This recipe can be made up to two days ahead of serving. Keep refrigerated.

Crust: 

⅓ cup unsalted butter, melted
2 cup finely chopped pecans

Filling:

2 cups cooked mashed pumpkin
1 pound cream cheese, room temperature
⅔ cup sugar
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For Crust:

Preheat oven to 350°. In a small saucepan, melt butter. In a medium bowl, mix pecans and melted butter. Press mixture onto bottom and 1½" up sides of 9" diameter springform pan.

Bake crust until set, about 8 minutes. Remove from oven and cool in pan on a rack, while maintaining oven temperature. You do not need to let the crust cool completely before adding the filling.

For Filling:

Puree pumpkin in a food processor, or mash completely. In a large bowl, beat pumpkin, cream cheese and sugar until blended. It’s ok to have some white streaks in the batter.

Blend in the cinnamon and nutmeg. Add the eggs, beating well and scraping down sides of bowl. Add vanilla extract, and blend in.

Place pumpkin filling in the crust. Bake until filling is set, about 50 minutes. Cool, then refrigerate overnight. Using a small, sharp knife, cut around cake, and then release pan sides. Cut into wedges, and serve cold.