Salted caramel pecan cheesecake combines creamy cheesecake with sweet buttery caramel and crunchy pecans. Every bite balances sweet, salty and nutty flavors for a cheesecake that feels both comforting and unique. It's a showstopper for holidays, get togethers or anytime you want a memorable dessert.
More confessions. I don't like pecan pie. I like pecans a lot, and I like pie a lot. But I don't like pecan pie. Yet, it still feels like there should be a pecan dessert at holiday gatherings. I've made a lot of different pecan desserts other the years, but this salted caramel pecan cheesecake is my favorite. And the best part? It's not limited to holidays. You can make this cheesecake whenever you want!
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Ingredients
- Pecans
- Graham crackers
- Salted butters
- Cream cheese
- White sugar
- Eggs
- Salted caramel sauce (homemade or store bought)
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Step 1: Make and par-bake the pecan graham cracker crust for the cheesecake.
Step 2: Make and bake the cheesecake filling. Allow to cool, preferable overnight. Press chopped pecans into the sides of the cheesecake.
Step 3: Drizzle salted caramel across the cooled cheesecake.
Step 4: Sprinkle chopped pecans over the caramel drizzle.
Substitutions
- Pecans - if you don't like pecans, you can use another nut like pistachios (pistachio cheesecake), hazelnuts (no bake Nutella cheesecake) or macadamia nuts.
- Graham crackers - as a substitute for graham crackers, you can use sandwich cookies, digestive biscuits or Biscoff cookies.
- Gluten free - to make the crust gluten free, use a gluten free graham cracker, Simply Mills Sweet Thins or a gluten free sandwich cookie.
Equipment
A stand or hand mixer is helpful to make cheesecake.
Storage
Store any leftover salted caramel pecan cheesecake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5-7 days.
Next Level Tips
- We put the pecans in the crust, cheesecake filling and topping to have layers of different pecan flavor and texture. Same with the salted caramel sauce that goes in the filling and the topping. By using our key ingredients in multiple ways, we get layers of depth.
- If you want to toast the pecans for this recipe, you certainly can. I don't think it's absolutely necessary though, so that step was not included.
- Always use room temperature cream cheese and room temperature eggs for cheesecakes.
- The very best way to avoid cheesecake cracks is to bake the cheesecake at 325 degrees and use the moat method, as described below and in the FAQs. In short, this is where you place your springform pan inside of a cake pan and then put the cake pan in a roasting pan with water. This avoids leaky aluminum foil yet still doesn't allow direct heat on the springform pan.
- Allow the cheesecake to cool in the oven without touching it for two hours. Then move the springform pan to a cooling rack and allow the cheesecake to come to room temperature before placing it in the refrigerator.
- Cheesecakes needs time to set in the refrigerator after baking. Refrigerate for at least 6-8 hours; however, overnight is best!
HOW TO BAKE A CHEESECAKE WITHOUT CRACKS
Okay, let's get to one of the biggest issues with cheesecakes: unsightly cracks. Cracks don't make the cheesecake taste any differently. And, of course, they could be covered up. But, there are two main things to know to avoid cracks: baking temperature and water baths.
BAKE AT A LOWER TEMPERATURE
For temperature, cheesecakes turn out best when baked at a lower temperature. For that reason, I bake almost all of my cheesecakes, including this one, at 325 degrees.
USE THE MOAT METHOD FOR THE WATER BATH
The most basic way to do a water bath is to wrap the springform pan with aluminum foil and place it in a roasting pan with water and then hope it doesn't leak. But, have you ever wrapped it super carefully with the extra wide aluminum foil only to discover that it still leaked? Yes, me too. Instead, I use the moat method. To use the moat method, place your 8 or 9 inch springform pan inside a 10 inch cake pan. Then place the 10 inch cake pan into a larger roasting pan with water. With this moat method, there is no possible way that water gets in to your springform pan. I've never had a cheesecake crack when I've combined a lower baking temperature with the moat method.
STEAM BATHS
Ok, say you don't have a roasting pan big enough to fit your springform pan and cake pan. You can do the steam bath method, which usually works. I say usually because it's not quite as fool proof as the moat method. But, you can fill a 9x13 pan with one inch of water and place it on the oven rack directly beneath the springform pan. (If you have a cake pan, you can still put the springform pan in a cake pan according to the above moat method.) The water in the pan creates steam and a humid environment in the oven which helps to prevent cracks.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR MOAT METHOD
Step 1: Fill the roasting pan with one inch of water. Place the springform pan inside of a cake pan and then place the cake pan in the roasting pan.
