Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars

These pecan pie cheesecake bars are made with a traditional cheesecake crust and filling, then layered on with a pecan pie topping. They’re creamy, crunchy and absolutely delightful. What’s more, they’re wonderful to bring to a holiday potluck, where guests can easily snag em’ and chow down.

If you love this recipe and find yourself inspired to try out more, we have a whole bushel of recipes for cheesecake bars waiting for you.

Ingredients for Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars

Crust:

• Graham crackers: This dry, sweet biscuit is a go-to for cheesecake recipes. Crush them by hand or place them in a food processor and pulse until they take on a light, crumby texture.
• Sugar: As the sugar melts in the oven, it helps bind the crust together. If you want, reduce the amount of sugar in both the filling and crust, but don’t skip it altogether.
• Butter: Because butter is solid at room temperature, it helps firm up the crust so you can easily break these pecan cheesecake bars into even pieces.

Filling:

• Cream cheese: While you can get away with using reduced-fat cream cheese for recipes like dips, sauces and spreads, it’s best to use full fat for cheesecake.
• Sugar: Just as with the crust, the sugar will melt into the filling as it beats together. This helps create that crave-worthy, creamy consistency.
• Vanilla extract: A little vanilla extract brings that “can’t quite put my finger on it” flavor.
• Pecans: Toasting pecans helps bring out more of their flavor and aroma, but you can also use plain, untoasted ones if you’d like.
• Eggs: Room-temperature eggs are best because they mix easily into the filling.
• Caramel topping: Using a jar of topping is a terrific shortcut in this easy recipe.

Directions

Step 1: Assemble the crust

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Preheat the oven to 375°F. Next, grease and line an 11×7-inch baking dish with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, combine the crushed graham crackers, sugar and melted butter. Press into the bottom of the baking dish until it’s about 1 inch thick. Bake until just browned, approximately six to eight minutes. Remove and cool to room temperature.

Step 2: Make the filling

Sarah Tramonte for Taste of Home

In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla just until smooth. Spread on top of the crust. Next, add the layer of chopped pecans.

Step 3: Add the caramel topping

Sarah Tramonte for Taste of Home

In a small bowl, whisk the eggs and caramel sauce until blended and slowly pour it over the pecans.

Step 4: Bake

Bake the cheesecake bars until the filling is browned and bubbly, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for one hour. Refrigerate the pan for four hours or overnight before cutting into bars.

Editor’s Tip: If you notice that the crust is browning too quickly, loosely cover the edges with foil.

Sarah Tramonte for Taste of Home

Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bar Variations

• Serve with salted caramel sauce: There are two ways to enjoy this dessert with a salted caramel sauce. First, you can simply drizzle it over the bars once they’re baked and cooled. Or, feel free to place the pecan pieces on the cheesecake and replace the pecan pie topping with the salted caramel sauce.
• Flavor the filling: If you want a hint of something extra in the filling, extracts are an easy option. Bourbon, maple or caramel extract would all pair well with these pecan pie cheesecake bars.

How to Store Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars

If you have lots of leftovers, you can simply keep them in their baking dish and cover with a few layers of aluminum foil. However, for just a few cheesecake bars, it’s best to individually wrap them in foil and place them in an airtight container. Either way, keep it in the fridge for up to five days.

Can I freeze pecan pie cheesecake bars?

To freeze this recipe, cut them into squares, wrap them in foil and place in a freezer safe bag or airtight container. Keep in the freezer for up to two months. When ready to enjoy, allow the cheesecake bars to thaw in the fridge overnight.

Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bar Tips

Sarah Tramonte for Taste of Home

How do I know if my cheesecake is overmixed?

If your cheesecake splits or cracks in the oven, changes are you overmixed it. To reduce the chances of this, it’s important to work with room temperature ingredients for the filling. This way, they mix together more easily and don’t need to be overmixed.

How do you cut cheesecake bars cleanly?

To cut clean, crisp edges on your pecan pie cheesecake bar, first let them set in the fridge. Then, working with a sharp chef’s knife, slice bars. Clean the edge of the knife off in between cuts.

What not to do when making cheesecake?

We’ve got essential tips to make the perfect cheesecake and while most of them apply to this recipe, some of them aren’t necessary to follow when making cheesecake bars. The most important points here are to avoid using low fat substitutes, overmixing the filling and using cold ingredients.