Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cheesecake

• Ready In: 1 hr 20 mins
• Serves: 10-12

Ingredients

• 1  cup  vanilla wafer crumbs (about 30 wafers)
• 1⁄4 cup  cocoa
• 1⁄4 cup powdered sugar
• 1⁄4 cup butter (1/2 stick) or 1⁄4 cup margarine, melted (1/2 stick)
• 3  packages cream cheese, softened (8 oz. each)
• 1  cup granulated sugar
• 3  tablespoons flour
• 1  teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, ground
• 1  cup canned pumpkin
• 4  eggs
• 1 1⁄2 cups  mini chocolate chips
•  semi-sweet chocolate leaves (optional)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350'F.
2. In medium bowl, combine crumbs, cocoa and powdered sugar; stir in butter.
3. Press mixture onto bottom and 1/2 inch up side of 9-inch springform pan.
4. Bake 8 minutes; cool slightly.
5. increase oven temperature to 400 F.
6. In large mixer bowl, beat cream cheese, granulated sugar; flour and pumpkin pie spice until well blended.
7. Add pumpkin and eggs; beat until well blended.
8. Stir in small chocolate chips; pour into prepared Crust. Bake 10 minutes.
9. Reduce oven temperature to 250 F; continue baking 50 minutes.
10. Remove from oven to cooling rack; loosen cake from rim of pan.
11. Cool completely; remove rim.
12. Refrigerate. Garnish with chocolate leaves, if desired.
13. Cover; refrigerate leftovers.