Pumpkin Cheesecake With Bourbon-Butter Sauce

This is the best pumpkin cheesecake I have ever had. The bourbon can be substituted for vanilla. Takes a little work but you can make it ahead so that you don't have to worry about it on Thanksgiving. A Must Try!!!!!!

• Ready In: 1 hr 45 mins
• Serves: 12

Ingredients

• Crust

• 1 1⁄2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1⁄4 cup sugar
• 1  tablespoon orange zest
• 1  teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1⁄3 cup unsalted butter, melted

• Filling

• 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1  cup sugar
• 3  eggs
• 1⁄2 cup sour cream
• 1 1⁄2 cups  canned pure pumpkin
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• Sauce

• 1⁄2 cup unsalted butter
• 1  cup  packed brown sugar
• 1⁄2 cup  whipping cream
• 2  tablespoons Bourbon or 1  tablespoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Spray bottom of 9-inch spring form pan with non-stick cooking spray (do not spray sides).
3. Wrap outside of pan with heavy duty aluminum foil.
4. In medium bowl stir together graham cracker, 1/4 cup sugar, orange peel and 1 teaspoon nutmeg.
5. Add 1/3 cup melted butter; stir until crumbs are well moistened.
6. Press mixture evenly over bottom and 1/2 inch up sides of spring form pan.
7. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown.
8. In large bowl beat cream cheese at medium-low speed until smooth.
9. Beat in 1 cup sugar until smooth.
10. Add eggs one at a time, beating just until combined.
11. Beat in sour cream, pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger, salt and nutmeg.
12. (Do not overbeat) Pour into spring form pan.
13. Place spring form pan in large shallow roasting pan or broiler pan.
14. Fill roasting pan with enough water to come to 1/2 inch up sides of spring form pan.
15. Bake 65 minutes or until edges are puffed and top looks dull and is dry to touch.
16. Center should be less set than edges and will move when pan is tapped.
17. It should ripple as if liquid.
18. Remove from oven; remove from water bath.
19. Cool completely on wire rack.
20. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.
21. To make sauce, melt 1/2 cup butter in medium saucepan over medium heat.
22. Whisk in brown sugar until mixture is smooth.
23. Whisk in cream and bourbon; bring to a boil.
24. Pour into medium bowl; cool completely.
25. Serve with cheesecake.
26. Refrigerate leftovers.