Do you have pies on your mind, like I do? I think about pies and other baked goods in the weeks before any holiday. Even though I try to think of something very new, I often end up making the same stand-bys again and again. There is nothing wrong with making an old favorite, but I finally got around to making something entirely new this week.

Pumpkin pie and pecan pie are favorites in our house. However, I really like eating cheese cake more than those. Therefore, I decided to try a type of pecan pie that uses cheese cake. It was an interesting experiment that turned out great.

The bottom layer for this pie is a cream cheese mixture, and the upper layer is a smaller amount of pecan pie filling. This combination of flavors works well in my opinion. I use store-bought crust for this recipe, but you can make your own from scratch if you like. From some angles, I think this pie looks like a giant chocolate chip cookie.

If you are looking for something new to add to your holiday table, I hope you make this one. This pares perfectly with a cup of tea or coffee!

Ingredients

1 9-inch single crust pie shell, unbaked (if frozen, thawed)

Cream cheese filling

• 1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, soften
• 1 extra large egg, beaten
• 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

Pecan filling

• 1 extra large egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 2 1/2 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1/2 tbsp. cornstarch
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup chopped pecan

Instructions

To begin, preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, then line a cookie sheet with foil and set aside. The cookie sheet will be used when inserting the pie into the oven.

Using a handheld mixer, beat the cream cheese and granulated sugar together on medium-high speed in a medium bowl until the mixture is smooth and creamy. The mixing process will take about 2 minutes. Add in vanilla extract, then beat until fully combined. On medium speed, add one egg and beat until blended. Pour the cream cheese mix to the pie crust as seen below. Make sure to spread it well.

In a medium sized mixing bowl, add the 2nd beaten egg, sugar, corn syrup, melted butter, cornstarch, and salt. Beat with a wire whisk or rotary beater until combined, then stir in 3/4 cup of chopped pecan.

Pour the pecan filling over the cream cheese mixture. Use a rubber spatula and gently spread the mixture well to cover evenly. Sprinkle a 1/4 cup of the chopped pecan over the top of the mixture.

Cover the edge of the pie crust with foil. Transfer the pie to the cookie sheet you prepared earlier.

Bake in a preheated oven for 30 minutes. Rotate the pan in between for even baking. Then remove the foil, bake for another 10-15 minutes more or until the top is lightly browned and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. You can also place a piece of aluminum foil over the whole pie if it browns too quickly. Remove the cooked pie from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Cool completely before cutting into the pie, or else it may break!

Serves 8

Did you make this dish? I’d love to know how it turns out! Feel free to like this post and comment or use the hashtag #globaldinein on Instagram