Crust:
2 cups ginger snap cookies, finely crushed
¼ cup finely chopped pecans
¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
(Mix the above and press into bottom of 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.)
Filling:
27 ounces cream cheese, softened
Sugar, divided into ½ cup and ¼ cup
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Dash of ground cloves
Preheat oven to 350°. Beat cream cheese, ½ cup sugar and vanilla til blended and smooth. Add eggs slowly at low speed til blended. Remove 1 cup plain batter and set aside.
Add ¼ cup of sugar, pumpkin and spices to main batch of cream cheese mixture and blend til smooth. Add half of the pumpkin batter into the crust; top with spoonfuls of half plain batter. Repeat layers; swirl with end of round handled spoon.
Bake in water bath for 45 minutes until center is almost set. Cool completely. Refrigerate for minimum of 4 hours.
