Description
This Vanilla Bean Brown Butter Cheesecake is a decadent dessert featuring a nutty brown butter crust and a rich, creamy filling infused with aromatic vanilla bean. The cheesecake is baked in a water bath for perfect texture and topped with lightly sweetened whipped cream, making it an indulgent treat perfect for any special occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Crust
- 1 cup butter
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs or golden Oreo cookie crumbs (remove cream filling if using Oreos) (240g)
- 1 cup ground pecans (115g)
- ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon browned butter (120g)
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
Filling
- 2 packages cream cheese, softened (452g)
- ¼ cup browned butter, mostly the brown bits (57g)
- ½ cup labne or sour cream
- 1 cup brown sugar (210g)
- 1 vanilla bean, scraped
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 large eggs
Whipped Cream Topping
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (or vanilla bean scrapings)
Instructions
- Brown the Butter: Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Increase the heat to medium-high until the butter foams and brown bits form at the bottom. Pour into a heatproof bowl, scraping all the brown bits to incorporate their rich flavor.
- Make the Crust: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line a 9-inch cake pan with parchment paper. In a bowl, combine ground pecans, graham cracker or Oreo crumbs, powdered sugar, and ½ cup browned butter. Mix well and press evenly into the bottom and up the sides of the prepared pan.
- Bake the Crust: Bake the crust for 10 minutes in the preheated oven, then reduce the oven temperature to 325°F (160°C) for the cheesecake filling.
- Prepare the Filling: Using an electric mixer, beat softened cream cheese, brown sugar, fine sea salt, reserved browned butter, and the seeds from the vanilla bean until smooth and creamy. Mix in labne or sour cream to add moisture and tanginess. Add the eggs one at a time, beating gently just until combined after each addition. If the mixture is lumpy, strain it to ensure a silky texture.
- Assemble the Cheesecake: Pour the filling into the baked crust, smoothing the top evenly.
- Bake the Cheesecake: Place the cake pan in a water bath to prevent cracking during baking. Bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, until the cheesecake is set but still slightly jiggly in the center. Turn off the oven, leave the door ajar, and let the cheesecake cool inside for 30 minutes to avoid sudden temperature changes. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool completely at room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 8 hours to fully set and develop flavor.
- Prepare the Whipped Cream: Whip heavy cream with vanilla extract (or vanilla bean seeds), pinch of salt, and brown sugar until thick and creamy. Spread or pipe the whipped cream over the chilled cheesecake just before serving.
Notes
- Using a water bath while baking helps prevent cracks and ensures a smooth cheesecake texture.
- Letting the cheesecake cool slowly inside the oven helps avoid sudden temperature shocks which can cause cracking.
- You can substitute labne with sour cream if labne is unavailable.
- Remove Oreo cream filling thoroughly if using Oreo crumbs for the crust to avoid unwanted sweetness and texture.
- For best results, use room temperature cream cheese to avoid lumps in the filling.
- Brown butter carefully, watching to prevent burning as it adds deep nutty flavor.
