Crust
1 ¼ cups gingersnap crumbs
¼ cup brown sugar
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
5 Tbsp. butter, melted
Filling
4 (8 oz.) pkgs. cream cheese, softened
1 ½ cups brown sugar
¼ cup flour
5 eggs
1 (1 lb.) can pumpkin
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
½ tsp. salt
½ cup brown sugar
¼ tsp. pumpkin pie spice
3 Tbsp. butter
¾ cup chopped pecans
Toppings
sweetened whipped cream
pecan halves
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Combine first 4 ingredients, press firmly into bottom of butter 10 inch springform pan. Cut a sheet of foil 15 inches long; set pain in center and crush foil up sides, to prevent butter in crust from leaking. Bake in a 350o oven 10 minutes, cool. Beat cream cheese, 1 ½ cups brown sugar and flour until smooth and fluffy. Beat in eggs, pumpkin, 2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice and salt until blended. Pour into prepared crust. Bake in a 350o oven until center is nearly set (center jiggles slightly when shaken), (60-70 minutes). Combine ½ cup brown sugar, ¼ tsp. pumpkin pie spice, 3 Tbsp. butter until consistency of coarse crumbs. Stir in pecans. Remove cheesecake from oven, carefully sprinkle praline topping evenly over surface. Return to oven, bake until topping is lightly browned and cheesecake is set (15-20 minutes). Cool. Refigerate, covered several hours or overnight.
To serve: Run a thin knife around edge of pan, remove side. Place on serving platter. Garnish with whipped cream and pecan halves. Cut into wedges.
Makes 12-16 servings.