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Browned Butter Pecan Cheesecake

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.
Course: Dessert, Holiday, Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: browned butter, browned butter cheesecake, cheesecake, fall, fall baking, pecans, shortbread
Servings: 12

Ingredients

For the Crust:

  • 40 Lorna Done Shortbread Cookies, blended to fine crumbs (One 10 Ounce Pack of Cookies)
  • ⅓ Cup Pecans, finely chopped
  • ½ Cup Salted Butter, browned and cooled to room temperature
  • 2 Tablespoons 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 Whipped Cream:

  • ⅔ Cup Heavy Cream
  • 2 Tablespoons Salted Butter, browned and cooled to room temperature
  • 1 ½ Tablespoons Granulated Sugar
  • 1 Teaspoon Pure Vanilla Bean Paste

For the Toppings:

  • Homemade Caramel Sauce + chopped pecans, optional

Instructions

  • For the Crust: 
    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.
  • For the Cheesecake Filling:
    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.
  • For the Browned Butter Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream:
    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.
  • To Assemble:
    Remove the cheesecake from the springform pan and place it on a serving platter.
    Top the cheesecake with the browned butter vanilla bean whipped cream.
    Drizzle caramel sauce over the whipped cream and sprinkle chopped pecans on top for garnish.
    Slice and serve your delicious cheesecake, and enjoy!

Notes

See blog for dietary substitutions regarding dairy and gluten.