Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Mix together the pecans, melted butter and brown sugar until combined.

Spread the pecans out evenly on a baking sheet.

Bake for 5-7 minutes until toasted.  Set the pecans aside to cool while you prepare the other ingredients.

For the Crust:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Crush graham crackers in food processor or resealable bag

Add crumbs to a large bowl and stir in the sugar.

Stir the melted butter into the crumb mixture until well combined.

Press firmly into a 9 inch springform pan.

Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately 10 minutes.  Set aside to cool while you prepare the filling ingredients.

Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a large bowl, beat together cream cheese and sugar until fluffy.

Then add in the cornstarch and the salt.

Then gently hand stir in the vanilla extract and the eggs (adding in one at a time) and then mix in the sour cream.

Gently stir in the toasted pecans (reserve some for topping).

Then pour the cream cheese mixture over the graham cracker crust and use a spatula to make the top as smooth as possible.

Place the pan into a large pan and pour boiling water around the cheesecake pan until it goes up approximately halfway up the side of the cheesecake pan.

Bake for 60-70 minutes.  The edges should be set and the center should still appear jiggly.

Turn the oven off and crack the oven door. Let the cheesecake sit in the oven for 60 more minutes.  Remove from the oven and carefully remove the cheesecake from the water.  Let the cheesecake cool completely at room temperature.

Chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight.

When ready to serve, remove the cheesecake carefully from the springform pan by running a knife around the sides of the cheesecake to release the cheesecake from the pan.

Slice the cheesecake, serve topped with caramel sauce, reserved pecans and whipped cream.  Enjoy!