Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).

Place the graham crackers, toasted pecans, and sugar into a food processor. Blend until fine crumbs form.

Pour in the melted butter and pulse until the mixture resembles damp sand. If needed, add a little more butter until the crumbs hold together when squeezed.

If you don't have a food processor, crush the crackers in a zip-top bag, finely chop the pecans, then mix everything together by hand.

Transfer the crumb mixture into a springform pan.

Press the crumbs firmly across the bottom and well up the sides using a flat-bottomed glass or measuring cup.

Finish by pressing the top edge firmly with your thumb to prevent loose crumbs.

Bake for just under 10 minutes, until lightly golden and fragrant.

Allow the crust to cool while preparing the filling.

Shortcut: If you prefer, you can skip baking and simply chill the crust before filling.

Place the room-temperature cream cheese into a large mixing bowl.

Beat until completely smooth and creamy.

Add the sugar and continue mixing until fully incorporated.

Scrape down the bowl thoroughly to eliminate any unmixed cream cheese.

Mix in:

Salt

Sour cream

Vanilla extract

Gradually sprinkle in the flour while mixing to prevent lumps.

Scrape the bowl once again until everything is perfectly smooth.

Add the eggs and egg yolks one at a time, mixing after each addition.

The batter should become glossy, silky, and completely smooth without any lumps.

Avoid overmixing once the eggs have been incorporated.

Pour the cheesecake batter into the cooled crust.

Smooth the surface if necessary.

If you have extra batter, divide it into muffin cups to make mini cheesecakes.

Place the springform pan on a baking sheet for easier handling.

Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes.

Without opening the oven for long, reduce the temperature to 300°F (150°C) and continue baking for 40 minutes.

The cheesecake should be slightly puffed with a gentle wobble in the center.

Remove from the oven and allow it to cool before chilling thoroughly.