Butterscotch Cheesecake
Butterscotch Cheesecake! Luscious cheesecake swirled with bourbon-spiked butterscotch then topped with more butterscotch and, even better, the cake is decorated with crunchy, spiced pecans.
You want this, you know you want this! This is a dessert that just draws you in with it’s decadence. It’s got everything that good food-porn should have; it’s creamy, it’s got dripping butterscotch, and we know it has a billion calories.
But, come on, isn’t this the time of year we let ourselves indulge a little? What’s more indulgent than cheesecake? Let’s throw caution to the wind and dig-in.
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
- Butterscotch- Homemade is better, but you can use pre-made butterscotch sauce.
- Spiced Pecans – Make them yourself, or buy premade.
- Cream Cheese – Use only full-fat cream cheese for this recipe.
- Sour Cream – Adds a tangy note to the flavor of the cake.
- Bourbon – Is optional but it does spark the flavor of the butterscotch.
How to make Butterscotch Cheesecake
- Toss the melted butter with the graham cracker crumbs and pecans.
- Press the crumbs into the prepared pan and bake until golden and fragrant.
- Mix the cream cheese and sugar until smooth.
- Add the sour cream.
- Add the eggs and butterscotch sauce.
- Pour the cheesecake batter over the baked crust.
- Set the pan into a larger pan and pour water to come half way up the pan.
- Bake the cake, cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until very cold.
- Top the chilled cake with butterscotch sauce and spiced pecans. Serve chilled.
Here are some more delicious butterscotch recipes: Butterscotch Sauce, Butterscotch Pudding, Butterscotch Blondies and Butterscotch Ice Cream.
More Cheesecake Recipes
- New York Cheesecake
- San Sebastian Cheesecake
- Peach Cheesecake
- Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake Tart
- Chocolate Orange Cheesecake
- Lime Layered Cheesecake
- White Chocolate Cheesecake
- Banana Cheesecake Cheesecake
Watch the recipe video to see how to make Bourbon Butterscotch Cheesecake.
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Bourbon Butterscotch Cheesecake Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 recipe Butterscotch sauce (made with 2T bourbon)
- 1 recipe Candied Spice Pecans
Pecan Graham Crust
- 5 oz graham cracker crumbs (1 cup)
- 2 oz candied Spiced Pecans (½ cup)
- 2 oz granulated sugar (¼ cup)
- 3 oz butter (melted)
Cheesecake Batter
- 24 oz cream cheese (room temperature)
- 12 oz granulated sugar (1 ½ cups)
- 8 oz sour cream (1 cup, room temperature)
- 5 large eggs (room temperature)
- 2 oz bourbon (¼ cup)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Make the Butterscotch Sauce according to the recipe, substituting 2 Tbsp Bourbon for the schnapps in the recipe. Set aside to cool. Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Line the bottom of a 9"x3" round cake pan with parchment paper (If you prefer to use a spring form pan line the pan with parchment and wrap the outside of the pan with aluminum foil)
Crust
- Combine 5 oz graham cracker crumbs, 2 oz candied Spiced Pecans and 2 oz granulated sugar in a food processor and process until finely ground. Add 3 oz butter (melted) and toss to combine. Press the crumbs into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake until fragrant and lightly browned, about 10 minutes, set aside to cool. Reduce oven to 325 °F.
Batter
- In a mixer bowl, combine 24 oz cream cheese and 12 oz granulated sugar and mix until well combined with no lumps of cream cheese. Scrape the bowl and mixer attachment to make sure there are no lumps of cream cheese. Add 8 oz sour cream, scrape the bowl and mixer attachment. With the mixer running on low add 5 large eggs in 2 batches. Scrape the bowl and paddle attachment between additions. Add 2 oz bourbon and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract Stir 1/2 of the butterscotch sauce into the batter. Pour batter into the pan.
- Set the pan into a slightly larger pan and pour an inch of warm water between the cheesecake pan and the larger pan. Bake until the cheesecake is mostly set, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. The center of the cheesecake will still jiggle a bit. Set on a rack to cool to room temperature.
- Refrigerate for several hours or overnight until completely firm. To remove the cheesecake from the pan, dip the bottom of the pan in a bowl of very hot water, run a knife or spatula around the sides of the cake and flip it out onto a flat plate then flip right side up onto the serving platter. Alternately, you run a propane torch across the bottom of the pan.
- Pour the remaining butterscotch sauce onto the top of the cake. Arrange the spiced pecans in circles onto the butterscotch. Refrigerate until serving
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The reviews are in……everyone agreed that this is the BEST cheesecake we’ve ever eaten!
I had some issues with the butterscotch sauce. First batch, I allowed the brown sugar to melt completely. After I added the cream, it lumped up into a big brown sugar tumor. I was able to get it smooth by beating vigorously. But once it cooled, it was very thick — almost too thick to pour. Second batch, I added cream after the brown sugar had BEGUN to melt. It looked fine, but as it cooled, it turned very grainy. Third batch, success! I let the brown sugar melt COMPLETELY before adding the cream, which took longer. Once I’d added the cream, bourbon, etc., I reduced the cooking time — perfect!
Seriously, this is the best cheesecake ever. The taste of bourbon is subtle, not overpowering. And the texture is sublimely creamy. While I thought the candied pecans tasted too salty and clove-y when eaten alone, the salt and spice balanced the sweetness of the sauce and cheesecake. Did I mention that this is the very best cheesecake I’ve ever put in my mouth?!?
Hello! This cheesecake looks and sounds amazing! Is it possible to make in a 9 inch springform pan without doing the water step?
Thanks for anyone’s feedback!
I don’t recommend baking cheesecake without the water bath. The cake doesn’t bake evenly and will probably puff and crack. If you want to use a springform pan, that’s fine. Just wrap the bottom and sides of the pan in foil to prevent water from leaking in.
Loved your video! You make it look so easy!! Who doesn’t love a good cheesecake during the holiday season and that added bourbon…YUM!
Thanks, Amanda!
Oh, boy!! I sure do want this. The minute I saw the picture with the caramel sauce and those crunchy pecans on top my mouth started watering. This is the perfect finish to a holiday meal!!
Thanks, Marisa!
I feel so conflicted about this, because I love butterscotch and bourbon, but I hate cheesecake! But if there was ever a flavor of cheesecake I was going to love, this would be it!!
This looks SO good – and that drizzle! Drool!
Oh this looks so good. I made butterscotch pecan with Kahlua this weekend over my banana cake.. so I can almost taste the cheese and bourbon. Awesome combination
Thanks, Veena!
That is one beautiful cheesecake! The bourbon sauce sounds so tasty I might have to make some to drizzle on some ice cream! Thanks for sharing a great recipe!
Thanks.
i just made a batch of cheesecake but mine looks nothing like yours…and all that toppings!!!
As long as it tastes good, who cares, right?
Now we are talking. Bourbon and butterscotch….well they are the perfect pair. Turn those flavours into a cheesecake….the perfect ending to delicious holiday meal.
I agree, Gloria. There’s just something about bourbon and butterscotch, a great flavor combination.
So much fluff!!! And bourbon is my fav!
This is beyond gorgeous! I bet the bourbon butterscotch flavor just melts so perfectly into the cheesecake… NOM. I always make cheesecake for Thanksgiving ( I’m not a pumpkin pie fan ), so this recipe came at the perrrrrfectt time!
Thanks, Dominique. Happy Thanksgiving!
I think this is the perfect time of year for cheesecake! I’m not a fan of most traditional pies lol. I will definitely be trying this for Christmas.