Bourbon Pumpkin Cheesecake

Fall is here and that means it's time to bring out all of my fall recipes that I have been saving all year!  I have acquired good stack of recipes using some of my favorite fall ingredients including pumpkin, apples, walnuts and pecans, and am looking forward to finally getting to make some of these yummy creations!  The first recipe that was on my list of things to make was this Bourbon Pumpkin Cheesecake.  As you know, I love using alcohol when I bake and this sounded like a nice alternative to my Pumpkin Spice Latte Cheesecake that I usually make around this time of year.  The cheesecake turned out perfectly and would make an nice ending to a Thanksgiving dinner (yes Thanksgiving is only a month away)!

Ingredients:
Crust
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs (about 5 crackers)
1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Filling
1 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
3 eggs
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 tbsp heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp bourbon
1/2 cup sugar 
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt
24 oz cream cheese, at room temperature

Topping
2 cups sour cream
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp bourbon

Butter bottom and sides of 9" springform pan and set aside.  For the crust, mix together crumbs, pecans, sugars, and butter in bowl until combined.  Press crumb mixture evenly onto bottom of springform pan and 1/2 inch up the side of pan.  Chill crust for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350.  For the filling, whisk together pumpkin, eggs, brown sugar, cream, vanilla, and bourbon in a bowl until combined and set aside.  In a separate bowl, mix together sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt and set aside.  Using an electric mixer, cream the cream cheese until smooth.  Reduce speed and add the pumpkin mixture followed by the dry ingredient mixture and beat until smooth.  Pour filling onto crust, level top using a spatula, then put the springform pan in a shallow baking pan just in case the springform leaks.  Bake until center is set, about 50-60 minutes.  

Make topping while cheesecake is baking by whisking together sour cream, sugar, and bourbon in a bowl.  Once cheesecake is done baking, transfer to a rack and cool for 5 minutes.  Spread topping over cheesecake and bake for an additional 5 minutes.

Cool cheesecake completely in pan on rack for about 3 hours.  Chill cheesecake for at least 4 hours.  Remove sides of pan and bring to room temperature before serving.