Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

1 cup pistachios

2 tablespoons sugar

1 cup gingersnap crumbs (approximately 20 gingersnaps)

5 tablespoons butter, melted

1 lb. fresh deli cream cheese

2/3 cup brown sugar, packed

1 teaspoon orange zest

1/2 cup sour cream

3 eggs

1-1/2 cups canned pumpkin

1-1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

Preheat oven to 325° F.
Place a generous half cup of pistachios in food processor bowl with sugar. Use metal blade and process until very finely chopped. Pour into a large bowl; add gingersnap crumbs and mix. Pour in the butter and stir well to combine.
Press into the bottom of an 8-1/2" square baking pan to form a crust. Bake 10 minutes; set aside to cool.
In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and brown sugar with orange zest until well blended. Beat in sour cream and the eggs, one at a time, until mixture is light and fluffy. Do not overbeat the eggs as this could cause the cheesecake to crack when baking. Beat in pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice until blended.
Pour pumpkin cheese mixture into crust. Bake in the middle of the preheated oven for 45 minutes or until filling is set. Don’t overbake or the cheesecake is liable to crack. Let cool on a rack. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Garnish with chopped pistachios, or whipped cream, for serving.