FAQ
Yes! However, you can carefully speed up this process if you forgot to set out the cream cheese and eggs. Most microwaves now have a soften option. You can carefully soften the cream cheese in the microwave to room temperature but not melted. For the eggs, you can place cold eggs into a bowl of warm, but not hot, water to quicken up the process for the eggs. However, I do recommend letting the cream cheese and eggs come to room temperature naturally on the counter. Unless you have a time crunch, of course.
Par-baking the crust is optional but highly recommended. Par-baking the crust doesn't take very long and it helps maintain a crisp crust for your cheesecake.
The moat method creates a barrier between the springform pan and the direct heat of the oven. Kind of like in the olden days when castles used moats to protect the castles from invaders! So, in the moat method, we place the springform pan into a larger cake pan before putting the cake pan into a larger roasting pan with the water bath. There ends up to be a moat (of air) that separates the springform pan from the cake pan and the water bath. I highly recommend doing it this way as it works great.
The reason we pack the crust tightly, but not too tightly, into the springform pan is so that we can easily remove the bottom of the springform pan without the crust crumbling. After the rim of the springform pan is off, take a cake lifter (or metal pizza peel or a very large spatula) and gently slide it in between cheesecake crust and bottom of springform pan. Don't lift the cheesecake up in the air. Instead, use the cake lifter to slide the cheesecake sideways off of the springform bottom onto a serving plate or a round cardboard cake board. You can buy a cheap cake lifter on Amazon or at a Hobby Lobby type store in the baking section. If you're using a large metal spatula, run it under the entire outer edge first before using it to gently slide the cheesecake.
Related
Looking for other cheesecake recipes like this? Try these:
Salted Caramel Pecan Cheesecake
Ingredients
Cheesecake crust
- 1 sleeve graham crackers (about 9 full crackers) crushed
- ½ cup pecans finely chopped
- 6 tablespoons salted butter melted
- 2 tablespoons white sugar
Cheesecake filling
- 4 blocks cream cheese (8 ounces each) room temperature
- 1 cup white sugar
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- ¼ cup salted caramel sauce homemade or store bought
- ¼ cup pecans chopped
Cheesecake decorations
- ¼ cup salted caramel sauce
- ½ cup pecans chopped
Instructions
Making the crust
- Preheat oven to 325°. Spray an 8 or 9 inch springform pan, including the sides, with cooking spray and set aside.
- Put the graham crackers in a food processor and grind the crackers into small crumbs. [It's ok to have some bigger pieces of cookies as the grind doesn't need to be super fine.]
- Chop the pecans with a knife or use a food processor to chop the pecans. (I chop the pecans for the crust, filling and topping all at once.)
- Mix the graham crackers, chopped pecans, melted butter and 2 tablespoons of white sugar together in a medium bowl until well combined.
- Add the crust mixture to the springform pan. Pat it down flat with your hands or a flat-bottom measuring cup with medium pressure. It should be packed firmly but not too hard.
- Bake the crust for 6 minutes and set aside to cool. [This step is optional but highly recommended for a crisp crust.]
Making the filling
- Place the room temperature cream cheese into a mixing bowl and mix on low speed until creamy and all the lumps are gone. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl.
- Add the white sugar to the cream cheese mixture in the mixing bowl and mix on low speed until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl.
- Next, add the caramel sauce to the mixing bowl and mix on low speed until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl as needed.
- Next, add the eggs one at a time. Mix on low speed just until each egg is combined before adding the next egg. Between eggs, scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl.
- Fold in ¼ cup of the chopped pecans by hand until they are evenly distributed.
Baking and cooling the cheesecake
- Pour the filling on top of the crust in the springform pan. Place the springform pan in a larger cake pan (or cover the sides of the springform pan with aluminum foil). Fill the roasting pan with one inch of water to create the water bath. Carefully add the cake pan (or the wrapped springform pan) into the water. [See FAQ or post description on why the moat method is preferred.]
- Bake at 325° for about 60 minutes until the center is mostly set. Then, turn off the oven and open the oven door to start cooling. Leave it alone for two hours. After two hours, remove the cake pan from the oven and the water bath and let cool on a cooling rack until room temperature.
- Before placing in the refrigerator, run a knife around the edges to loosen the cheesecake from the sides. Cover lightly and refrigerate a minimum of 6 hours but preferably overnight.
- After cooling, remove the rim of the spring form pan. Also, remove the cheesecake from the bottom of the springform pan if so desired (see FAQ for help) and decorate the cheesecake.
Decorating the cheesecake
- Press chopped pecans into the sides of the cheesecake. This is optional but a nice touch.
- Warm the salted caramel sauce in the microwave for 15-30 seconds until the caramel sauce is pourable but not hot. Use a spoon, piping bag or a decorator bottle to drizzle the caramel sauce across the cheesecake in any pattern. Sprinkle chopped pecans on top of the salted caramel drizzle. The caramel sauce drizzle helps hold the chopped pecans in place.
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