Preheat the oven to 350°F with a rack positioned in the center.

Wrap the outside of a 9 inch springform pan securely with heavy duty aluminum foil to prevent water from seeping into the pan during the water bath.

Combine the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Press the mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared springform pan.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 300°F.

Place a large roasting pan in the oven and carefully add about ½ inch of hot water.

Beat the room temperature cream cheese until smooth and creamy.

Add the granulated sugar, sour cream, pumpkin puree, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Mix until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Add the eggs one at a time, mixing on low speed just until each egg is incorporated. Avoid overmixing once the eggs have been added.

Pour the pumpkin cheesecake filling over the baked crust and smooth the top.

Carefully place the springform pan into the prepared water bath.

Bake for 60 minutes, then gently check the cheesecake. The outer 1 to 2 inches should look set while the center should still have a noticeable jiggle.

If the cheesecake is still very loose across the entire surface, continue baking for another 10 to 20 minutes.

Once the edges are set and the center still jiggles slightly, turn off the oven. Leave the cheesecake inside the turned off oven for 1 hour.

Remove the cheesecake from the water bath and let it cool at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours.

Refrigerate for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight.

Once completely chilled, run a thin knife around the outside edge before releasing the springform pan.

Add the butter and brown sugar to a saucepan over medium heat.

Bring the mixture to a boil and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring as needed, until the bubbles become thick and the mixture begins to look syrupy.

Remove from the heat. Carefully stir in the cinnamon, salt, heavy cream, and toasted pecans.

Allow the caramel pecan topping to cool until slightly warm and thickened before spooning it over the chilled cheesecake.

Beat the heavy cream until soft peaks begin to form. Add the sugar and continue whipping until firm peaks form.

Spoon the caramel pecan topping over the cheesecake. Pipe or spoon the whipped cream around the top, or serve each slice with a dollop of whipped cream.

Slice and serve chilled.