Add the 12 tablespoons of butter to a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Continue cooking, swirling the pan occasionally, until the butter foams and turns a rich amber color with a nutty aroma, about 5–7 minutes. Watch closely to avoid burning. Once browned, immediately transfer the butter to a large heatproof bowl and let it cool for 10 minutes.

Once the butter has slightly cooled down, stir together the graham cracker crumbs and packed brown sugar until everything looks evenly sandy. Stir until every crumb is coated and it resembles wet sand.

Spray the sides and the bottom of a springform pan with cooking spray, dump the mixture into your springform pan and use the bottom of a measuring cup to press it firmly into an even layer, making sure to go up the sides a bit for stability.

Bake the crust at 350°F for 12–14 minutes, or until it looks set and smells nutty and caramelized. Let it cool completely before adding your cheesecake batter. While the crust is cooling, make the cheesecake batter.

Add the milk powder to a small nonstick pan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until it turns golden and smells caramel-y (about 2–3 minutes). Immediately scrape it into a bowl to cool.

In a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer), beat the room-temperature cream cheese until completely smooth and fluffy. Take your time here — smooth cream cheese = smooth cheesecake. With a rubber spatula, scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Mix for 30 more seconds.

With the mixer on the lowest speed, add the dark brown sugar and the cooled toasted milk powder. Turn the mixer to medium speed until fully combined and no streaks remain.

Scrape down the bottom and the sides of the bowl. Add the 2 egg yolks and 2 whole eggs one at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition just until incorporated. You want everything blended, but not whipped — too much air can cause cracking. Pour in the honey, sour cream, and vanilla extract and mix until silky.

Gently mix the cornstarch on low until the batter is velvety and lump-free. (If you have a few lumps, that’s okay!)

Pour the cheesecake batter into your cooled graham cracker crust and smooth the top.

Bake the cheesecake in a 325°F oven using a water bath or your preferred steam-method (pan of hot water on the rack below works perfectly). Bake until the edges are set and the center still has a soft wobble — usually around 80–90 minutes. It’s okay if a few cracks form.

Turn off the oven, crack the oven door, and let the cheesecake cool inside for 1 hour. Then transfer it to a wire rack to cool to room temp before chilling at least 6 hours or overnight. After the cheesecake is done, make the maple caramel sauce.

Add the maple syrup, water, and light corn syrup to a medium saucepan (caramel bubbles up a lot). Stir to combine, then set the pan over medium heat.

Bring the mixture to a steady simmer and cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally. The syrup will move through stages: it will start thin with lots of tiny fast bubbles, then become glossier and slightly thicker, and finally darken one shade with slow, heavier bubbles. It should smell sweet and caramelized, not smoky. While the caramel is cooking, heat the cream.

Heat the heavy cream in the microwave for 30 seconds, or until steaming. Warm cream helps keep the caramel smooth and prevents it from seizing.

Once the sugar mixture is ready, carefully pour the warm cream into the bubbling maple mixture. It will foam up quite a bit — totally normal. Stir constantly until the bubbling settles and the caramel looks smooth again. If it seizes into a thick lump, simply keep it over low heat and whisk until it melts back down.

Return the caramel to medium heat and cook for 3–5 more minutes, stirring often, until it thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon. For a pourable caramel, cook to about 220°F; for a thicker spoonable caramel, cook to 225–228°F.

Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla and kosher salt until dissolved. Taste and add a pinch more salt if you want a stronger salted caramel flavor.

Let the caramel cool for 20–30 minutes. It will thicken significantly as it cools — if it gets too thick later on, microwave it for 5–10 seconds to loosen.

Once the caramel is ready and the cheesecake is fully chilled, pour the caramel on top. Slice and serve chilled!