Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix graham cracker crumbs, melted butter and sugar together, just till coated and crumbly. Press onto the bottom and 2/3 up the sides of an 8” springform pan. Bake for about 5 minutes at 350F. Set aside.

Combine cream cheese, sugar and vanilla extract in a large bowl; mix until smooth with an electric mixer. Add pumpkin, eggs, and spices; beat just till smooth and creamy. Do not over-mix. Too much air in the batter can give you bad results.

Pour filling into the crust.

Bake for 60 to 70 minutes or till the top turns a bit darker. Cake will still be wobbly in the center. Remove from the oven and run a sharp knife along the edges of the pan to allow the cake to pull in without cracking. Allow to come to room temperature, then refrigerate (preferably overnight). After it has thoroughly chilled, remove the pan sides and cut. Serve with whipped cream.

(Pumpkin pie spice, if you can’t find any, or already have these spices in the pantry, can be recreated with 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, and 1/4 teaspoon allspice.)