Vanilla Bean Brown Butter Cheesecake
Vanilla bean cheesecake made even more wonderful by adding nutty, toasty brown butter to both the crust and filling.
Vanilla bean cheesecake made even more wonderful by adding nutty, toasty brown butter to both the crust and filling.
Do you ever feel like you’ll only scrape a vanilla bean for an occasion? For a really special dish? I won’t do it unless I know I’ll get to see those pretty specks in my final dish. A chocolate cake will never get a vanilla bean. A cheesecake? Will ONLY get a vanilla bean; they just show off so well, speckling that wonderfully creamy inside.
And this cheesecake? Oh this cheesecake… The idea was born after I saw a photo of a ‘butter pecan’ cheesecake (which is how pecans made it into the crust) but of course I had to take it a few steps further with a vanilla bean, brown butter and brown sugar. And these might be seen as your everyday baking ingredients but oh my do they come together to make something truly wonderful here.
How to make Vanilla Bean Brown Butter Cheesecake
Let’s be real. Cheesecakes are deceptively easy looking cakes that almost always turn out less-than-perfect. I’m going to give you a quick run-down of how to do this simply but, and I stress, but, follow the directions closely so you have a perfectly smooth and creamy cheesecake.
- Brown the butter
- Grind the cookies & pecans to crumbs
- Press in the crust, bake
- Beat together the filling
- Bake & cool, slowly
Ingredients for Vanilla Bean Brown Butter Cheesecake
Butter: Unsalted, in a delicate recipe such as this we really want to control how much salt is going in.
Cookie crumbs: You can use digestive cookies (my personal favorite), golden oreos (but remove the cream), or graham crackers. Any cookie that’s crispy and dry will do.
Cream cheese: Philadelphia is my go to brand, it’s thick and creamy and makes a really good cheesecake. Use the bricks, not the ones in the tubs. And most importantly, it should be full fat and at room temperature before you begin baking.
Sour cream: full fat sour cream. You can sub with labneh if you have that instead (I often do this).
Eggs: Large. They should be at room temperature, place them in a bowl of warm water if they are cold when you begin making the cheesecake.
Vanilla bean: you can sub this with pure vanilla extract, 2 teaspoons will do it. Or, if you have vanilla paste use 2 teaspoons of that (it’ll also give you the pretty specks).
Brown sugar: light or dark, but be sure it’s soft and fresh!
How to scrape a vanilla bean
A fresh vanilla bean should be quite soft. This won’t work as well if you bean hasn’t been kept in an airtight container and has gotten stiff.
Lay the vanilla bean on the counter with the seam side up. Use a paring knife (or any small, sharp knife you have) to slice through the first layer. Use your fingers to slightly open the top of the bean. Position the knife sharp side up (so the blunt side is on the bean) and scrape downwards, getting most of the flesh out of the bean. Scrape it onto the bowl where you’ll make the filling, or preferably, straight onto the cream cheese so none of the flesh is lost.
Tips for a perfect cheesecake
- Room temperature ingredients
- Avoid overbeating the batter once the eggs are in
- Use a waterbath
- Bake long and low
- Cool slowly
A secret but wonderful way to make Vanilla Bean Brown Butter Cheesecake
Once you have your vanilla bean scraped you may feel like you don’t want to waste the shell as there is still (inaccessible!) seedy goodness. You can add the shell to the brown butter to further extract the wonderful vanilla and infuse it into the brown butter. When you are done browning, simply remove it. A lot of the flavor will now be part of the browned butter.
Troubleshooting Vanilla Bean Brown Butter Cheesecake
- My cheesecake sank
The filling was over-beaten, the cheesecake baked too quickly or cooled too quickly. To avoid this, be sure to beat as little as possible once the eggs are in and bake low and slow, and cool slowly as well.
- My cheesecake has brown spots on the top
It might be overbaked. I had a couple in mine as well, but it’s fine if it’s just a few and they are small and scattered.
