Pecan Pie Cheesecake

I have seen this recipe for Pecan Pie Cheesecake all over Pinterest. I knew I had to make it for Thanksgiving.  I mean who doesn't love Pecan Pie and Cheesecake?

The crust is made from crushed Vanilla Wafer, yummy!  I may use this as a crust for future pies.

I have never made a Pecan Pie so this process was all new to me.  I really thought there would be more Dark Karo Syrup in the mix.

I had made a Cheesecake earlier this year, but this recipe was different.  Using the brown sugar made the cake a darker color, and everyone kept asking me why the cake wasn't creamy white. I'm assuming the recipes calls for brown sugar to keep the similar molasses flavors in both the pie and cake.

Something to point out - Always wrap your spring form pans with foil!  I always have a little bit of filling that leaks out while baking.

The Pie/Cake was delicious.  I was afraid it would be too sweet, but it wasn't. The cheesecake wasn't very sweet, it was more tart which balanced well with the sweetness of the pecan pie. In my opinion the pie to cake ratio was low. Next time I will make more pie filling and less cheesecake so they are even.

The Pecan Pie Cheesecake didn't even last through the Thanksgiving weekend! I will definitively make this one again.

Pecan Pie Cheesecake

Crust:
1 ¾ cups vanilla wafer crumbs
¼ cup firmly packed brown sugar
⅓ cup butter, melted

Pecan Filling:
1 cup sugar
⅔ cup dark corn syrup
⅓ cup butter, melted
2 eggs
1 ½ cups chopped pecans
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cheesecake Filling:
3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 ¼ cups firmly packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 eggs
⅔ cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract


Crust:

Preheat oven to 350°. Combine wafer crumbs and brown sugar. Stir in melted butter. Press into bottom and up sides of a 9″ springform pan. Bake for 6 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Pecan Filling:

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer until thickened, about 8-10 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour into crust and set aside.

Cheesecake Filling:

Reduce oven to 325°. With a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat cream cheese at medium speed until creamy. Add brown sugar and flour and beat until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each one. Stir in cream and vanilla. Pour over pecan filling. Bake for 1 hour. Turn off oven and leave cheesecake in oven with the door closed for 1 hour. Remove from oven and run a knife along the outside edges to loosen cheesecake from sides of pan. Let cool. Chill for at least 4 hours before serving.