With toasted butter pecans, brown butter, and cinnamon whipped cream, this brown butter pecan cheesecake is nutty, buttery, and full of warm flavors. It’s a great recipe for making ahead and a crowd-pleaser. Plus, it’s perfect for Fall and the holidays!
We are officially into fall, and this brown butter pecan cheesecake is the perfect way to celebrate the cooler weather. 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!
Unlike my pecan pie cheesecake or turtle cheesecake, where the pecans are in the topping, they’re mixed right into the filling of this cheesecake. And then, of course, there’s the brown butter that adds to the toasty, nutty flavor. The two together are such a complement to the usual tangy cheesecake flavors.
I finish this brown butter pecan cheesecake with some cinnamon whipped cream. It adds another layer of warm fall flavor that I can’t get enough of. The end result is a cheesecake that’s pure heaven. It’s full of flavor, smooth, creamy (with the crunch of pecans) and so darn tasty!
Why This Brown Butter Pecan Cheesecake Is A Favorite
- The pecans! Instead of adding plain pecans to this cheesecake, they’re toasted with a little brown sugar. It takes less than 10 minutes, and the end result is toasty, nutty, sugary goodness.
- Brown butter filling. Adding browned butter to the cheesecake filling is really what makes this cheesecake work so well. The rich, nutty flavor is the perfect complement to the pecans and a bit of brown sugar enhances the flavor of both.
- The cinnamon crust. The base of this cheesecake is a standard graham cracker crust, with the addition of cinnamon. I thought about adding cinnamon to the filling, but I didn’t want to overpower the browned butter and pecans. Adding it to the crust gives that warm hint of cinnamon that I love in the fall without taking away from anything else.
Ingredient Notes
There are several parts to this recipe, but each one only uses a few ingredients. Here’s a look at everything you need and why. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card below for the exact measurements.
- Pecans – You want them to be finely chopped so that they can evenly distribute into the cheesecake filling without huge chunks.
- Butter – Browned in the cheesecake to add that rich, nutty flavor to the filling. I use unsalted butter, but salted butter would also be fine.
- Cream cheese – Be sure to use full-fat brick-style cream cheese and bring it to room temperature first.
- Sugar – Equal amounts of granulated sugar and light brown sugar are used to sweeten the filling. The light brown sugar adds extra flavor to complement the pecans.
- All-purpose flour – The starch prevents the egg proteins from over-coagulating, giving you a creamier texture and helping you prevent any cracks. If you are looking for a gluten free alternative, cornstarch will work too. Use half as much cornstarch as you would flour.
- Sour cream – Adds that classic tangy flavor to the filling and contributes to the smooth, creamy texture. You could replace it with heavy whipping cream, but it will make the cheesecake take longer to bake.
- Eggs – Be sure to use large eggs, not medium or extra large. Ideally, they should be at room temperature.
- Graham cracker crumbs – I prefer grinding sheets of graham crackers to buying pre-made crumbs at the store. They have better flavor and hold onto the melted butter better during baking.
- Heavy whipping cream – Be sure that it’s cold or it will not whip properly into stiff peaks.
- Powdered sugar – Stabilizes the whipped cream so that it won’t wilt. Don’t leave it out.
How To Make Browned Butter Pecan Cheesecake
There are several different elements to this cheesecake, like toasting the pecans and browning the butter, but each one only takes a few minutes. The detailed printable instructions can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post.
Toast the Pecans
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Combine the butter, pecans, and brown sugar in a bowl.
Spread evenly on a cooke sheet. Bake for 5-7 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Brown the Butter
Melt the butter over medium-low heat. Bring to a boil and stir constantly.
It will foam up at first, but then subside. Keep stirring!
Cook until the butter is a nice toasty brown.
Pour it into a heat-proof bowl to cool.
Make the Crust
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a springform pan with parchment paper in the bottom and grease the sides.
Combine the crust ingredients in a bowl.
