OMG! I don’t even know what to say!
Pecan Pie Cheesecake is going to change your holiday baking status!
From the buttery shortbread crust to the creamy New York Style Cheesecake to the Ooey gooey, drippy and decadent pecan pie on top!
I really don’t know where to start with this one, but more realistically I didn’t know where to stop!
Let me just tell you I could not stop eating this one!
Pecan Pie Cheesecake is pure decadence!
If you have not yet tried my vegan cheesecake recipe, perhaps today is your day!
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Notes for Success:
As you see I used these little individual cheesecake 4″ tins today, but you can bake the entire recipe into an 8″ cake pan or springform instead
Although I never use springform pans for anything I prefer the cake pan method for baking my cheesecakes
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION ON SPRINGFORM PANS & WHY I DISLIKE THEM
If you do opt for the larger size versus these small individuals, I would bake it for 45-50 minutes before adding the pecan pie filling
Also I would leave it in the oven for an entire hour after turning the oven off to make sure the whole thing sets properly
I only use Tofutti Cream Cheese for my baked cheesecake recipes. *not sponsored
I have not had success with any other brand in my baked recipes.
For some reason the other more expensive brands I’ve tried have broken down into an oily mess when baked.
However I have recently used Violife again and it works! But I will maintain that I still like Tofutti the best!
Lactic acid will give your cheesecake that authentic tang we all love! If you do not want to buy it or cannot get it apple cider vinegar is a good substitution
When measuring cornstarch I cannot stress enough that a kitchen scale is the best way to go.
Cornstarch is a very difficult ingredient to measure consistently with a volume spoons measure
So while I list both measures below I cannot stress enough how the grams measure with a scale is going to give you the best results.
Many times people have complained that their custard or cheesecake is like rubber and they don’t know why!
For those who cannot get or do not wish to use corn syrup, you can use maple syrup or golden syrup instead
I never have dark corn syrup which is typically what is used in pecan pie, so I simply use light corn syrup with an addition of molasses.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL YOUTUBE VIDEO TUTORIAL FOR HOW TO MAKE THIS PECAN PIE CHEESECAKE!
- For the Shortbread Crust
- COLD Vegan Butter - diced 10 Tablespoons(140g)
- Granulated Sugar ⅓ cup (75g)
- All Purpose Flour 1+1/3 cup (172g)
- Salt ¼ teaspoon
- Vanilla Extract 1 teaspoon (5ml)
- For the Cheesecake
- Vegan Cream Cheese *see notes 16ounce (454g)
- Vegan Butter melted 2 tablespoons (28g)
- Granulated Sugar 1 cup (200g)
- Cornstarch 4 Tablespoons (32g) *see notes
- All Purpose Flour 3 Tablespoons (24g)
- Plant Milk *I use soy milk 6fl oz (177ml)
- Vegan Lactic Acid or apple cider vinegar 1 teaspoon *see ntoes
- Vanilla Extract 3 teaspoons (15ml)
- For the Pecan Pie
- Ground Flax 2 Tablespoons (16g)
- Aquafaba or water 4 tablespoons (60ml)
- Vegan Butter melted 4 Tablespoons
- Light Brown Sugar ¾ cup (150g)
- Cornstarch 3½ Tablespoons (28g)
- Salt ⅛ teaspoon
- Dark Corn Syrup OR light corn syrup *but please see notes above ¾ cup (177ml)
- Rum or Bourbon 2 Tablespoons (30ml) *optional
- Vanilla Extract 3 teaspoon (15ml)
- Chopped Pecans *not toasted 1½ cups (225g)
- Preheat oven to 350°F
- Prepare your baking pan(s) with professional bakery pan grease & a parchment paper cut to fit into the bottom and then another strip of parchment to line the side of the cake pan(s).
- First prepare the shortbread base by combining the flour & sugar together in a mixing bowl.
- Add the salt if using & blend to mix well.
- Add the cold diced vegan butter and blend on low speed until it resembles course meal.
- Add the vanilla extract and continue mixing until it starts to come together to a soft dough
- Press the dough firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan(s) then using a fork, dock it to allow for steam to escape
- Bake in a preheated 305°F oven for about 20 minutes or until it is starting to get golden brown.
