Browned Butter Pecan Cheesecake

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Bursting with browned butter from the crust to the filling to the glorious whipped topping, this Browned Butter Pecan Cheesecake will elevate your fall dessert to a whole new level.

Cheesecake is a beloved classic, but this recipe takes it to the next level with a crunchy crust, a rich and creamy filling, and an elegant browned butter vanilla bean whipped cream topping. Each element of this dessert is carefully crafted to deliver a combination of flavors and textures that will leave you craving more. Today, we're going to embark on a culinary adventure to create this Browned Butter Pecan Cheesecake. It’s going to make your taste buds sing, so without future ado, let’s make it. 

Ingredients: 

For the Crust:

40 Lorna doone Shortbread Cookie Crumbs, 10 ounce pack of cookies 

⅓ cup finely chopped pecans 

½ cup Salted Butter, browned and slightly cooled 

2 Tablespoon Granulated Sugar

For the Cheesecake Filling:

24 Ounces Cream Cheese, softened to room temperature

¼ cup salted butter, browned and cooled to room temperature 

1 ½ Cups Granulated Sugar

⅓ cup sour cream 

1 Tablespoon Pure Vanilla Bean Paste

3 Large Eggs, room temperature

For the browned butter Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream:

⅔ cup heavy cream 

2 tablespoon browned butter 

1 ½ Tablespoons Granulated Sugar

1 Teaspoon Pure Vanilla Bean Paste

Homemade Caramel sauce + chopped pecans for topping 

The Crust:

Forget your typical graham cracker crust; we're going for something extraordinary. The crust for this cheesecake is a blend of Lorna Doone Shortbread Cookie Crumbs, finely chopped pecans, browned salted butter, and a hint of granulated sugar.

To start, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). While the oven is warming up, let's work on the crust. 

Take a small saucepan and slowly brown the butter over low heat. Keep a close eye on it, and when it turns a lovely golden brown and releases a nutty aroma, you've achieved browned butter perfection. Allow it to cool to room temperature. 

We'll need a 10-ounce pack of Lorna Doone Shortbread Cookies, which we'll pulse in a food processor until they transform into fine crumbs. It's about 40 cookies, just to be precise.

In a mixing bowl, combine the cookie crumbs, the finely chopped pecans, the browned and slightly cooled salted butter, and the granulated sugar. Mix these ingredients until they come together and the texture is like wet sand.

Now, press this mixture firmly into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan, creating a wonderfully even crust. Set this aside while you make the filling. 

The Cheesecake Filling:

Cream cheese is the heart and soul of any cheesecake, and for this recipe, we're going all out. But there's more – browned butter is joining in on the excellence here. The cheesecake filling is an ensemble of softened cream cheese, browned salted butter, granulated sugar, sour cream, pure vanilla bean paste, and large eggs.

Brown you butter the same way you did for the crust {you’ll do it once more for the whipped topping too. I love fresh browned butter at every stage!}. 

Beat the softened cream cheese and the cooled browned butter in a large mixing bowl until they are smooth.

Now, add the granulated sugar, the sour cream, and the pure vanilla bean paste to the mix. Blend everything together until you have a smooth cheesecake batter that's full of flavor.

Add the eggs one at a time, mixing just enough to incorporate them without overdoing it. You want your cheesecake to be airy and delicate, and overmixing can make it dense.

Pour the cheesecake filling into prepared crust. Place the cheesecake in a water bath holder inside a larger pan with 2-3 inches of water. Bake the cheesecake at 350°F (175°C) for 1 hour and 45 minutes. The edges should set, and the center should maintain a slight jiggle. 

After about 30 minutes of cooling on the counter, remove it from the water bath and move it to the refrigerator. Let the cheesecake chill for at least four hours, or overnight.

Browned Butter Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream:

This whipped cream is what transforms your cheesecake from extraordinary to truly unforgettable. It's a medley of heavy cream, browned butter, granulated sugar, and pure vanilla bean paste.

To begin, take a small saucepan and slowly brown your final 2 tablespoons of butter over low heat. Allow it to cool to room temperature.

In a mixing bowl, combine the browned butter, heavy cream, granulated sugar, and pure vanilla bean paste. Whip with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. The browned butter imparts a unique depth of flavor, while the vanilla bean paste adds those delightful specks of real vanilla, elevating this whipped cream to a league of its own.

Assemble:

Remove your cheesecake from the springform pan and place it on a serving platter.

Generously top the cheesecake with homemade or store bought caramel sauce {my favorite 3-Ingredient Homemade Caramel Sauce is divine and a cinch to make!}, the Browned Butter Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream, and a sprinkling of chopped pecans.

Slice into your Browned Butter Pecan Bean Cheesecake and savor every moment. The crunchy, nutty crust meets the silky-smooth cheesecake filling, and the browned butter vanilla bean whipped cream adds an exquisite touch that elevates this dessert to new heights. It’s a perfect blend of creamy, crunchy, sweet, and nutty.

So next time you're in the mood for an exceptional dessert, gather the ingredients, and follow these steps to create your own Browned Butter Pecan Cheesecake. Enjoy your creation!

Dietary Substitutions:

I love providing gluten and dairy free substitutions so that those with alternate dietary needs can enjoy my recipes to their fullest! These are subs that I have either used and continue to stock in my own home, or that have come highly recommended from others. I want your baking experience to be the best it can be, and avoiding gluten or dairy shouldn’t hinder that process in the slightest. 

As always, here is a list of tried and true dietary substitutes, so that you can enjoy this recipe without the additions of gluten or dairy. 

Walker makes a wonderful gluten free shortbread cookie that would be a 1:1 replacement in this crust. It does have dairy in it, so if you’re needing to avoid both gluten and dairy, I’d opt for a gluten free / dairy free graham cracker base and add the dairy free browned butter for a wonderful option there.

Miyokos butter is a plant based brick that closely resembles dairy butter not only in its look, but it’s taste as well. It melts, browns, and spreads just like real butter, and truly is a fantastic substitute in this recipe. Use it as a 1:1 ratio sub, same as the flour, so the recipe measurements will not change. 

Miyokos also makes a wonderful cream cheese that would be an excellent dairy free base in this recipe. 

Kite Hill makes a dairy free sour cream for those wanting to recreate this recipe without dairy.  

Silk Dairy Free Heavy Cream is a great option for both the cheesecake and the whipped topping. 

If you loved this Browned Butter Pecan Cheesecake recipe, I’d be so grateful for you to leave a 5 star rating + review. 

Tag @heathershomebakery on Instagram if you upload a pic too, because I want to see your creations. 

Lastly, post this recipe to any of your boards by tapping the Pinterest icon and clicking on your favorite photo. Save and enjoy! 

XO,

Heather

PS- try my Pumpkin Browned Butter Caramel Cake for another dessert that embodies the flavors of fall. 🍁