For The Crust

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 9inch springform pan.

In food processor fitted with metal blade, pulse pecans with sugar until finely ground. In a bowl combine pecan mixture with graham cracker crumbs and cinnamon if using. Drizzle butter over mixture and toss with a fork until moist. Dumb into springform pan and press crumb mixture onto bottom and up sides of pan.

Bake 8-10 minutes or until edges are lightly golden and bottom is set. Let cool on wire rack, wrap outside of pan with heavy duty aluminum foil.

Lower oven to 325°F

For The Filling

In a large bowl beat cream cheese on medium/high speed until fluffy. Gradually add sugar and beat until smooth, scraping down the sides of bowl as you do. Lower speed to medium and add sour cream, pumpkin, vanilla and pumpkin pie spice. Beat in eggs, one at a time until just incorporated.

Set springform pan in large roasting pan in center of oven. Pour cream cheese mixture over crust. Fill roasting pan with enough hot water to reach halfway up sides of springform pan.

Bake for 65-75 minutes, or until center is almost set but still slightly jiggly ( my cousin calls this a firm jiggle). Turn off oven and let cool in roasting pan for 15-20 minutes. Remove roasting pan from oven, do this carefully so as not to splash water. Remove foil, leave cheesecake in the oven and close door to continue cooling process.

Once warm/room temp, remove from oven and cool on wire rack. When cool put in fridge.

Cool in fridge for 8 hours or overnight. Remove sides of pan and garnish with pecans (shown) or pecan brittle.

Enjoy!!!!

Pecan Brittle Optional Topping

Line baking sheet with wax paper. In heavy duty saucepan bring sugar and water to a boil over medium/high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Boil 5-7 minutes or until syrup is slightly amber. Working quickly, remove from heat and stir in pecans to coat. Immediately pour onto baking sheet, spreading with spatula. Cool 20 minutes, remove wax paper and break brittle into small pieces.