Roasted Pear Crumble Cheesecake

Imagine biting into a creamy cheesecake with roasted pears and cinnamon streusel, and that's exactly what you have here. This roasted pear crumble cheesecake combines two favorites into one dessert for one tempting treat.

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Recipe

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5 from 1 vote

Roasted Pear Crumble Cheesecake

Total Time3 hours hrs

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cake

Servings: 10

Author: Christine Ma

Ingredients

Roasted pears for cheesecake

• 4 slightly underripe pears, sliced 1-4 inch thick slices
• 2 tablespoons melted butter (28 grams)
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar (37 grams)
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg

Crust

• 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs (185 grams)
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar (36 grams)
• 6 tablespoons melted butter (85 grams)

Streusel

• 9 tablespoons all-purpose flour (70 grams)
• ⅓ cup brown sugar (67 grams)
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• pinch of salt
• ¼ cup melted butter ( 57 grams)

Cheesecake

• 32 ounces cream cheese, softened at room temperature
• 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar (250 grams)
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• ¾ cup sour cream, at room temperature (180 grams)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Roasted pears for topping

• 4 slightly underripe pears sliced 1-4 inch thick slices
• 2 tablespoons melted butter (28 grams)
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar (37 grams)
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray.
• Prepare the pears for the cheesecake filling. Toss the sliced pears with melted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg, tossing to coat. Spread evenly on one of the prepared baking sheets. Roast for 15-18 minutes or until the pears are tender but not mushy. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
• Make the crust. Combine graham cracker crumbs with brown sugar in a medium bowl. Add melted butter, stirring until well combined. Pour mixture in the springform pan, pressing down and up the sides to create the crust. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
• Make the streusel. Combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt in a medium bowl. Add melted butter, stirring until well combined. Spread streusel on the second prepared baking sheet in an even layer. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. The streusel will look a little wet but will harden as it cools. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
• Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
• Prepare cheesecake. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat cream cheese for 1 minute. Add sugar and cornstarch and beat for 2 minutes or until well combined and smooth. Add eggs one at a time, fully incorporating the egg before adding the next. Add sour cream and vanilla, mixing until well combined.
• Pour half of the cream cheese batter into the baked crust. Spread the roasted pears on top and sprinkle ½ of the streusel mixture on top. Pour the remaining cheesecake batter on top, smoothing the top.
• Wrap the bottom of the cheesecake pan with at least 3 pieces of foil to avoid water seeping into the pan. Fill a roasting rack with enough boiling water to come up the sides of the cheesecake pan halfway. Place the rack in the center of the oven and bake the cheesecake for 1 hour 30 - 1 hour 40 minutes or until the cheesecake is almost fully set. The center will have a slight jiggle but the edges should be completely set.
• Crack open the oven door and let the cheesecake cool in the oven for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for 1 hour. Transfer to the refridgerator and let cool for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight.
• When ready to serve, roast the remaining 4 pears, following the same directions as step 2. Let the pears cool to room temperature and spoon on the cheesecake. Sprinkle the remaining streusel on top. Slice and serve.

Notes

I used Bartlett pears, but you can also use Anjou pears or Bosc pears. If using Bosc pears, peel the pears before roasting them. You can also peel Anjou pears or Bartlett pears if you dislike the skin.

You can bake the streusel and graham cracker crust the day before and store them at room temperature.

You can roast all of the pears at the same time and bring the pears for the topping to room temperature before placing them on the baked cheesecake.

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Roast pears

Let's start with the item that takes a basic cheesecake to an epic one: the roasted pears. You can use any type of baking pear, such as Anjou, Bartlett, or Bosc pears.

If you're using Bosc pears, I recommend peeling the skin as it's thicker than the other two. If you dislike the skin in general, you can peel the pears regardless of which one you use.

You'll also want to use slightly underripe pears that feel firm to the touch. They'll soften in the oven, so we want them to still be firm to avoid turning to mush.

Toss the pear slices with melted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and just a pinch of nutmeg, then spread them out on a parchment-lined baking sheet. The key here is to roast them at 400°F for about 15-18 minutes until they're tender but still hold their shape.

You'll know they're ready when they've developed those gorgeous caramelized edges and smell incredible. Let them cool completely before using. This prevents them from making your cheesecake filling too warm and potentially scrambling the eggs.

Step 2: Bake streusel and crust

While the pears are cooling, it's time to bake the crust and streusel. For the graham cracker crust, mix those crumbs with brown sugar and melted butter until everything looks like wet sand.

Then, press it firmly into your springform pan, making sure to go up the sides a bit. When I was a catering chef, I made cheesecakes almost weekly; I could make a perfect crust blindfolded.

Bake it for about 10 minutes until it's golden brown and smells toasty. Then, remove it from the oven and let it cool completely.

The streusel is just as easy: combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and melted butter until it forms those perfect crumbly pieces, then spread it on a baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes.

Don't worry if the streusel looks a little wet when you pull it out - it'll crisp up as it cools. You can also prepare both these items the day before.

Step 3: Make cheesecake

Now that the extra components are ready, it's time to make the actual roasted pear crumble cheesecake. Add the cream cheese to the bowl of a stand mixer and beat it for a full minute before adding the sugar and cornstarch.

Add your eggs one at a time, fully incorporating each one before adding the next - this prevents overmixing and ensures a silky texture. Then, add the sour cream and vanilla, mixing until combined.

Pour half the batter into your crust, layer on those gorgeous roasted pears, sprinkle with half of your cooled streusel, then top with the remaining batter. This recipe makes a hefty cheesecake, so it will come up to the top of your pan. But don't worry because that's what's supposed to happen!

Before baking, wrap the bottom of your pan with at least three layers of heavy-duty foil - this is your insurance policy against water seeping in during the water bath. Place your wrapped pan in a roasting pan and pour boiling water halfway up the sides. If you have a larger 10-inch pan, you can also place the cheesecake pan into the 10-inch pan, place both pans in a roasting pan, and fill it with water.

The water bath is essential for preventing cracks and ensuring even cooking. Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes to 1 hour and 40 minutes - you'll know it's done when the edges are completely set, but the center still has just the slightest jiggle when you gently shake the pan.

Since the cheesecake bakes for so long, the top will get lightly browned. If you would rather have the signature white top, bake it at 325 degrees for a longer time. However, I found that the browned top acts as a buffer from the cheesecake getting too wet from the roasted pears placed on top. So really, it's a blessing in disguise!

Let the cake cool gradually in the oven with the door cracked for an hour, then on the counter for another hour before refrigerating overnight.

The final touch? Those fresh roasted pears and the remaining streusel sprinkled on top just before serving.

Yes, this roasted pear crumble cheesecake requires a few extra steps, but I promise you, it's worth it. One bite and you'll feel like eating a warm hug in dessert form, with all the comfort of a homestyle crumble wrapped up in the elegance of a perfectly crafted cheesecake.

For more fall dessert ideas, check out this complete list of fall desserts you need to try this season!

Make-ahead and storage tips

• Make-ahead: The cheesecake needs to chill overnight, so it's best to make it the day before serving.
• Store: Keep leftover cheesecake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

More pear dessert recipes

Looking for more pear dessert ideas? Try these: