Honey Pecan Cheesecake

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 20 min. + chilling

Bake: 40 min. + chilling YIELD: 12 servings.

Birthdays and holidays are great times for cheesecake, and Christmas is ideal for this particular one. In our annual church bake-off, it won first place! —

Tish Frish, Hampden, Maine

Ingredients:

1 cup crushed vanilla wafers (about 30 wafers)

1/4 cup ground pecans

2 tablespoons sugar

5 tablespoons butter, melted

FILLING:

3 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar

3 large eggs, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon maple flavoring

1 teaspoon vanilla extr...