Brownie Bottom Pumpkin Cheesecake

1 . Stage

Preheat oven to 350º and grease a 9” springform pan with baking spray. Make brownies: In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt until combined.

2 . Stage

In a large microwave safe bowl, combine the butter and chocolate chips, microwave until just melted, about 1 ½ minutes. Whisk until smooth. Whisk in the granulated and brown sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking to fully combine before adding the next. Whisk in the vanilla. Fold in the dry ingredients.

3 . Stage

Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake until brownie is set and a toothpick comes out clean, about 45 minutes. While brownie is still warm, use a spoon to press the brownie down and compact into an even crust that comes halfway up the pan. Let cool completely on a wire rack.

4 . Stage

While the crust cools, make the cheesecake filling: Preheat oven to 325º. In a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well between each addition. Beat in pumpkin puree, sour cream, flour, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, and salt until evenly combined.

5 . Stage

Wrap bottom of pan in aluminum foil, then pour cheesecake mixture over brownie crust and place in a deep roasting pan.

6 . Stage

Transfer to the oven, then pour in enough boiling water to come up halfway in the pan. Bake until the center of the cheesecake only slightly jiggles, about 55 minutes. Turn off heat, prop open oven door, and let cheesecake cool in oven, 1 hour, then remove aluminum foil and refrigerate cheesecake in pan until firm, at least 5 hours and up to overnight.

7 . Stage

Drizzle with caramel, dollop outer rim with whipped cream. Sprinkle whipped cream with more pumpkin pie spice.