Perfect for a chilly afternoon, a cup of coffee, a blanket and a book, these simple pumpkin cheesecakes are a cozy way to usher in the season. AND, there are plenty to share!
I'm not sure what I like more about this delicious treat: the yummy crust or the filling! Sometimes the pumpkin flavor is hiding in a traditional "pumpkin cheesecake." Not the case with this recipe. There's plenty of pumpkin goodness in these things.
This is another classic example of using what I had on hand to avoid masking up to go to the grocery store. I only had one package of cream cheese, so I adjusted the amount of pumpkin accordingly, amped up the flavor in the crust and the results were a pleasant surprise. You'll definitely want to give these a try.
Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes
Ingredients
Crust:
1 sleeve of graham crackers (10 crackers)
1/2 c. pecans
4 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 Tbsp. granulated sugar
Filling:
8oz. cream cheese, room temp.
2 Tbsp. sour cream
½ c. pumpkin puree
1 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
2 eggs, room temp
¾ c. light brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
Method
Preheat oven to 350⁰F. Spray six mini tart pans with cooking spray and set aside.
Combine graham crackers, pecans and sugar in bowl of food processor. Pulse several times. With machine running, drizzle melted butter in top feeder tube. Let run until mixture resembles fine crumb.
Divide mixture evenly in each mini tart pan. A large ice cream scoop works great for this. I just used the back of the scoop to press crumbs on bottom and sides of pan. Set aside.
In large bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, combine pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, and flour. Mix on medium speed until well combined, making sure to scrape down sides of bowl as needed.
In separate medium bowl, combine cream cheese and sour cream. Beat with hand-held mixer on medium speed until creamy.
Combine cream cheese mixture with pumpkin mixture in bowl of stand mixer and mix well on low to medium speed until well incorporated.
Pour an even amount into each mini tart pan and place in preheated oven. Bake at 350⁰F for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Store in refrigerator.
(Note: for an extra bit of YUM, combine about 1 c. of heavy cream with 2-3 tsp. Gran Marnier liqueur and 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar in bowl. Beat well until cream thickens. Add desired amount on each cheesecake). Enjoy!
Click HERE for printable recipe.
