perfectly simple pumpkin cheesecake

Ingredients

• Servings: 15
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 8 whole graham crackers
• 1 (15 ounce) can 100% pure pumpkin puree
• 1 3/4 cups dark brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
• 4 large eggs
• 1 1/2 pounds cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 (16 ounce) container sour cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• optional garnish: toasted or candied pecans (optional)

Recipe

• adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees.
• heat butter and sugar in a saucepan until butter melts. meanwhile, line the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with a 12-by-20-inch sheet of foil so it hangs over the long sides of the pan (you'll use this as a 'handle' to pull the cooked dessert from the pan). arrange graham crackers over foil-lined pan bottom, cutting the final few with a knife so they'll fit snugly. pour butter mixture over crackers; spread with knife to cover. bake until butter-sugar mixture starts to harden, about 7 minutes. remove from oven. reduce temperature to 300 degrees.
• as crust bakes, heat pumpkin, 1 1/4 cups brown sugar and spices in a medium pan over medium-high heat until mixture is sputtery hot. process eggs on high speed in a blender. transfer pumpkin to a pourable container. with blender running, slowly add pumpkin mixture; puree until smooth. add cream cheese, one block at a time; puree until smooth. pour mixture over crust; bake until set, about 35 minutes.
• meanwhile, mix sour cream, remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar and vanilla. remove cheesecake from oven. pour sour cream mixture evenly over top; carefully spread so top is completely covered. return to oven. bake to set topping, about 5 minutes longer. cool to room temperature, then refrigerate (can be made up to 2 days ahead).
• to serve, run a knife around the pan perimeter to loosen cake. use foil handles to pull cake from pan. cut into squares (up to 15) and garnish with optional pecans.