Press the mixture into the pan. Bake for 10 minutes then set aside to cool.
Cover the outside of the pan with foil to prepare for the water bath.
Make the Cheesecake Filling
Reduce the oven temperature to 300°F.
Beat the cream cheese, sugars, and flour on low speed until smooth.
Mix in the sour cream, vanilla, and browned butter.
Add the eggs one at a time. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Stir in 1 1/2 cups of the toasted pecans.
Pour the batter into the crust. Place it inside another pan and fill the outside pan halfway with water.
Bake for 1 hour and 20-30 minutes. The center should be set but still jiggly.
Let the cheesecake cool in the oven with the door closed for 30 minutes, then crack the oven door for another 30 minutes. Remove the cheesecake from the water bath and refrigerate for 5-6 hours, until firm.
Remove the cheesecake from the pan and place on a serving platter.
Whip the heavy cream, powdered sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon on high speed until stiff peaks form.
Pipe swirls of whipped cream around the cheesecake. Finish with the remaining toasted pecans.
Tips for the Best Cheesecake
- Brown butter, not burnt butter. The key is to cook it over medium-low heat, keep stirring and watch it closely. It should be nutty and fragrant, but you don’t want to brown bits to burn. See my full post on how to brown butter for more guidance.
- Room temperature ingredients. The cream cheese, sour cream, and eggs should all be at room temperature. Cold cream cheese will give you a lumpy filling, while cold sour cream and eggs will have a harder time mixing into the batter, which can lead to over-mixing.
- Mix on low speed, and not too much. Mixing at a higher speed (or for too long) will introduce excess air into the batter, which can cause cracks to form in the cheesecake.
- Use a water bath. It might seem like a hassle, but it really is necessary for even cooking. The steam released will help prevent cracks in the cheesecake. Take a look at How to Bake Cheesecake in a Water Bath to see how it’s done (like how I use a silicone pan to avoid any leaking).
- Do not over bake. The edges should be set and the center of the cheesecake should have a little jiggle to it when you turn the oven off. You don’t want it to look sloshy though. It will continue to set during the cheesecake process. See my post on how to tell when your cheesecake is done for more tips.
- Cool slowly. Never take a cheesecake straight from the oven to the fridge, or it’ll crack. Instead, let it cool in the oven with the door closed for 30 minutes and then with the door cracked for another 30 minutes. After that, refrigerate for at least 5-6 hours.
Proper Storage
I have an entire post on how to store cheesecake and all of that advice applies here. But here’s a quick overview of how to store this brown butter pecan cheesecake.
- Fridge: Store the cheesecake in a cake carrier or cover tightly with plastic wrap. It’s best enjoyed within 4-5 days.
- Freezer: I’d recommend freezing this cheesecake before adding the whipped cream, if you plan to freeze the entire thing. Flash freeze until solid and then wrap tightly in two layers of plastic wrap. Individual slices can be frozen in the same way. Remove the plastic wrapping and place it in an airtight container in the fridge to thaw.
Watch How to Make Brown Butter Cheesecake
More Cheesecake Recipes To Try
Brown Butter Pecan Cheesecake
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Ingredients
Butter Pecans
- 2 ¼ cups (252g) finely chopped pecans
- 2 tablespoons (28g) light brown sugar (packed)
- 2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter (melted)
Cheesecake Filling
- ½ cup (112g) unsalted butter
- 24 ounces (678g) cream cheese (room temperature)
- ½ cup (104g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (112g) light brown sugar (packed)
- 3 tablespoons (24g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (173g) sour cream (room temperature)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs (room temperature)
- 1 ½ cups (180g) butter pecans (above)
Crust
- 2 ¼ cups (302g) graham cracker crumbs
- ½ cup (112g) unsalted butter (melted)
- 3 tablespoons (39g) sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Cinnamon Whipped Cream
- 1 cup (240ml) heavy whipping cream (cold)
- ½ cup (58g) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Caramel sauce (optional)
Instructions
Toast the Pecans
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C). Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Combine the melted butter, pecans and brown sugar in a medium sized bowl and toss to coat.
