A gooey, nutty garnishing, a creamy cheesecake layer, and a salty-sweet graham cracker crust are all components that are present in these cheesecake bars, which give you everything you could desire in a Christmas treat. There is no better alternative to a conventional pecan pie than these, and they are excellent for Thanksgiving or any other day.
Using two of your favorite sweets, you can build these straightforward squares with layers that are easy to transport and are guaranteed to wow a large group of people. Cinnamon is used as a subtle spice in the cheesecake layer, while sour cream and cream cheese provide a significant amount of tang to the overall flavor. In addition to being far simpler to prepare than a conventional French pie crust, the traditional graham cracker crust is buttery and sweet, and the pecan topping is tender, buttery, and delectable.
The crust: This crust, which only requires four ingredients, serves as a traditional foundation for many of our favorite cheesecake recipes. When combined with melted butter, graham cracker crumbs transform into a texture that is similar to wet sand. Once the crust is baked, it holds together to produce a foundation that is crunchy, somewhat sweet, and salty. This foundation gives your cheesecake layer and pecan toppings a foundation that is perfect for them.
The cheesecake: The cream cheese layer of these cheesecake squares is seasoned with a dash of warming ground cinnamon, which helps to smooth out the taste of the autumn spices that are present in the cheesecake. It is essential to completely combine the cream cheese, eggs, and sour cream until there are no lumps visible in the mixture. This will ensure that the cheesecake layer is smooth and maintains its form perfectly. Adding a little amount of flour helps to thicken the cake that has the consistency of custard, and eggs give your cake its lift and give it a texture that is really creamy.
The pecan topping: These cheesecake bars are ideal for Thanksgiving since they have a coating that is both buttery and nutty. A thick, gooey sauce made of butter is used to cover the nuts, and it just takes a few minutes for the sauce to come together. It will get more thick as it cools, and once it reaches the desired consistency, it may be spooned over your cheesecake that has been cooked until it is hard.
In the event that you decide to create these pecan pie cheesecake bars, please make sure to provide us with feedback in the form of a rating and review below.
Ingredients
Crust
- 14 graham crackers
- 5 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
- 2 Tbsp. packed light brown sugar
- Pinch of kosher salt
Pecan Topping
- 1/2 c. (110 g.) packed light brown sugar
- 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
- 1 c. (125 g.) roasted, salted pecans
- 1/4 c. heavy cream
- 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- Pinch of kosher salt
Cheesecake
- 2 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
- 2/3 c. (145 g.) packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 c. (2 oz.) sour cream
- 2 large eggs
- 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
Directions
For Crust
- Put a rack in the middle of the oven, and then preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Make sure to leave a two-inch overhang on two of the opposite edges of a baking pan that is 9 inches by 9 inches.
- Crackers should be placed in a big bag that can be sealed or in a food processor. You should have around two cups of the mixture after crushing it with a heavy skillet or pulsing it until it forms fine crumbs. Transfer to a bowl of medium size. The mixture should be stirred until it resembles wet sand after the addition of butter, brown sugar, and salt. The bottom of the prepared pan should be pressed uniformly.
- Bake crust for about 15 minutes, or until it is faintly brown. Wait for it to cool.
For Pecan Topping
- While stirring, brown sugar and butter should be cooked in a medium nonstick pan over low heat until they become bubbly, which should take approximately three minutes. Mix in the nuts, cream, cinnamon, and salt until they are evenly distributed. Wait for it to cool.
- Place topping on top of the bar. With the help of the overhanging parchment paper, pull out the bar and place it on a cutting board. Squares should be cut off.
- Prepare Ahead: The topping may be prepared one hour in advance. After transferring the butter to a container that is airtight, keep it at room temperature. Do not refrigerate the butter since it will harden.
For Cheesecake
- Put the oven temperature down to 325 degrees. Put water in a kettle or a saucepan of medium size and bring it to a boil.
- Cream cheese and brown sugar should be mixed together in a large basin using a handheld mixer set to medium-high speed until the mixture is completely smooth. After adding the sour cream, continue to whisk the mixture until there are no lumps left. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing the mixture well after each addition of egg. Beat the ingredients together after adding the flour, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt.
- Pour batter into crust, and then smooth the top. Position the pan inside of a large roasting pan, and then pour boiling water into the pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the baking pan.
- The cheesecake should be baked for thirty minutes, or until the middle is still somewhat jiggly. Wait for it to cool.
- At least four hours and up to one day, cover the pan and place the bar in the refrigerator until it is cool.