Pumpkin Cheesecake

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 9" Springform pan with parchment paper. Wrap a large piece of tin foil around the bottom and part way up the sides of the pan.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together graham crumbs and melted butter. Press into the prepared pan and about 1 inch up the sides. Bake for 10 minutes or until no longer moist.*
3. Remove crust from the oven and reduce the oven heat to 275°F.
4. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth.
5. Add sugar and beat until combined.
6. Add pumpkin and beat until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
7. Add sour cream, eggs, vanilla, and pumpkin pie spice and beat on low until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary. Don't incorporate too much air into the cheesecake.
8. Pour into prepared crust and smooth the top.
9. Bake at 275°F for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes, or until the outer 2 inches are set but the center is still slightly jiggly (you will be able to see when you look at it - the center will be slightly glossy except for the outer two inches).
10. Turn off the oven and let cheesecake sit in the warm oven for 1 hour.
11. Remove from the oven and carefully run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the cheesecake. Let cool to room temperature before chilling in the fridge overnight or at least 8 hours, then remove from the pan and serve with whipped cream.