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This Browned Butter Pecan Cheesecake recipe is made with toasted buttered pecans and browned butter for a homemade cheesecake that’s full of flavor and perfect for fall! I’m totally in love!
There’s nothing better than homemade cheesecake with pecans. If you’re loving this fall combo, you’ll definitely want to make a Turtle Cheesecake and this yummy Pecan Streusel Pumpkin Cheesecake too!
An Easy Butter Pecan Cheesecake Recipe
This post is sponsored by Challenge Dairy, but all opinions are my own.
Are you ready for fall? I know I am. We had a good taste of some fall weather this weekend and I was loving it. Cool evenings and mornings and warmer days, but not too hot – it was beautiful! I hope it sticks around because I’m ready to stick with jeans instead of shorts.
Speaking of jeans and shorts, they are more difficult to find in maternity wear than I would’ve thought. There’s not much in stores so it’s like you have to buy things online and while that’s fine, pants and shorts are kind of tough when you can’t try them on first. I bought one pair of maternity shorts and just don’t love them. Since colder weather should be coming and I’ll spend most of my pregnancy in warmer clothing, I’d rather just get some longer pants and stick with it. So I’m all for the cooler weather sticking around. 🙂 Twin bellies grow quickly and basically nothing fits at this point.
The other thing about fall is the flavors. I’m officially ready! I feel like today’s cheesecake is a great way to break into fall. Between the toasted pecans and browned butter, it just feels like the kind of dessert I can’t wait to cuddle up with in this cooler weather. And you guys, it’s SO good!
How To Toast Pecans
First, there’s the pecans. They are tossed with some butter and brown sugar and toasted. Of course I use Challenge Butter, which I highly recommend. It’s a great, high quality butter that’s 100% real cream and farm to fridge in two days, so you know it’s fresh. Definitely be sure to toast the pecans, because they are SO much better that way. It improves their texture and brings out their flavor. Without toasting them, the flavor is just…off.
And then there’s the crust. It’s your typical graham cracker crust – with one exception. I included a bit of cinnamon. While I could’ve added cinnamon to the filling, I didn’t want it to overpower the browned butter and pecans. So instead, it’s in the crust and it’s perfect! You definitely get that hint of cinnamon (that I obsess over every fall), but it doesn’t take away from everything else. Love it!
How To Make Browned Butter
And who could forget that lovely cheesecake filling? Yet again, I’m using Challenge Cream Cheese, as close to homemade as it gets with nothing artificial and no added hormones, which I love! And there’s the browned butter. If you’ve never made it before, don’t be intimidated. It really is easy. You literally melt butter and wait for it to brown. You just need a little patience. There’s also the brown sugar to enhance the flavor of the pecans and browned butter. All in all – the filling is pure heaven. Full of flavor, smooth, creamy (with the crunch of pecans) and so darn tasty!
The final cheesecake is one you’ll definitely want to make over and over this fall. I drizzled mine with some caramel sauce, which I think is totally awesome, but feel free to go without too. I actually added a little browned butter to my homemade caramel sauce too, which was a fun touch. 🙂 Either way, you are sure to love it! You just might not want to share.
Watch How To Make It
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Browned Butter Pecan Cheesecake
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
- Yield: 12-14 Slices
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
This Browned Butter Pecan Cheesecake recipe is made with toasted buttered pecans and browned butter for a homemade cheesecake that’s full of flavor and perfect for fall! I’m totally in love!
Ingredients
BUTTER PECANS
- 1 1/2 cups (247g) finely chopped pecans
- 2 tbsp light brown sugar, loosely packed
- 2 tbsp (28g) Challenge salted butter, melted
CHEESECAKE FILLING
- 6 tbsp (84g) Challenge salted butter
- 24 ounces (678g) Challenge cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (104g) sugar
- 3/4 cup (108g) light brown sugar. loosely packed
- 3 tbsp (24g) all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup (173g) sour cream, room temperature
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup toasted pecans (above)
CRUST
- 2 ¼ cups (302g) graham cracker crumbs
- ½ cup (112g) Challenge salted butter, melted
- 3 tbsp (39g) sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
CINNAMON WHIPPED CREAM
- 1 cup (240ml) heavy whipping cream, cold
- 1/2 cup (58g) powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C). Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
2. Combine the melted butter, pecans and brown sugar in a medium sized bowl and toss to coat.
3. Spread the pecans evenly onto the cookie sheet and bake for 5-7 minutes, or until toasted.
4. Set pecans aside to cool.
BROWN THE BUTTER
5. To make the browned butter for the cheesecake filling, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. It’s best to use a light colored pan so that you can see the butter browning. Whisk the butter occasionally so that it cooks evenly.
6. Cook the butter until it turns a nice toasty brown. It will foam up at first, but it will eventually subside and you’ll have browned butter. Some of the brown bits may separate, but that’s ok. Once the butter has browned, pour it into a heat-proof bowl and set it aside to cool.
CRUST
7. Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Line a 9-inch (23cm) springform pan with parchment paper in the bottom and grease the sides.
8. Combine the crust ingredients in a small bowl. Press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the springform pan.
9. Bake the crust for 10 minutes, then set aside to cool.
10. Cover the outsides of the pan with aluminum foil so that water from the water bath cannot get in (see how I prepare my pan for a water bath). Set prepared pan aside.
