Pecan Praline Cheesecake Bars

If you love the taste of Southern pralines, you’ll flip for these Pecan Praline Cheesecake Bars! Buttery smooth with a pecan sandie cookie crust, a brown sugar cheesecake layer and topped with a rich and gooey praline sauce.

So I need to start working on trusting my gut again.

I used to be super good with my female intuition. We were BFFs, always judging situations together and making snap decisions like Thelma and Louise. We were tight. Sisters from another mister. Soul sisters. I could tell her anything and she would listen patiently and NOT TALK BACK BECAUSE I DO NOT TALK TO THE VOICES IN MY HEAD. Sorry, just had to leave that there in case my doctor reads this. Moving on…

But lately we’ve had some kind of falling out.

And now I can’t make proper snap decisions to save my life.

Snap decisions like, should I get behind that red Toyota in the left lane, or stay where I am behind the Mercedes in the right lane? (Spoiler: always go behind any other car than a Mercedes. I swear, Mercedes drivers are the slowest in all the land. Sorry to Mercedes drivers, but like, can y’all pick up the pace?)

This post should also be titled: I need to work on my patience. So spare me the comments telling me I’m impatient. I KNOW, DANGIT.

But seriously, how do you hone in on your intuition and choose the fastest lane in the McDonald’s drive-thru just by sight and car type alone? I’m asking for… uh, research purposes.

ANYWAY, my intuition is still awesome for tasting delicious food because I definitely knew when I saw these Pecan Praline Cheesecake Bars that they would taste phenomenal. It’s hard not to when you have a pecan Sandie cookie crust, a brown sugar cheesecake and a silky, buttery praline sauce. I meaaan…

And this sauce? HONEY, do not let this sauce only grace these cheesecake bars. I demand that you use your whip-smart intuition and slather this sauce on EVERYTHING. Waffles, pancakes, French toast, pound cake, flipflops… I literally do not care, but don’t let this liquid gold go to waste once the cheesecake bars are done for.

And that, my friends, is how you do cheesecake. Mic drop.

Print Recipe

5 from 2 votes

Pecan Praline Cheesecake Bars

These Pecan Praline Cheesecake Bars are silky smooth and utterly divine! A must-make!

Prep Time2 hours hrs 20 minutes mins

Cook Time52 minutes mins

Total Time3 hours hrs 12 minutes mins

Course: Bars, Dessert

Cuisine: American, Dessert

Servings: 9

Author: Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel

Ingredients

• FOR CRUST:
• 1 (11.3 oz pkg) Pecan Sandie Cookies finely ground
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• FOR CHEESECAKE:
• 2 (8 oz pkgs) cream cheese at room temperature
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• FOR PRALINE SAUCE:
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line an 8x8" square pan with foil, extending the sides of the foil over the edges of the pan. Spray the foil with cooking spray and set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine the pecan Sandie cookie grounds, melted butter and brown sugar together until moistened. Press into the prepared pan in an even layer. Bake for approx. 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and keep oven on.
• While crust bakes: In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the cream cheese and brown sugar together until smooth, about 1 minute. Add in the eggs, one at a time, and the vanilla, beating well after each addition. Lastly, beat in the sour cream until just combined. Pour the cheesecake filling over the still-hot crust and place into the oven.
• Bake for approx. 35-40 minutes or until the center is just about set. If it's slightly jiggly, that's okay - but it should not be sloshing around in the pan. Cool completely, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours to set.
• While cheesecake chills, make your praline sauce. In a medium saucepan, add the brown sugar and butter and bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and add in the cream and vanilla, taking care as the mixture may violently bubble up. Stir until combined, then cool to room temperature. Stir in the pecans just before serving.

Buttery, creamy brown sugar cheesecake, brown sugar-y pecan cookie crust and that heavenly sauce make for a seriously delicious cheesecake bar!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley