Pumpkin Cheesecake with Pecan Cookie Crust

Your family will be asking for seconds after taking a bite of this creamy seasonal cheesecake.

12 pecan sandie cookies
½ cup salted pecans, roasted
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
2 Tbsp. sugar
¾ tsp. kosher salt, divided
3 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, at room temperature
1 (8 oz) container sour cream, at room temperature
1 cup packed light brown sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 (15 oz) can pure pumpkin purée
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1½ tsp. ground cinnamon
¾ tsp. ground ginger
½ tsp. ground nutmeg

Garnish:
pecan sandie cookies
salted pecans, roasted

To Serve:
whipped cream, sweetened with honey

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) with the rack in the middle position.

Pulse cookies and pecans in a food processor until finely ground, 10-15 times. Add butter, granulated sugar, and ¼ tsp. salt and pulse until well combined, 5-7 times. Press cookie mixture firmly into bottom of a 9" spring form pan.

Bake until edges begin to brown, 10-12 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack. Wrap outside of pan with aluminum foil. Reduce oven temperature to 300°F (150°C).

Beat cream cheese, sour cream, and light brown sugar on medium speed with an electric mixer until blended and smooth, 1-2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until incorporated after each addition. Add pumpkin, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and remaining ½ tsp. salt, beating until just until blended. Pour batter into crust.

Bake until edges are set but center is still wobbly, 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour and 20 minutes. Turn oven off. Let cheesecake stand in oven, with door closed, 1 hour. Remove from oven, and gently run a knife around outer edge of cheesecake to loosen from sides of pan. (Do not remove ring of pan.) Cool completely on a wire rack, at least 1 hour.

Cover and chill, at least 8 hours.

Remove ring and bottom of pan, and transfer cheesecake to a serving plate. Top with whipped cream and garnish with cookies and pecans.

Makes 8 servings.