Make the Crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9 inch springform pan with nonstick spray and make sure the bottom is securely fastened. Stir together crust ingredients and press into prepared pan and up the sides a bit (see photos above). Bake this for 8 minutes.Set aside.

Make the Cheesecake: In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened cream cheese until nice and creamy, about 1-2 minutes. Add the sweetened condensed milk and mix until just combined. Add the sugar and mix until just incorporated. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing after each until just incorporated. Add the vanilla and sour cream, and mix until just incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared crust.

Prepare the Water Bath: Get out a roasting pan and set the rack aside. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. While the water is boiling, wrap a piece or two of foil around the bottom of the springform pan, as added insurance against leak-age. Set the springform pan with the cheesecake inside the roasting pan. Pour the boiling water into the roasting pan until it's 1 inch deep. Don't pour any water into or onto the cheesecake.

Bake the Cheesecake: Bake for 1 hour. When done, the cheesecake will have only a slight wobble in the center, and a toothpick inserted into the edge will come out clean, and will have a bit of thick batter when inserted into the center. Turn off the oven and crack the door open. Let the cheesecake cool in the oven for 1 hour before removing it. Once the hour is up, remove the pan from the oven and take the cheesecake out of the water. Remove the foil and set the pan on a cooling rack to let cool completely. Once it’s cool, cover with foil and refrigerate at least 3 hours or up to 1 day before serving.

Make the Pecan Pie Topping: Make this just before you’re ready to serve the cheesecake! Do not make it ahead. Melt the butter and brown sugar in a pan over medium heat. Let it start bubbling, then reduce the heat to low and stir in the heavy cream, and the remaining topping ingredients. Stir the pecans around to get them all coated in the mixture, and remove the pan from the heat. Let it set for a few minutes to thicken up a bit.

Serve + Store: Pour the topping over the cheesecake, slice, and serve! Store leftovers, in an airtight container, in the fridge for 4-6 days.

Full recipe brought to you by our friend Stephanie from Blue Bowl Recipes