Pecan Pie Cheesecakes
These mini Pecan Pie Cheesecakes are smooth, creamy and topped with a delicious pecan pie topping. The perfect holiday recipe to grace your dessert table!
A FUN PECAN CHEESECAKE
I love pecan pie and I love cheesecake so why not mash the two together and make these utterly delicious Pecan Pie Cheesecakes?! Even better is they are individual cheesecakes which makes them so much easier to serve. Perfect for holiday gatherings, these are one dessert that always goes quickly! Plus they are super simple to put together with easily available ingredients. If you want an amazing single serving dessert to share at your holiday gatherings, you have to make my Pecan Pie Cheesecake recipe.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Once these cool, the topping will set up nicely. It won’t be super firm but it should hold its shape.
It helps to ensure the cheesecake won’t crack. It also makes it easier to cleanly slice.
No, if you do not have sour cream you can use plain or greek yogurt in it’s place.
We want a fine chop on these. I think its easiest to use a food processor and just gently pulse them (you want them small but not crumbs.) You could also put the pecans in a ziploc bag and pound them with a rolling pin.
These will need at least 2-3 hours to cool completely. You can do this on the countertop or in the refrigerator. The refrigerator will make the topping harden a bit more but you can take them out and let them come to room temperature to soften up.
Yes! I used a 12 count tin and (2) 6 count tins for this recipe because thats what I own. But if you own a large 24 count muffin tin, you can use that or (2) 12 count tins.
These can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator where they will keep for up to 4 days. They can also be frozen in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months. To prevent freezer burn, I would wrap each one in plastic wrap and then in foil, then put into the container.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (FULL RECIPE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST)
- crushed graham crackers
- light brown sugar
- finely chopped pecans
- salted butter
- cream cheese
- granulated sugar
- heavy cream
- sour cream
- vanilla extract
- eggs
- salt
- cornstarch
- light corn syrup
HOW TO MAKE PECAN PIE CHEESECAKES:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line (2) 12-count muffin tins with paper liners (Note: I had one 12 count and (2) 6-count pans that I used for this) and lightly spray with nonstick baking spray, set aside. In a medium mixing bowl combine crushed graham crackers, brown sugar and chopped pecans. Add in the melted butter and mix until the texture is a wet crumb.
Place 1 Tablespoon of crust mixture into each muffin liner in the prepared muffin tins. Place the filled muffin tins into the preheated oven on the center rack and bake for 10 minutes. Once baked, remove from the oven and place onto a wire cooling rack to cool.
Keep the oven preheated to 350° F while making the cheesecake filling. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment combine softened cream cheese and sugar. Beat on a medium-high speed for 2 minutes, until smooth. Add in heavy cream, sour cream and vanilla and mix to combine.
Add eggs and mix for 30 seconds, then add salt and mix.
Lastly add in the cornstarch.
Mix to incorporate.
Spoon the cheesecake mixture on top of each pre baked crust. Fill each muffin liner ⅔ full with batter.
Once every liner is filled, place the pans into the preheated oven. Bake for 20 minutes, until the centers are just set. Once baked, remove from the oven and place onto a wire cooling rack to let them completely cool.
To make the topping, in a medium saucepan, combine brown sugar, butter and granulated sugar. Add in the corn syrup and mix to combine. Next, add heavy cream, vanilla and salt. Whisk all ingredients together and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes, until the mixture is slightly darker.
Whisk in the pecans, then remove from the heat and let cool.
Once the cheesecakes have completely cooled, spoon pecan topping onto each one.
Let cool for 1-2 hours before serving.
CRAVING MORE DELICIOUS RECIPES?
Pecan Pie Cheesecakes
Ingredients
Crust:
- 1 ¼ cups crushed graham crackers
- ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 Tablespoons finely chopped pecans
- ½ cup (1 stick) salted butter, melted
Cheesecake:
- 16 ounces (2 blocks) cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- 2 Tablespoons sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
Pecan topping:
- ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
- ⅓ cup salted butter, room temperature
- 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 ½ Tablespoon light corn syrup
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line (2) 12-count muffin tins with paper liners and lightly spray with nonstick baking spray, set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl combine crushed graham crackers, brown sugar and chopped pecans. Add in the melted butter and mix until the texture is a wet crumb.
- Place 1 Tablespoon of crust mixture into each muffin liner in the prepared muffin tins.
- Place the filled muffin tins into the preheated oven on the center rack and bake for 10 minutes. Once baked, remove from the oven and place onto a wire cooling rack to cool.
- Keep the oven preheated to 350° F while preparing the filling. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment combine cream cheese and sugar. Beat on a medium-high speed for 2 minutes, until smooth.
- Add in heavy cream, sour cream and vanilla and mix to combine.
- Add eggs and mix for 30 seconds, then add salt and mix again.
- Lastly add in the cornstarch. Mix to incorporate.
- Spoon the cheesecake mixture on top of each pre baked crust. Fill each muffin liner ⅔ full with batter.
- Once every liner is filled, place the pans into the preheated oven. Bake for 20 minutes, until the centers are just set. Once baked, remove from the oven and place onto a wire cooling rack to let them completely cool.
- To make the topping, in a medium saucepan combine brown sugar, butter and granulated sugar. Add in the corn syrup and mix to combine. Next, add heavy cream, vanilla and salt. Whisk all ingredients together and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes, until the mixture is slightly darker.
- Whisk in the pecans, then remove from the heat and let cool.
- Once the cheesecakes have completely cooled, spoon pecan topping onto each one.
- Let cool for 1-2 hours before serving.
Notes
- The cream cheese needs to be at room temperature. If it is still slightly cool, the cream cheese will not turn out smooth and will be lumpy.
- Make sure the pecans are finely chopped, we like to use a food processor. You could also put them in a ziploc bag and crush them with a rolling pin.
- Make sure the cheesecake is fully cooled before adding the pecan topping.
- You can use greek or plain yogurt in place of the sour cream.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
This is so good, my husband will not eat anything store bought ever again!! He said he is ruined for life – nothing compares to this cheesecake!