Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). If your graham crackers aren't crushed, place them in a large plastic bag, seal, and crush them with a rolling pin or wine bottle until you have fine crumbs. Melt the butter in a small bowl, then add the packed brown sugar and the crushed graham cracker crumbs. Mix everything together to form the crust mixture. Grease four ramekins with extra butter, then evenly distribute the mixture among the ramekins, pressing it firmly into the base of each. Place the ramekins on a baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes, then let the crust cool slightly. I like to press the crust down firmly with the bottom of a small glass to make a nice even layer.

While the crust cools, beat the softened cream cheese in a large stand mixer or with a hand mixer until it becomes light and fluffy—this should take about 3 minutes. Next, add the granulated sugar, light brown sugar, and pumpkin spice blend to the bowl. Beat the ingredients for another minute until well combined. Then, add the sour cream and pumpkin purée, beating for an additional minute. Finally, add the egg and beat on low speed just until it is incorporated, about 30 seconds. For an extra smooth texture, I make sure my cream cheese is fully at room temperature before I start mixing.

Pour the cream cheese batter evenly into the ramekins, spreading the filling over the baked graham cracker crusts. Keep the ramekins on the baking sheet and return them to the oven. Bake for 20 minutes at 350°F (175°C) until the cheesecakes are just set but still slightly jiggly in the center.

Let the cheesecakes cool completely at room temperature in their ramekins. Once they have cooled, transfer them to the refrigerator and chill for at least 2 hours before serving. I always let the cheesecakes chill thoroughly as it helps develop the best texture and flavor.