This easy pecan cream cheese pie is one of my favorite fall recipes. It's loaded with pecans on top of a sweet cream cheese layer, with a classic pecan pie filling on the bottom. It comes together in about 15 minutes and it's a crowd-pleaser for any holiday meal.
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This pecan cream cheese pie is way better than the standard version, please allow me to share it with you in all of its magnificent glory. It's like a cheesecake and a pecan pie had a baby.
Bonus: SO easy to make. Mix up the ingredients in a couple of bowls, plop them into the crust. This particular pecan pie is also magic. The cream cheese layer starts on the bottom, but magically comes to the top as the pie bakes!
This is my Aunt Vickie's masterpiece and one of the first family recipes I remember wanting to learn how to cook for myself. And if I am cooking, especially when I'm baking pie for Thanksgiving or Christmas, the music in the background is always The Grateful Dead.
So put on some tunes and make this cheesecake/pie combo. You'll be glad you did.
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Pecan cream cheese pie ingredients
For the cream cheese layer:
- Pecans: When you're thinking about ingredients for pecan pie, you're thinking... pecans, of course. But are you thinking about the quality of those pecans? I order mine from Millican Pecan*, because I know I'm getting the freshest pecans from the most recent harvest. (Some pecans in the grocery store could be 2 or 3 years old!)
- Cream cheese: Just your garden variety American cream cheese such as Philadelphia or your favorite store brand, to make the 'cheesecake' layer of the pecan pie.
- Eggs, sugar and vanilla: These will be used in both the creamy layer and the pecan layer.
For the pecan pie filling layer:
- Dark corn syrup: I always choose dark corn syrup for pecan pies. I prefer the added flavor of molasses, it seems to balance things out and prevent the pie from being tooth-achingly sweet.
- Eggs, sugar, vanilla, kosher salt
For the pie crust:
- Flour, butter, water, salt: Very simple, and NO sugar. This pie is already sweet enough.
*I'm an affiliate for Millican Pecan and if you purchase through my links I may make a small commission. Thanks for supporting my blog and family farms!
How to make Pecan Cream Cheese Pie
If you are making your own pie crust, see the pie crust recipe below.
Step 1: Make the cream cheese filling
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Have a deep dish pie pan at the ready. I used a 9.5-inch pie dish that is 1.5 inches deep.
In a large bowl, use a hand mixer to cream together the cream cheese, egg, sugar and vanilla until fluffy.
Spread cream cheese mixture onto the bottom of the pie crust.
Step 2: Add a layer of pecans
Top with the chopped pecans.
Step 3: Make the pecan pie filling
In a second bowl whisk together the 3 eggs, sugar, corn syrup, vanilla and salt until well incorporated.
Gently pour the corn syrup mixture over the top of the pecans.
Bake for about 40 - 50 minutes, until the top is browned and the pie is firm. Start checking it around 35 minutes and every five after that until it firms up.
Allow to cool completely, then refrigerate overnight. Serve chilled.
Instructions for homemade pie crust
Pie crust recipe adapted from Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook
- Pulse flour and salt together in the food processor. Add butter and pulse until it resembles coarse crumbs with some larger pieces. You really only need to pulse a few times - you don't want to overwork it.
- Then turn the machine on low and add water with it running - this should only take about 30 seconds. You can also just pulse the machine as you pour the water. Check the consistency of the dough here, it shouldn't be holding together on its own, but it should hold together when you squeeze it with your hands. If it doesn't hold, add a tablespoon of water at a time until it does. If you end up with the dough actually coming together like pizza dough in the processor, you have added too much water.
- Shape the dough into two discs, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for about an hour.
- Remove one disc from fridge and roll out to fit a 9-inch pie pan. Place gently into the pie pan and shape edges of pie crust. Refrigerate formed crust for 30 minutes.
Pie Crust Tips
- Pie crust is really easy to make, just keep everything cold and err on the side of caution when it comes to adding the water. Go ahead and buy enough butter for a do-over in case the dough gets too wet. This recipe makes two discs of dough. The extra disc can be frozen for up to a month.
- On your first try making pie crust, it actually might be easier to make this by hand using a pastry blender, so that you can eyeball the texture before you go too far. Here's a helpful video from Martha Stewart.
- When rolling out the dough, go in one direction, fanning out into a circle. Don't go back and forth. You'll get to a nice shape much faster by telling the dough which way you want it to go, one direction at a time.
- If you prefer to buy a pre-made pie crust, choose one without sugar. This pie is plenty sweet on its own.
Tips for perfect Pecan Cream Cheese Pie
- You must use a deep dish pie pan for this recipe. If you buy a pre-made pie crust, be sure it is big enough and/or deep enough. I used a 9.5-inch pie dish that is 1.5 inches deep. You could also use a 9 inch pie pan that is 2 inches deep.
- If your cream cheese hasn't softened enough, pop it in the microwave for 10 seconds at a time until it's workable.