- Spread the pecans evenly onto the cookie sheet and bake for 5-7 minutes, or until toasted.
- Set pecans aside to cool.
Brown the Butter
- To make the browned butter for the cheesecake filling, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat and allow it to come to a boil. It’s best to use a light colored pan so that you can see the butter browning. Stir the butter constantly so that it cooks evenly and the brown bits don't fall to the bottom and burn.
- Cook the butter until it turns a nice toasty brown. It will get a dense foam on top at first, but it will eventually subside. You’ll notice brown bits on the bottom of the pan. It’ll smell buttery and nutty. I like to stir a touch longer to get plenty of brown bits, just be careful not to burn it (keep stirring!). Once the butter has browned, pour it into a heat-proof bowl and set it aside to cool. For a full tutorial, see my post on how to brown butter.
Crust
- Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Line a 9-inch (23cm) springform pan with parchment paper in the bottom and grease the sides.
- Combine the crust ingredients in a small bowl. Press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the springform pan.
- Bake the crust for 10 minutes, then set aside to cool.
- 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
- Reduce oven temperature to 300°F (148°C).
- 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.
- Add the sour cream, vanilla extract and browned butter and mix on low speed until well combined.
- 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.
- Stir in 1 ½ cups (180g) of the toasted pecans.
- Pour the cheesecake batter evenly into the crust.
- 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.
- Bake for 1 hour and 20-30 minutes. The center should be set, but still jiggly. See how to tell when your cheesecake is done.
- 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.
- Crack the door of the oven for 30 minutes to allow the cheesecake to continue to cool slowly. This process helps prevent cracking.
- Remove the cheesecake from the oven and water bath wrapping and refrigerate until firm, 5-6 hours or overnight.
- Remove cheesecake from the pan and place on serving platter. 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.
- Pipe swirls of whipped cream onto the cheesecake and finish off with the remaining toasted pecans. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Nutrition
The nutrition facts provided are calculated using a third-party tool and are estimates only. Actual nutritional content may vary based on the ingredients and brands you use, as well as portion sizes. For accurate results, please consult a registered dietitian or nutritionist.
Enjoy!
Categories:
Cheesecakes, Christmas, Holidays, Recipes, Recipes with video, Sweets and Treats, Thanksgiving,
I have not found Challenge butter or cream cheese in my area. Can I use another brand?
Of course. It’s a great brand, but you could use any.
Serving it before Thanksgiving but hv served it before and gv the recipe to a friend who has made it 3-4 times. Thinking i might serve with fresh strawberries or just my brandy caramel sauce! Love it!!
Awesome! I’m glad it’s been a hit!
this sounds delicious, Do you think can I use dairy free cream cheese & sour cream ??
I honestly don’t know. I haven’t used those before, so I’m not familiar with their texture and such.
I made this for thanksgiving and it was the star of the meal. Amazing cheesecake! I’m trying to find more occasions to make it!
Awesome! I’m so glad it was a hit!
If I’m using your 10 inch springform pan, how do I change the cooking time for this?
I haven’t made that size, so it’s hard to say. I might check the cheesecake about 15 minutes sooner than normal and see how it looks. Here’s my guide to knowing when your cheesecake is done, which hopefully will help.
How many days in advance can this be made a nd can it be made and frozen?
It should be good for about 4-5 days, so you can make it ahead within that time frame. And yes, you could freeze it for up to 3 months. I hope that helps!
How would I convert this to use four 4″ springform pans?
I have a guide to adjusting cheesecake sizes that can hopefully help with that. 🙂
This is now our Christmas tradition dessert! I don’t change a single thing, it’s absolutely perfect the eay it is!
How many days in advance can this recipe be made? Can it be made 2 days in advance?
Yes, that would be fine. Cheesecakes hold up well.