For the Graham Cracker Crust

Preheat oven to 325° F. Coat a 9″ inch springform cake pan with baking spray and line the bottom with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl with a paddle attachment, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and ground cinnamon. Melt the unsalted butter and slowly pour it into the mixing bowl and combine well.

Press the graham cracker crumbs evenly on the base and the sides of the cake pan. To help create an even layer, try using a measuring cup to gently press the crust into the pan.

Partially bake the crust in the oven for 10 minutes. Then place the cake pan in the freezer.

For the Pecan Pie Filling

Roughly chop the pecans and toast them in the oven at 325° for 5-7 minutes. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl with a paddle attachment, blend together the sugar and all-purpose flour. Then add the corn syrup, and combine well. Slowly add the melted butter and the eggs one at a time.

Fold in the toasted pecans and scrape the bottom of the bowl to make sure the filling is completely mixed well. Remove the cake pan from the freezer and pour the filling into the graham cracker crust.

Cover the cake pan with aluminum foil and bake at 325°F for 25 minutes. Remove the cake pan from the oven and let it cool to room temperature. It's okay if it looks runny, it will set in fridge. Once it's cool, place the cake pan in the refrigerator to let the pecan pie filling completely set. At least 45 minutes.

For the Pumpkin Cheesecake

Keep oven at 325°F.

In a mixing bowl, beat the (room temperature) cream cheese to quickly soften it up. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, and pumpkin pie spice. Then add it into the mixing bowl and combine well with the cream cheese.

Add the vanilla extract and the eggs one at a time. Make sure you scrape the bowl in between additions. Finally, mix in the sour cream and pumpkin puree.

At this time, the batter should be mixed thoroughly and smooth – no lumps. Pour the batter on top of the set pecan pie filling. (If the pecan pie filling collapses when you add the pumpkin cheesecake, it did not set completely).

Bake uncovered for 1 hour and 20 minutes. The cheesecake is perfectly baked when the edges are golden brown, the center is slightly jiggly, and if you touch the top, it is not sticky.

Let the cheesecake rest for 5 minutes in the oven with the door slightly open. This helps prevent the cheesecake from collapsing in the middle. If you think your cheesecake is almost completely baked, you can turn the oven off and leave the cheesecake inside for 5 more minutes.

Remove the cheesecake from the oven and cool completely. Then place the cheesecake in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours.

For the Pecan Caramel

The pecan caramel must be made after the cheesecake has set in the refrigerator for 6 hours.

Roughly chop the pecans and toast them in the oven at 325° for 5-7 minutes. Set aside. Warm up the heavy cream in a microwave or on the stove.

In a stainless steel medium saucepan, make a dry caramel by heating the pan over medium heat. When the saucepan is hot, slowly sprinkle the sugar over the pan. When the sugar crystals start to melt, slowly add more until all of the sugar has dissolved.

When the caramel begins to turn into a golden amber color, whisk in the pieces of unsalted butter a few at a time. Continue to whisk the butter until it is mixed well. Add the salt and vanilla extract.

While whisking, carefully pour the warm heavy cream into the caramel. Once the cream is mixed well, let the caramel come to a low boil for one minute. Turn the heat off and add the chopped, toasted pecan pieces - as needed or the entire 1 cup.

Remove the cheesecake from the springform pan now, before adding the caramel on top. Also, remove the parchment paper.

Let the pecan caramel cool to just room temperature. Then carefully pour a layer on top of the cheesecake. Do not let it completely set or it will be difficult to pour and/or spread over the cheesecake.

Let the Pumpkin Pecan Cheesecake set in the refrigerator for one more hour.

For the Whipped Cream

In a mixing bowl with the whisk attachment, slowly start whisking the heavy cream and powdered sugar together. Gradually increase the speed until the whipped cream has medium peaks.

Pipe the whipped cream along the edges of the cheesecake or decorate as you desire. You can also just serve whipped cream on the side.