- My crust is too soft/too crumbly/underbaked
It might not have been pressed in an even layer on the bottom and up the sides.
- My cheesecake seems underdone in the center
It might not have baked enough. The cheesecake will be soft and creamy in the center but it should not be runny.
FAQ on Brown Butter Pecan Cheesecake
- Can I make this ahead of time?
You have to make it the day before but you can make it up to 2 days before serving day.
- I need to make this nut-free, what can I use instead of pecans?
I would just up the cookie crumbs to 2 ½ cups instead.
- I spy pecans on the bottom of yours, should I do that too?
Actually don’t! As soon as I put this in the oven I knew it was a bad idea but there you go. The nuts turned out kind of gummy as they had baked in a very wet filling. There’s enough pecan flavor in the crust for it to come through.
Want to see this made step by step? Here’s a an IG story tutorial. In the video I made bars and topped the cheesecake with pecan praline. Here’s the recipe:
Pecan Praline Recipe
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1/2 cup heavy cream, warmed to touch
- 3 tablespoons butter (if you have leftover brown butter from making the cheesecake use that)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (if you scraped a vanilla bean for the cheesecake, use the bean)
- pinch fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
In a medium sized pot, stir together the sugar and lemon juice. Set it over medium heat and cook, stirring and pressing any lumps as the sugar caramelizes. Once it’s all liquid and turns brown (might smoke a bit), slowly add the heavy cream stirring as you pour. It will bubble up, use a long wooden spoon to stir. Add the butter and stir until melted. Turn the heat off and add the vanilla and salt. Once the caramel is cool, add the pecans. Spread it over the cheesecake once the cheesecake is cooled. You might need to rewarm the caramel slightly so it’s spreadable.
Vanilla Bean Brown Butter Cheesecake Recipe
Vanilla Bean Brown Butter Cheesecake
Ingredients
Brown Butter
- 1 cup butter
Brown Butter Crust
- 2 cups graham digestive or golden oreo cookie crumbs, 240g (if oreo, cream should be removed)
- 1 cup pecans ground, 115g
- ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon browned butter 120g
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
Brown Butter Cheesecake Filling
- 2 packages cream cheese 452g (at room temperature, soft)
- ¼ cup brown butter 57g (try to get mostly the bottom brown bits, less of the yellow liquid)
- ½ cup labne or sour cream
- 1 cup brown sugar 210g
- 1 vanilla bean scraped
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- Two large eggs
Whipped Cream Topping
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- Pinch salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract can use a vanilla bean scrapings too
Method
- Brown the butter: Have a heatproof bowl ready and a rubber spatula or wooden spoon. Set the butter in a saucepan and turn the heat on to medium. Once the butter is melted turn the heat to medium high and cook as it sputters and spits, then foams, then goes nearly quiet. You’ll see brown bits on the bottom and it will smell nutty. Immediately pour it into the bowl, scraping the pan to get all the little brown bits. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Make the crust: preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease and line a tall 8 or 9” cake pan with parchment paper. It’s okay if the paper crinkles on the sides, use metal clips to hold it in place as pictured.
- In a bowl, stir together the ground pecans, cookie crumbs, powdered sugar and 1/2 cup plus 1 TB of the yellow liquid of the browned butter (reserve most of the browned bits for the filling). Press the mixture into the bottom of the pan and up the sides. Try to get an even layer of crumbs on the bottom and about halfway up the sides of the pan. Bake the crust for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 325 F.
- Make the filling: Beat together the softened cream cheese, sugar, salt, 3-4 TB of the bits of browned butter you reserved, and vanilla bean scrapings until smooth and no lumps remain (you may have to scrape down the bowl a few times). Add the sour cream and beat until smooth, scraping down as needed. Add the eggs and beat to just combine. If there's still lumps, pour the filling into the cooled crust through a fine mesh sieve to remove any bits.
