This recipe was introduced to me in an eight week cooking class that took place in the home of one of my neighbors, Dorothy Salkin. I was 7 months pregnant with Serena at the time, and newly translplanted to Los Angeles. Dorothy introduced me to a plethora of fabulous recipes, some of which have already been featured on the blog. I loved this recipe for Pumpkin Cheesecake and thought I would recreate it for our family's Thanksgiving day dessert. It is fabulously delicious and easy to prepare!

Note: This cake must be chilled overnight.

Crust

1 ½ cups vanilla wafer cookie crumbs*
¾ cup ground pecans
¼ cup unsalted melted margarine
2 tablespoons brown sugar

Filling

3 8-ounce packages cream cheese at room temperature*
1 ½ cups canned pumpkin
1 ½ cups golden brown sugar
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 tablespoon vanilla
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
3 large eggs
½ cups chopped pecans (to be used for garnish at serving time)
* for a reduced fat/calorie version, use reduce fat cream cheese and vanilla wafers

For Crust: Preheat oven to 350.

Directions

Combine all ingredients in medium bowl and still till moist clumps form.
Press mixture onto bottom and 1 inch up sides of 9-inch diameter springform pan with 2 ¾ inch high sides.
Refrigerate crust while preparing filling .
For Filling: Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese in large bowl till smooth.
Add pumpkin, brown sugar, pumpking pie spice, vanilla and cloves and beat until well blended.
Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating till just blended after each additon.
Pour batter into crust (vatter will extend above top of crust).
Bake cheesecake unitl top is golden and center is softly set, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Transfer pan to rack. Cool completely. Cover and chill overnight.
To serve, use a small knife and cut around sides of pan to loosen cake. Remove pan sides.