up the cooling by letting it cool at room temperature for 10 minutes, then in the refrigerator for another 10 minutes.
Filling
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar on medium speed for 2 minutes, until smooth.
- Scrape the bowl down and beat in the vanilla extract and 1/4 cup of the cream, until smooth.
- Pour in the rest of the cream, switch to the whisk attachment, and beat for several more minutes on medium speed until thick, fluffy peaks form that hold their shape.
- Spread the filling into the cooled crust. Refrigerate the cheesecake for at least 2-3 hours to firm up before serving.
Topping
- In a saucepan, whisk together the cream, brown sugar, egg yolks and salt. Cook over medium heat for about 5-10 minutes, whisking frequently, until the mixture gets thick and bubbly.
- Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter and vanilla, until smooth, then stir in the chopped pecans.
- The sauce is fantastic warm or cold, so if the cheesecake is ready, you can serve slices with warm pecan sauce on the side. To serve the sauce on top of the cheesecake, let it cool completely, then spread it on top of the cheesecake before serving. If you like, decorate the cheesecake with a few more pecan halves arranged on top of the sauce.
Serving
- To serve, run a sharp knife around the sides of the pan to loosen the crust from the pan, then carefully remove the sides of the pan.
- Set the cheesecake on a serving plate or cake pedestal and cut into slices.
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