- Bake the cheesecake: Fill a 13×9” cake pan halfway with warm water and set the cheesecake in the center. Place the cheesecake in its water bath in the oven and bake for at least an hour but probably closer to 1 hour 15 minutes. It’s done when it’s no longer jiggly in the center and the top looks a bit matte. Shut off the oven but leave the cheesecake inside, prop open the oven with a wooden spoon and let it cool for at least 30 minutes. When you take it out, it should be cool enough to do so without oven mitts. Leave it on the counter for another half hour then refrigerate. Cheesecake should chill for 8 hours minimum.
- For the whipped cream: in a food processor, process the heavy cream, vanilla, salt and sugar for a minute or two, until the cream is thick enough to scoop but not overwhipped. Top on the cheesecake and serve.
- Store the cheesecake in the fridge. It’ll keep for about a week.
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I find your very last sentence in step 7 about the cheesecake keeping for a week laughable. We all know it will be gone as soon as it is cut. This looks amazing and I can’t wait to make it for my family. Thank you for the recipe and the great instructions!!
Hi, this looks so delicious.
Im wondering if you have any recommendation on making a mini version? 4″?
Thank you
Hi! I’d halve the recipe and bake it in a loaf pan – see my ‘small batch cheesecake’ recipe here.
Hi there, just to clarify, the idea of the parchment lined regular, tall cake pan is to pull the cheesecake out of the pan after chilling to serve it? Rather than cutting it in the pan?
The parchment is so you’re able to lift it out. The round cake pan is so you can put it in the water bath (the bigger baking pan) without worrying about water getting in.
I’m not much of a baker but when I saw this recipe I had to try… I followed your instructions to a tee and it came out PERFECT. I felt like a professional???? seriously delicious. First time using brown butter and OMG… Anyways, thanks for the recipe- I’m definitely going to keep this one in my back pocket to use when I want to impress someone!
this is so WONDERFUL to hear! Thank you Hollie 😀
Hi!
I plan to use a springform pan, but the cheesecake I have made in the past didnt have a water bath. Is the water bath necessary for this recipe if using a springform pan? Has anyone made it without a water bath with this kind of pan? Thanks for the help!
🙂
The water bath makes a world of difference! If you only have a springform pan and must use it then put the tray of water (13×9″ tray pan filled halfway with hot water) on the rack underneath the rack the cheesecake is baking on. So the pan won’t be submerged in it, but the added water to the air will help the cheesecake bake slower and it’ll stay creamy.
This author says to brown a cup of butter and then doesn’t use all of it in the recipe. Its misleading and wasteful. 1/2 of butter for the crust is entirely too greasy for the crust. I had to add additional graham crackers (3 cups) in addition to the pecans. You include the pecans in the recipe and then say not to use them because it turns gummy? Please get an editor for your recipe instructions.
Step three says to mix “the ground pecans and the cookie crumbs”. The pecans listed in the recipe go into the crust. If you left them out that is why you had too greasy a crust and too much butter leftover. The comment on gumminess in the text above the recipe is in reference to one of the photos. In the same paragraph I say I did not include the additional pecans in the recipe.
This recipe is delicious. I used vanilla powder (dehydrated grade B vanilla beans run through a spice grinder) in place of a scraped vanilla bean because I hoard my Grade A vanilla beans like they’re solid gold ????. If you want to make this in a traditional springform pan instead of a cake pan, I recommend increasing the *filling* by 50%, although I had plenty of crust using the recipe as written. I always put my springform in a turkey-sized oven bag before putting it in a water bath (you’ll need a roasting pan instead of a 9×13) to avoid any possibility of a soggy crust. With the extra filling, you’ll also need to increase the cooking and chilling time a bit!
Jodi, this is a great tip for how to bake it in a springform – thank you!
I have made this a few times already! This is DEVINE!!!! The only change I made was adding 2 tablespoons of bourbon to my whipped cream. Was just enough to add another layer of flavor!! This recipe has become a family favorite!!
Erica, brilliant addition! Will have to try that in the whipped cream some day
Trying this recipe out tomorrow, looks delicious! In one picture it looks like there is a layer of pecans above the crust. I couldn’t find it in the recipe.
