Preheat oven to 350°F. Line the sides of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper. Grease the sides and bottom of the pan and set aside.
To make the crust, place gingersnap cookies, pecans, and salt into the bowl of a food processor. Process until fine crumbs. Mix in melted butter until the crumbs are moistened. Evenly press the mixture into the bottom and sides of the prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes.
Remove from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 325°F. Place a large roasting pan in the bottom rack of your oven. Boil about 6 cups of water and carefully place water in the roasting pan.
Pumpkin Cheesecake
To make the cheesecake, add the cream cheese and sugars to a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until smooth and creamy, about 3-5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the pumpkin puree and mix on low for another minute.
Add the flour, spices, and salt and mix on low to combine.
Add the eggs and egg yolk one at a time, mixing on low speed, scraping down the bowl before each addition. Mix in vanilla extract.
Finally, stir in the sour cream with a large rubber spatula until completely incorporated.
Pour the cheesecake batter into the baked crust. Smooth out the top and give it a couple of bangs on the counter to remove any air bubbles. Place the cheesecake in the middle rack, directly above the roasting pan of water. Quickly close the oven door and bake for 1 hour 10 minutes–1 hour 20 minutes. The cheesecake will be done when there is a slight jiggle when you gently shake the pan.
Turn the oven off and leave the door ajar. Let the cheesecake cool in the oven for 1 hour to set, then cool on the counter for 30 minutes.
Refrigerate the cheesecake for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight. Once the cheesecake has completely set, carefully remove from the springform pan and transfer to a serving plate. Top with caramel sauce and whipped cream! Store any leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Salted Caramel Sauce
To make the salted caramel, heat the sugar in a heavy bottom saucepan over medium heat. Once the sugar begins to melt, whisk the sugar to get rid of any clumps. After about 10 minutes, the sugar should be completely melted and an amber color. Remove the saucepan from heat and immediately whisk in the butter and cream. Stir in the salt. Pour the mixture through a sieve into a heatproof bowl to remove any lumps of sugar. Set aside to cool completely.
Whipped Cream
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or in a bowl using a hand mixer, whip the cream until soft peaks form. Beat in powdered sugar. Make sure not to over-beat the cream.
Notes
Make the caramel in advance. The caramel must be completely cool before topping the cheesecake. You can make the caramel up to three days in advance and store it in an airtight container in the fridge until you’re ready to serve the pumpkin cheesecake.
Storing leftover cheesecake: To store any leftover pumpkin cheesecake, cover it with plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container. The cheesecake can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Cheesecake freezes well and can be kept in the freezer for up to 3 months.