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1
preheat the oven to 375.
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2
For the crust, place the gingersnap crumbs, sugar, butter, and nuts in a small bowl and toss lightly with a fork until well blended.
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3
Press this mixture firmly over the bottom of a 10-inch springform pan. Bake it on the bottom oven rack until golden, 5-7 minutes, Remove it from the oven and cool.
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4
Reduce the oven heat to 300 degrees and place a roasting pan or baking dish filled with hot water on the bottom rack of the oven to create moisture.
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5
For the cake filling, lightly whisk together the pumpkin and spices in a small bowl until blended. Set aside.
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6
Beat the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla in a medium-size mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 30 seconds. Scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula, then beat 30 seconds more.
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7
Add the whole eggs, then the egg yolks, one at a time to the cream cheese on low speed. Blend each egg until incorporated, about 30 seconds. Scrape the bowl after each addition.
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8
Add the pumpkin mixture to the cream cheese batter and blend on medium speed until the mixture is velvety, about 1 minute. Scrape the bowl and beat another minute.
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9
Pour the filling over the crust. Bake the cake on the center oven rack until the top is set and a tester inserted in the center comes out dry, about 1 hour 40 minutes. Turn off the oven and leave the cake in the oven for an additional hour. Remove the cake from the oven, place it carefully on a wire rack, and let cool for several hours.
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10
While the cheesecake is cooling, prepare the topping: Mix the sour cream and sugar together in a small bowl.
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11
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
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12
Spread the sour cream mixture evenly over the surface of the cake with a spatula and sprinkle the chopped pecans on top. Evenly space the pecan halves around the top edge of the cake.
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13
Bake the cheesecake in the oven for 5-7 minutes to set the topping. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and refrigerate before serving.