I left out the pecans in the final recipe because they got ‘gummy’ as the cheesecake baked. Hope you enjoy making it !
Hello! I’m about to make this, but had a question first. When you reduce the oven temp to 325 after baking the crust, am I taking the crust out of the oven or leaving it in the oven?
taking it out, you’ll pour the cheesecake in a cooled crust
All the reviews are correct. Have made three times, each absolutely divine.
Was phenomenal but I think to give it one extra punch would be to sprinkle cinnamon on the finished cheesecake or add 1/2 teaspoon to the sugar in the cheesecake filling.
Hi! I’m about to make this in a springfoam pan and plan to have a water bath in the oven on the rack below the cheesecake. Do you have a suggestion for how the cooking time should be adjusted? Thank you!!
it’ll bake quicker in the springfrom since it’s not surrounded by water, check it at 45 minutes – once it’s set around the sides and jiggly only in the small of the center it’s done
hello! I’ve made this recipe and I’m so excited to try it, but I realized that it won’t be able to refrigerate for 8 hours, is that okay for the cheesecake or will it ruin the texture / structure?
hi! typically it needs to be chilled for at least 4 hours (it’s meant to be eaten chilled). but also don’t leave it out overnight because it’s got milk products in it (bacteria can grow)
I ended up making this with my springform pan with the pan of water beneath it. It turned out great. I will make the pecan praline next time as I’m sure they would put it over the top!
I was excited to make this cheesecake. I love brown butter plus I make a lot of cheesecakes. This one was so different I was looking forward to it and enjoyed making it. It turned out great and my family loved it! Thank for sharing!
Hi ! Could I make this in a deep cupcake tin/ regular cupcake tin to save time with cooling / cooking?
Hi! I want to make this today but don’t have a ton of time to cool it, is there any chance I could make these in deep cupcake tins to save some time? Thanks!
Yeah you can – i’d have a water bath on the rack beneath (a cake pan filled halfway with water). Bake time will vary (check them around 18 minutes, they should be matte and set)
Has anyone made this in a springform pan? I want to make this for a birthday, but won’t have time to make something else if it doesn’t work.
If you use a springform pan don’t put it in the water bath – set the water bath on the rack below. It isn’t a perfect substitution but it’ll be better than nothing. And wrap that springform well!
I don’t have a deep dish cake pan. Could I use a springform? Just wouldn’t be able to do the water bath? Does it make a big difference?
You could use a springform… But I’d still have water in there, so put a cake pan filled halfway with hot water on the rack below where the cheesecake is baking. The bake time will need to be adjusted too, it’ll be done sooner.
Absolutely delicious! The pecans in the crust might actually be my favorite part! Will make this again and again!
I’ve made this recipe a few times now and each time everyone has devoured the cheesecake in one sitting! Seriously, such great flavor and love the ease of the recipe. I like making it with biscoff cookies in the crust and topping with whipped cream and toasted pecans. I even have family members requesting this in advance for their birthdays this year. Make the cheesecake, you will LOVE it!
First time making cheesecake since high school, made it for a birthday. Family and myself loved it. Pecans in the crust gave it a nice, nutty crunch along with the browned butter. Filling was sweet and tangy and creamy and dense. Whipped cream was nice but honestly not necessary, cake was very good on its own.
I made this for Christmas dessert and it was delicious! It was simple to make, and tasted like a more elevated regular cheesecake. My dad, who doesn’t prefer cheesecake, loved it!
My family raved about this cheesecake! The recipe is easy to follow and the cheesecake turned out perfect (perfect texture, perfect taste, perfect combo of crust, cheesecake and whipped cream). Will definitely make again!
