Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a deep dish 9" pie plate generously with butter or cooking spray. It is essential to use a deep dish pie plate as there is a large amount of filling!

Melt the butter in a medium bowl in the microwave. Add the graham cracker crumbs, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and sea salt and stir until well coated with the butter. Do not add salt if using salted butter.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pie plate and distribute evenly over the bottom. Press the crumbs evenly over the bottom working from the center toward the edges and up the sides. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from heat and cool on a wire rack.

Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees. Beat the softened cream cheese in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes, then scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber scraper. Add the pumpkin puree, sugar, sour cream, cornstarch and pumpkin pie spice and beat until incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Pour the filling into the prepared graham cracker crust and bake at 325 degrees for 45-50 minutes, or until the filling is set and slightly wobbly in the center. All oven temperatures vary, so begin checking for doneness after 40 minutes and go from there. Cover the crust with a pie shield as if it browns too quickly to prevent it from burning.

Remove from heat and allow the pumpkin cheesecake pie to cool at room temperature for 1 hour, then place in the refrigerator to chill completely.

Serve topped with homemade whipped cream or pipe with stabilized whipped cream in advance. Dust with additional pumpkin pie spice if desired, serve and enjoy!

Serve topped with homemade whipped cream or pipe with stabilized whipped cream in advance. Dust with additional pumpkin pie spice if desired, serve and enjoy!