Pumpkin Pecan Pie Cheesecake

Graham Cracker Crust:

2 cups graham cracker crumbs  

1/2 cup granulated sugar  

1/2 cup Hiland Butter, melted

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Filling:

1 Field’s Pecan Pie, thawed

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

½ cup granulated sugar

½ teaspoon Griffin’s vanilla

2 eggs

¾ cup pumpkin puree (about ½ of a 15-ounce can)

To make crust, stir together graham cracker crumbs, sugar, butter and cinnamon; press mixture onto bottom and up sides of a 9-inch spring form pan. Bake in a preheated 325-degree oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Cut Field’s pie into eight pieces. Place five pieces of pecan pie on top of the graham cracker crust, placing them with space in between each piece, and with narrow ends pointing toward middle.

To make filling, beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla at medium speed until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Add pumpkin, beating until blended. Pour batter into pan, covering the crust and the slices of pecan pie.

Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour or until almost set. (Cheesecake should not be jiggly, but can have a slight movement in the center.) Turn off oven. Let cheesecake stand in oven, with door closed, 15 minutes. Remove cheesecake from oven, and run a knife around edge of cheesecake to gently loosen from sides of pan. Do not remove sides of pan. Cool completely on a wire rack. Cover and chill 8 hours to overnight. Remove cheesecake from pan. Serve with Hiland Whipped Cream or Hiland Vanilla Ice Cream.