I’ve made this twice since Thanksgiving and it’s been requested again for Christmas (and by a self proclaimed disliker of cheesecake!). It is absolutely delicious and not difficult to make at all. I used biscoff cookies for the crust and it turned out perfectly both times!
a disliker of cheesecake! I am so glad to be part of the reason they changed their mind :p
It’s in the oven as we speak, so I can’t comment on the final product, but the spoon I licked before washing the bowl was yummy. Wish I had read the recipe and made it last night; only have 2 hours before we leave for the holiday party, so I’m hoping half the fridge time works!
Is it possible to freeze this without the whipped cream?
I think that would be fine!
Can I make without pecans in the crust? Serving someone with a nut allergy
you can, scroll up to the Troubleshooting bit
Sodden cheesecake. Never line your cheesecake with parchment paper then cook it in a water bath. I’ve never cooked a cheesecake before and now my first ever one is completely ruined. I’ve looked up the error and lots of results saying never line with paper, use foil. Don’t make the same mistake I did!
Olivia, the recipe asks for a cake pan not a springform. Springforms have openings and the water can leak in. I’m sorry it was ruined, hope you try the recipe with the right pan next time!
I never write reviews. Ever. That being said: I made this for a family gathering this weekend and now I’m tasked with bringing this to every gathering til the end of time. I will never make another cheesecake again! Thank you so much for this!
aw sasha!!! I’m so pleased you and your family loved it, thank you so much for the review!
Loved this!! I made this for thanksgiving and this was the first cheesecake I’ve ever made. Now I have to bring it every year! Flavors were great, instructions were easy to follow. I used KerryGold butter for some extra richness. The only thing I wish I changed was I added more butter to the crust mixture than the recipe because I thought it looked to crumbly, so the crust was a little more dense than it would have been. I look forward to making it again, as well as trying more of Sam’s recipes.
Absolutely delicious! I made it for my family this Thanksgiving without the nuts due to an allergy. The recipe is easy to follow and turned out perfect. I wish I would have taken a picture before we ate it all. I’ve made multiple recipes by Sam and every single one has been amazing.
I cannot wait to taste this! I made it last night, may have snuck some filling before it when in the oven HEAVEN! –When you make the praline pecan topping, do you place on right before you serve? Does it get too hard to cut if stored in fridge??
Thank you so much!!! 🙂
Hi Amanda! I usually have the cheesecake chilled and the praline warm when I put it on. You can let it firm up in the fridge for a bit but if it was left for long time it will get quite stiff.
I never leave reviews, and I mean NEVER. I made this cheesecake for Thanksgiving coming up (I had to make it slightly in advance). I had leftovers that I cooked in a muffin pan to taste test the recipe with a few family members, and WOW. This cake is incredible. The BEST cheesecake I have ever had!!
The recipe calls for 1c of butter but only 1/4+tbs in the crust and 3-4tbs in the filling. I have a ton of leftover butter! Did I miss a step? This is currently in the oven – hoping it will be a 5-star!
Hi! It’s actually 1/2 cup plus 1 TB in the crust, not 1/4. I ask you to brown a full cup because a lot is lost after browning and I want to make sure you have enough for both parts (there is usually some leftover). If you brown 113g butter for example, you’ll end up with roughly 95g after browning. Hoping it’ll turn out great for you!
Would it be possible to leave out the nuts? My son is allergic.
Yeah, just skip ’em!
Cant wait to try this recipe! Do you think this filling would pair well with a gingersnap crust?
Definitely!
Hi! This looks so yummy! Does the homemade whip cream need to be put on the day the cheesecake is served or can it be done ahead of time? I am making it a few days ahead of serving and don’t want it to weep. Thanks!
On the whipping cream topping.. does it need to be put on the day the cheesecake is served or can it be put on ahead of time? I know sometimes homemade whip cream can weep/run off the cake. Thanks!
You can put it on a day ahead if you’ve made stabilized whipped cream (see my brown butter chocolate cream pie!) that will last a day in the fridge.
Hi there! This recipe looks great. Would baking it in a disposable aluminum pan affect the outcome of the cheesecake?