CHEESECAKE FILLING
11. Reduce oven temperature to 300°F (148°C).
12. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugars and flour on low speed until well completely combined and smooth. Be sure to use low speed to reduce the amount of air added to the batter, which can cause cracks. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
13. Add the sour cream, vanilla extract and browned butter and mix on low speed until well combined.
14. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing slowly to combine after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to make sure everything is well combined.
15. Stir in 1 cup of the toasted pecans.
16. Pour the cheesecake batter evenly into the crust.
17. Place the springform pan inside another larger pan. Fill the outside pan with enough warm water to go about halfway up the sides of the springform pan. The water should not go above the top edge of the aluminum foil on the springform pan.
18. Bake for 1 hour 5 minutes. The center should be set, but still jiggly.
19. Turn off the oven and leave the door closed for 30 minutes. The cheesecake will continue to cook, but slowly begin to cool as well.
20. Crack the door of the oven for 30 minutes to allow the cheesecake to continue to cool slowly. This process helps prevent cracking.
21. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and water bath wrapping and refrigerate until firm, 5-6 hours or overnight.
22. To finish off the cheesecake, make the whipped cream. Add the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, vanilla extract and cinnamon to a large mixer bowl. Whip on high speed until stiff peaks form.
23. Pipe swirls of whipped cream onto the cheesecake and finish off with the remaining toasted pecans. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Slice
- Calories: 576
- Sugar: 31.1 g
- Sodium: 450.9 mg
- Fat: 39.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 47.9 g
- Protein: 9.6 g
- Cholesterol: 137.8 mg
Enjoy!
Can I use 10 inch springform pan? It’s the only one I have
You can, it’ll just be a thinner cheesecake so you might want to reduce the baking time a bit.
Hi Lindsay, can I ask, how do you remove the cheesecake from the tin so smoothly? Thanks, oh and I love all your recipes and have tried and tested so many, always so scrumptious ????
The springform pan sides should come off pretty easily once you pop it open. I just lift it off usually. Does that help answer your question?
I’m glad to hear you’ve enjoyed the recipes! Thanks Ann!
Made this a 2nd time! This is a keeper and will be making this for a long time to come! ThNks for the awesome recipe! Love love.
So glad you’ve enjoyed it! Thanks Cathy!
I’ m trying this today! I don’t have a spring form.pan so hoping my glass dish can work…..guessing it can as it’s like the one used for the easy apple caramel cheesecake.
It will bake fine in the 9×13, but it will likely end up with cracks. Even though the cheesecakes are similar, the 9×13 can’t use a waterbath and I do believe that will affect it.
Just wondering how this would freeze. Want to make for Thanksgiving.
Thanks so much.
Lana Strachan
Would you be freezing it whole? I would think it’d be ok if it’s well wrapped. I just usually suggest defrosting while still wrapped in the fridge.
I’ve just made your cheesecake and it’s in the oven and I’m not real sure on when I take it out of the spring pan…am I to do that after I take it out of the oven at the same time I remove the water wrapping or not until after it has chilled for the 5 or 6 hours
Once the cheesecake is done baking and cooling and you’re about the refrigerate it, you can take the pan out of the water and remove the wrapping from the outside of the pan.
Lindsay when do you take it out the springform pan?
Just before you add the finally whipped cream and finishing touches (step 22), after refrigerating.
This was by far the best cheesecake I have ever tasted! Every year for my birthday my husband makes me my a different cheesecake, so he has made plenty( I’m 45) he took great pride in making this pie, it was moist, kept its height in the pan and did not crack while cooling. We will be making this recipe for many years to come! Thank you for sharing
So glad to hear you enjoyed it! Thanks so much Laura!
The flavors are wonderful but my cake was undercooked. Next time I will add time to the baking proccess
I cannot wait to make and try this. Butter pecan is my favorite ice cream, coffee creamer and cupcake! And ahead of all that, cheesecake is just my all time favorite dessert. I’m going to be on cloud 9 when I try it. Thank you so much for sharing!
I did exactly as directed- still has 3 large cracks on top!
I haven’t made this yet but have made other cheesecakes. I’ve never used the water bath method, but had water in a pan underneath. One recipe calls for sour cream to be spread on the top as a finish and pop back in oven for 5 minutes
– and it hides small cracks beautifully!
Of all the baking blogs I peruse, YOU get me drooling every time! There is no other creative, wonderful baker/artist/innovator like you, Lindsay. There are so many gluten-/vegan-free bakers now, but you just go all in and remind us to enjoy life to the max! I love what you do. There is not even a professional bakery that compares to your delectable creations–at least not in my area. I can’t say it any other way: pure deliciousness and decadence! Let me move next door to you:) I’ll just leave my window open to smell all of the wonderful aromas waft my way.
Butter pecan is my favorite flavor ice cream – can’t wait to try this!
I am with you in that I’m so ready for the cool weather & fall to begin. This cheesecake looks fabulous and you’re correct, brown butter is so wonderfully tasty. I’m so excited to make this cheesecake this fall. Thank you!
hey girl- yummy !
Wow, this looks fantastic! I love everything about this!
I will definitely be making this soon!!!
Thank you sooo much Lindsay for including the conversions to grams when it comes to the ingredients (here in the UK everything is either in grams or ounces). I spend so much time converting recipes from cups to grams (have to use a variety of websites) and even then I’m not sure that I’ve converted them correctly! I’m going to make this cheesecake when all the family come over for dinner on Sunday – looks fantastic!