Servings: 10 to 12

Crust: subheading: Crust:
1½ c. Almond Flour 1½ c. Almond Flour
2 t. Coconut Sugar 2 t. Coconut Sugar
3 T. butter or Ghee, melted 3 T. butter or Ghee, melted
Filling: subheading: Filling:
3 8 oz. pkg. full fat cream cheese, softened 3 8 oz. pkg. full fat cream cheese, softened
1 15 oz. can Pumpkin 1 15 oz. can Pumpkin
1¼ c. Sugar 1¼ c. Sugar
1 T. Cinnamon 1 T. Cinnamon
1 t. Ginger 1 t. Ginger
¼ t. Cloves ¼ t. Cloves
1 t. Vanilla 1 t. Vanilla
4 eggs 4 eggs
1 c. mini Chocolate Chips - divided 1 c. mini Chocolate Chips - divided
Whipped Cream for topping Whipped Cream for topping
OR: subheading: OR:
1 c. regular size Chocolate Chips for Spiders/Web - optional 1 c. regular size Chocolate Chips for Spiders/Web - optional

Using a 9" Springform pan as a guide cut 2 pieces of foil the width of your pan, plus the height of the sides. Fold the two pieces together by folding the long sides down 1". Fold the fold down again another 1". Crease it well and open it up. You should have one very large piece of foil. Set aside.
Grease the 9" springform pan. Turn on the oven to 325. Get out a roasting pan that is large enough for the springform pan to fit into. Set both aside. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Enough water to fill the roasting pan half way up the sides of the springform pan when it is in it. When water boils, turn to simmer.
In a small bowl, combine the Crust ingredients with a fork. Press into the bottom only of the springform pan. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove and cool.
Meanwhile add the pumpkin, sugar and spices to a medium saucepan and cook on medium until it begins to bubble, stirring frequently so as to not burn. When bubbles form or it is very hot and sugar has fully melted, turn heat to medium low and cook for 5 minutes more. Remove from heat.
In a large bowl, add the cream cheese in chunks and with a hand mixer beat on medium until smooth. Add 2 eggs, beat until just incorporated. Add the other 2 eggs and the vanilla and again beat just until incorporated.
Place the cooled springform pan onto the center of the large open piece of foil and tightly wrap it around the pan to make it waterproof. Wrap it so that the foil comes up the sides of the pan. You can fold down any that hangs past the top, but make sure it isn't torn. Place the springform pan into the roasting pan.
Pour the pumpkin mixture into the bowl and beat on medium just until everything is combined. Add ¾ cup of the mini chocolate chips and stir in by hand.
Pour the mixture on top of the cooled crust in the wrapped springform pan and smooth the top. Carefully and slowly pour hot water into the roasting pan until it reaches half way up the sides of the springform pan.
Carefully place the roasting pan containing the water and springform pan into the oven and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Remove the roasting pan from the oven and set on the counter to cool for 45 minutes. Do not remove the springform pan from the water until the 45 minutes are up. This prevents the top from cracking and keeps it smooth.
After 45 minutes, remove the springform pan from the water and carefully run a knife around the sides of the pan to loosen the cake from the pan. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
When cool, cover loosely and place in the refrigerator, overnight or at least for several hours.
Loosen sides of pan and remove. Don't worry if the crust seems a little wet.
Load the whipped cream into a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip, or into a large zip lock bag and cut one corner off. Squeeze the whipped cream into dollops along the top outside edge of the Cheesecake and in the very center of the cake. Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup of mini chocolate chips on top of the whipped cream.
For a Halloween topping: Melt the 1 cup of chocolate chips and place in a pastry bag fitted with a small standard hole. Draw a spider web onto the top of the cake with the chocolate (draw on paper first and practice). Place the cake back in the refrigerator to set. While the web is setting, draw out chocolate spiders onto wax paper laying on top of a baking sheet. Place them into the refrigerator to set.
Within 2 to 3 hours of serving, place the whipped cream around the edge of the cake as above. Gently remove the chocolate spiders from the paper and place on top of the whipped cream.