Shelly's Recipe

Spiced Pumpkin Cheesecake

Category: Cheesecake

38 Ginger Snaps, finely crushed (about 1-1/2 cups)
1/4 cup finely chopped Pecans
1/4 cup butter, melted
4 pkg. (8 oz. each) Cream Cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin
1 Tbsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. vanilla
4 eggs

HEAT oven to 325.

MIX crumbs, nuts and butter; press onto bottom and 1 inch up side of 9-inch springform pan.

BEAT cream cheese and sugar in large bowl with mixer until blended. Add pumpkin, spice and vanilla; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended. Pour into crust.

BAKE 1 hour 20 min. to 1 hour 30 min. or until center is almost set. Loosen cake from rim of pan; cool before removing rim. Refrigerate cheesecake 4 hours.

Garnish with Pecan Halves and a light sprinkling of ground nutmeg just before serving.