Adjust your oven rack to the center position and preheat the oven to 325ºF.

Using a flour-based baking spray or melted butter, lightly grease a 9 inch springform pan. Wrap the bottom and the sides with 5-6 overlapping layers of heavy aluminum foil. Set aside. Please note you can also use an oven bag (or slow cooker liner) as an extra layer of protection from the water bath, but this gets added after you’ve baked and slightly cooled the graham cracker crust.

Using a food processor, pulverize the graham crackers into fine crumbs. Add in the granulated sugar and melted unsalted butter and pulse until the mixture as formed (it should be similar to wet sand).

Press the graham cracker crust mixture into the bottom of the prepared springform pan, then place it in the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes at 325ºF. When done, remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack to cool slightly. You can leave the oven on if you wish or you can turn it off and reheat to 325ºF when you're ready to bake the cheesecake.

Once slightly cooled, add the oven bag around the bottom of the springform pan (optional but it really does help). It will need to be folded down to be just above the height of the springform pan.

Switching the mixer speed to low, gradually add in the eggs one at a time until each one is just blended. Be careful not to over beat the cheesecake mixture too much though, which can cause cracks in your cheesecake. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, if needed.

Pour the cheesecake mixture into the slightly cooled graham cracker crust.

Place the cheesecake into a roasting pan (don’t forget the aluminum foil and oven bag layers), then carefully fill the pan with boiling water until it reaches almost halfway up the sides of the springform pan. Carefully place the roasting pan into the oven. You can also choose to place the cheesecake and roasting pan into the oven then add the boiling water.

Bake for approximately 55-60 minutes at 325ºF or until the center is still a little jiggly.  For reference, mine bakes perfectly at 55 minutes.

When done, turn off the oven, but keep the oven door closed. Allow the cheesecake to cool in the water bath for 45 minutes. Do not open the oven door while it cools down.

After you remove the roasting pan from the oven, carefully remove the oven bag liner and aluminum foil layers from around the springform pan. If you’re not using an oven bag liner you may find that water has pooled up inside the aluminum foil layers.

Transfer the cheesecake to a cooling rack to let it cool completely to room temperature.

Once completely cooled, you can loosely cover the top of the cheesecake with a paper towel and aluminum foil and place it in the refrigerator to set for a minimum of 4 hours or overnight (my preference).

Preheat your oven to 325ºF. Spread the pecans onto a parchment paper or silicone lined baking sheet. Place into the oven and bake for 8 minutes.

Remove from the oven and set aside while you prepare the rest of the topping.

Add in the chopped toasted pecans, stirring until the mixture starts to boil. Turn the heat down and let simmer for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat, transfer to a bowl and let cool.