- Remove from the oven to cool while you prepare the cheesecake
- Placing all of the cheesecake ingredients into the work bowl of your food processor and pulse to blend
- Scrape the sides of the bowl to ensure an even mix then blend again to a smooth mixture
- Pour the batter into the crust and bake in a water bath in a preheated 350°F oven for 35- 40 minutes or when the cheesecake is starting to set but is not fully baked, it will be slightly jiggly but not liquid in the centers.
- (**You need it to be firm enough to hold the pecan pie filling without sinking through to the bottom of the cheesecake)
- While the cheesecake is baking, prepare the pecan pie filling by combining the aquafaba or water with the ground flax seeds and whisk smooth, it will thicken in about 5 minutes to a paste.
- Next combine the light brown sugar with the cornstarch in a large mixing bowl.
- Then add the dark corn syrup, (or the light corn syrup mixed with a teaspoon of molasses) the salt, melted vegan butter, vanilla extract , flax paste mixture from above and the rum (if using) whisk smooth
- Once the cheesecakes are at the 35-40minute mark, carefully remove from the oven top with the chopped pecans then divide the pecan pie filling evenly amongst the pans if using multiple pans.
- Return to the oven and bake for another 20 minutes
- The pecan pie filling will be bubbling.
- Turn of the oven but leave the cheesecake in for another 30 minutes to cool slowly
- Take it out of the oven and then cool completely at room temperature and then refrigerate for at least 2 hours to set or overnight before un molding.
- Vegan Cheesecakes unmold very easily, just submerge the cake pan into hot water to loosen the fats, run a thin spatula around the edges to release, then flip it out onto your serving platter
- Remove the parchment papers and serve
I do not like to freeze vegan cheesecake as I find it changes the texture and causes sogginess on the thaw
Hi Gretchen! I made this last weekend and I agree, this is so DELICIOUS! However, when I unmolded my 4-inch cheescakes, it did not hold together.
I lined the pans using parchment paper, used a scale to measure ingredients, baked the cheesecake in a water bath (starting bath temp was mildly hot), and let the pans sit in hot water before unmolding. I did noticed there was a lot of liquid from the pecan pie topping, could that have made the cheesecake soggy?
Do you have any suspicions as to why my cheesecake flopped? I appreciate you in advance for your insight!
Oh No!!!! Thankyou for all that information to troubleshoot the problem, but even so, I’m not sure, because I made mine exactly as I wrote the recipe, and I am on day 5 of eating them…LOL and they are not even soggy as I suspected they would be after so many days.
Is it possible the topping was not bubbling after the last 20 minutes of baking? In order for cornstarch to activate it has to boil. Otherwise it will not set whatever you are using it in.
**And may I ask what Vegan Cream cheese you used?? (has nothing to do with the pecan pie I am just curious!!)
Hello! I did use Tofutti for the cream cheese. I’m not sure if the topping boiled, I was not monitoring that. I will try the recipe again this week to pay closer attention, as well as monitor the temp of the oven. Thanks for your reply!
Hi Gretchen!
Have you tried with violife brand for cream cheese? Because it cost half the toffuti price and is easier to find at regular supermarkets. Thank you!
Violife was my MAJOR FAIL! CLICK HERE TO SEE
Hi Gretchen!
I can’t find the information for the Corn Syrup light in your notes for success. Can I use something else instead? Thanks!
Hi Yes! You can use maple syrup or golden syrup
Dear Gretchen. Thank you for this recipe, you are a bonafide genius! this was honestly the best vegan cheesecake I’ve made since going vegan (almost 7 years) and really easy to make too!
I used the vegan cream cheese from Vemondo, and used the tofu version of the NY style cheesecake recipe. It came out excellent!
Thank you again!
YAY! Thanks for the comment! I am so happy you tried this recipe & loved it as much as I did!
This was the best thing I’ve ever eaten! So good!!
I actually made it in a 9” springform (don’t be mad). Thought I could skip the parchment on the sides, but shouldn’t have. Also I might have blind baked the crust a little less than 20 minutes.
This was a dry run for thanksgiving and it definitely makes the cut. I’m immediately filing it in my “good enough for company” folder. Lol!
Just made this and can’t wait to serve it tomorrow. Looks and smells amazing 🙂
In the instructions – #1 says to preheat the oven to 350; while #8 reads 305. I’m assuming that’s a typo?
Yay! awesome I know you will love this!
Thank you for pointing that out! Yes typo!