No-Bake Pecan Pie Cheesecake
This delicious no-bake pecan pie cheesecake is all you need when your oven is crowded during the holidays! While the buttery base beautifully complements the creamy, velvety cheesecake filling, those ooey-gooey crunchy pecans send this decadent dessert over the top!
Equipment
- 9" Springform pan
- Food processor
- Rubber spatula
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Base
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs (the equivalent of 16 sheets, or 64 crackers)
- 2 Tbsp light brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
- 6 Tbsp Unsalted butter, melted
Cream Cheese Filling
- 16 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/4 cup sour cream, room temperature
- 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 - 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream, cold
Pecan Pie Topping
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- a pinch of salt
- 1 - 1/2 cup whole pecans
Instructions
Making the Graham Cracker Base
- Crush the graham cracker sheets in a food processor until finely ground into crumbs; it should yield 2 cups of graham cracker crumbs. Combine the graham cracker crumbs with cinnamon, brown sugar, and melted butter in a small bowl. Mix with a fork until the texture resembles wet sand.
- Carefully spoon the crust mixture into a springform pan. Using a wine cork or the back of a spoon, tightly press the crust into the bottom of the pan. Next, freeze your crust base for 15 minutes as you prepare the filling.
Making the Cream Cheese Filling
- Using a stand or electric hand mixer, whip the cold heavy cream on medium-high for 4-5 minutes or until stiff peaks are reached. Set it aside.
- Beat the room-temperature cream cheese with powdered sugar until soft and creamy. Add the lemon juice, sour cream, and vanilla extract. Beat until it’s all combined and there are no chunks of cream cheese. Next, gently beat in the whipped cream on a low setting for 30-45 seconds. Please do not overbeat; if the whipped cream is still not combined after 45 seconds, gently fold it using a rubber spatula.
- Spread the whole filling over the frozen graham crackers and smooth it using the spatula. Cover with a cling film and refrigerate your cheesecake overnight. You may also refrigerate it for 6-8 hours or up to 24 hours before serving.
Preparing the Pecan Pie Topping
- Melt the butter and brown sugar in a saucepan over low heat until bubbling (about 2 minutes). Add the heavy cream, cinnamon, salt, and pecans using a rubber spatula, and fold them until completely coated. Remove the pan from the heat and add in the vanilla extract. Stir the mixture until it’s all combined, and allow it to cool to room temperature before scraping it over the cheesecake (10-15 minutes).
- You make the pecan topping up to one hour ahead of time. Remove the cheesecake from the springform pan and spread the cooled pecan topping over the top. For clean cuts, rinse your knife with warm water and wipe it with a paper towel between slices. Store the cake in the fridge, covered, for up to 5 days.