Ingredients
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1 cup sugar, divided
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2 cups fresh cranberries
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1/2 cup water (OR orange juice)
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2 8-ounce packages cream cheese at room temperature
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1 teaspoon vanilla extract
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3/4 cup heavy cream (whipping cream), whipped to firm peaks
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2 tablespoons butter
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1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
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2/3 cup chopped pecans
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9-inch baked and cooled graham cracker crust (see recipe at above link)
Instructions
In a small saucepan add cranberries, 1/2 cup sugar and the water or orange juice. Cook over medium low flame, stirrng occasionally until all cranberries have popped and the sauce begins to slightly thicken. Remove from the heat and cool completely. As it cools, cranberry sauce will thicken.
Once sauce is cooled, make the cheesecake filling.
In the mixing bowl of a stand mixer, add the cream cheese and and another 1/2 cup sugar. With the paddle attachment, beat on low speed until mixture is smooth and creamy.
Beat in cooled cranberry mixture and vanilla extract.
Using a spatula, fold-in the whipped cream.
Spoon the cheesecake filling into the graham cracker pie crust. Set aside to make pecan topping.
In a skillet, add the butter, brown sugar and pecans. Cook over low heat until butter and sugar has melted, stirring pecans all the while so they don’t scorch or burn.
Immediately remove skillet from heat. Using a slotted spoon, scatter the sugared pecans atop the cranberry cheesecake pie. Refrigerate the pie for at least four to six hours before slicing.