- I find that I usually have to go on the longer end of the suggested cooking time for this pie, so plan for that.
- If the crust starts to get too brown too fast, cover it with a strip of foil for the remainder of the bake time.
Make ahead and storage
- This pecan cream cheese pie is designed to be made ahead because it has to be refrigerated. So it's a perfect choice for the holidays when you need your oven space on the day of. You can make it up to two days in advance!
- If making your own pie crust, you can do that up to three days ahead and store in the refrigerator until ready to roll out.
- Store uncovered in the refrigerator until ready to serve. For leftovers—if you even have any, how could you?—tightly cover the pie dish with plastic wrap or cut into slices and store in an airtight container.
FAQ
You can make pecan pie with either light or dark corn syrup. I use dark Karo syrup in all of my pecan recipes because I like the flavor better. It really is personal preference.
If you wiggle the pie a little and it still seems to have a rolling, liquid-y movement, it needs more time. Bake until the top is a little more firm. It won't be solid, but there should only be a little movement.
How to serve pecan cream cheese pie
Pecan cream cheese pie should be served chilled. The cream cheese layer is basically like a cheesecake, so it needs to stay cold.
Serve it with unsweetened whipped cream (because it's already sweet enough) or crème fraîche. It's also great for breakfast the day after Thanksgiving!!
Recommended tools and equipment
- Mixing bowls: For the pecan pie filling and cream cheese layer.
- Hand mixer: To whip the cream cheese and liquid ingredients.
- Whisk
- Food processor: If making your own pie crust.
More pecan recipes
- Pecan Pie Bars are like little travel size versions of your favorite pie!
- Pecan Sandies are one of the simplest cookies you could ever make, and the dough does not need to be chilled so you can eat them that much faster!
- Kale Salad with Cranberries, Apples, and Pecans looks like Christmas and tastes great!
5 reasons Pecan Cream Cheese Pie will be your new favorite!
- You only need 7 ingredients for the fillings!
- The cream cheese layer balances the sweetness of the traditional pecan pie layer.
- Make your own crust, or use a pre-made one.
- This is a great make-ahead pie. Make it up to 2 days in advance and store in the fridge.
- Both fillings can be made within about 15 minutes!
Recipe
Pecan Cream Cheese Pie Recipe
Ingredients
Cream Cheese Filling
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 1 egg
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 ½ cups pecans chopped
Pecan Pie Filling
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup dark corn syrup
- ¼ cup sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Pie Crust - makes two, nine-inch crusts
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 sticks (one cup) unsalted butter cold, cut into cubes
- ¼ cup ice water plus more if needed
Instructions
Pie Crust
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Pulse flour and salt together in the food processor.
- Add butter and pulse until it resembles coarse crumbs with some larger pieces.
- Then turn the machine on low and add water with it running - this should only take about 30 seconds. You can also just pulse the machine as you pour the water.
- Check the consistency of the dough here, it shouldn't be holding together on its own, but it should hold together when you squeeze it with your hands. If it doesn't hold, add a tablespoon of water at a time until it does. If you end up with the dough actually coming together like pizza dough in the processor, you have added too much water.
- Shape the dough into two discs, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for about an hour.
- Remove one disc from fridge and roll out to fit a 9-inch pie pan. When rolling out the dough, go in one direction, fanning out into a circle. Don't go back and forth. You'll get to a nice shape much faster by telling the dough which way you want it to go, one direction at a time. Place gently into the pie pan and shape edges of pie crust.
- Refrigerate formed crust for 30 minutes.
Pie Fillings and Assembly
- In a large bowl, cream together the cream cheese, egg, sugar and vanilla until fluffy.
- Gently spread onto the bottom of the formed pie crust, top with chopped pecans.
- In a second bowl mix together the 3 eggs, sugar, corn syrup, vanilla and salt until well incorporated.
- Gently pour the corn syrup mixture over the top of the pecans.
- Bake for about 40 – 50 minutes, until the top is browned and the pie is firm – if you wiggle the pie a little and it still seems to have a rolling, liquid-y movement, it needs more time. Start checking it around 35 minutes and every five after that until it firms up.
- Allow to cool completely, then refrigerate overnight. Serve chilled.
Notes
- I recommend using the freshest pecans possible for this recipe. I order mine from Millican Pecan, they are a family farm that has been growing pecans since the 1800s! Their pecans are always the freshest, from the most recent growing season. (Sometimes pecans in the grocery store can be 2 - 3 years old!)
- When I make this pie, I often make two. It's that good. Go ahead and do it!
- You'll need a deep, 9.5 inch pie dish for this pie.
Aunt Vickie
One of my Best!!!!
Debra
Just one of many of your culinary accomplishments!
Love you Aunt Vickie!
Sutton
This pie is SOOOO GOOD. Bonus points? I'ts pretty easy too! Added this recipe to my go-to holiday baking list. `
Debra
Thank you Sutton! I feel so honored that one of my family recipes is now part of your family celebrations. Happy baking!