It could work, you’ll need a pan that’s 3″ deep (so you can still get a water bath). You could skip the parchment paper for it and I’d say you might want to adjust for baking time as it’s a thinner material than the usual pan so might bake quicker.
Hands down the BEST cheese cake I have ever had. And so easy to make! Thank you so much for sharing all your amazing recipes!
I’m here from the TikTok video and Susana’s comment. I saw how you separated it in the TikTok, but I don’t see the explanation in the recipe directions! I want to save this recipe and try it, but I’m afraid I won’t remember the process from the video. Thank you!
Hi! That part was mostly in the ingredients listed but in case it wasn’t clear I added some language in the instructions. Hope that helps!
I’m so excited to make this. I love fruit on my cheesecake, is there any fruit you would recommend, or is this better without fruit?
Hmmm great question! I can’t see it being bad with raspberries or blueberries. There’s no lemon in the cheesecake so I’d rule out a fruit that’s overly sweet. Oh and I think this would also be good with some cooked apples cooked in a salted caramel!
Absolutely exceptional!! I’m a part of a vanilla bean purchasing co-op and this was a great way to utilize my bourbon bean paste. I made the recipe 1.5x and divided into two 6” pans. Took about 1.5hrs in the oven, and left in for another hr. before finishing in the fridge. One was sliced after 4ish hrs of fridge time and was great, the other has been chilling overnight and I can’t wait to see the difference in flavor depth. This will for sure be a forever recipe favorite! Thank you!! (I also used biscoff for the cookie crust — buttery deliciousness!!)
Hello, I would like to make this cheesecake and was wondering if the 8 hour chill time was really necessary. Is there any way to speed this up? Could I put the cake in the freezer? Thanks!
Most cheesecakes chill overnight. You want it to cool mostly slowly until it’s firm. At the very least let it come to room temperature and maybe even chill it for an hour after that in the fridge. Then you can try speeding up the rest of the chill time in the freezer. Don’t let it freeze though – you’d want it as cool and firm as if it were in the fridge.
It would be nice to have clearer instructions on the brown butter. I ended up making 2 batches of browned butter because it says 1 cup of butter and in the instructions says to add all these ingredients into the butter. It was only after my crust had cooked that I realized the butter needed to be divided, part of it going into the crust and part into the filling. I’m hoping the double amount of butter I ended up adding into the crust isn’t going to kill the whole recipe
oh no susana, im sorry to hear it! Double the butter into the crust will probably not set well. I’ll add the words ‘to be divided’ next to the brown butter, for future readers
Made this for my Christmas treat boxes, and they were a huge hit. Everyone wanted the recipe. The flavor is rich, nutty (even without the nuts), and creamy. This was only my second time making a cheesecake, and it was a much better endeavor (thanks for all the detailed instructions). I had only the teeniest little crack, otherwise it was smooth. Can’t wait to make this/eat this again!
My family loves cheesecake and I made this for our Christmas Day dessert. It was absolutely delicious! The brown butter and pecan made a great accompaniment to the vanilla bean – not too sweet. Will definitely be making this again!
Wow – best cheesecake!! Best use of brown butter, the flavour it adds is delicious, and the filling is so creamy and perfect, with vanilla bean…everyone loved it. Thank you!
I made this for a friends Christmas party and it was a huge success. Not a fan of pecans so I left them out and used half biscoff cookies and half graham for the crust. Turned our amazing. Probably the best cheesecake I’ve ever made.
This is a great recipe. The crust is one of the best crusts I’ve ever had and I highly recommend you add the pecan praline topping. Even the nut hater in my family loves this cheesecake. Thanks for the amazing recipe!
Amazing recipe!!
Came together quickly and because of your tips in the post it didn’t crack!
Also made some salted caramel sauce and candied pecans for toppings.
Obviously zero leftovers came home with me 🙂
For someone that has always been too intimated to work with vanilla bean or browned butter, I knew I needed to get over it when I saw thos recipe.
So worth it!!! I made this recipe for Christmas, and everyone loved it. I’ll definitely make it again!