October 19, 2020

RECIPE: Mini Pumpkin Cheesecake Bites

Mini Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake Bites


Last year, while I was grocery shopping, I "happened to be" walking past the ice cream aisle and I saw a seasonal flavor of Ben & Jerry's: Pumpkin Cheesecake. Jerry loves cheesecake and pumpkin pie, so I thought it sounded like something he'd like. I bought two pints (because I wanted to try it too, of course!)

IT WAS DELICIOUS. HEAVENLY. I can't even describe it! We loved it so much we went back to the store to get more, and it was sold out--in a single day. We were super bummed, and this year, we've been looking forward to it again. We had a lot of trouble finding some, but eventually found it at Target. It was just as good as I remember. I bought two pints, and then I vowed I'm not buying any more this season.

However, that's what made these little babies pop into my head. Mini Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake Bites! I made them for a Winers get together several years ago. They are perfectly bite-sized for party food, and they taste like pumpkin pie and cheesecake swirled together. I topped each with a tiny squirt of Reddi-wip. 

It makes a HUGE batch--72-ish mini's. You could also make this into one big cheesecake in a spring form pan, or single-serve with regular size muffin pans. (You would have to adjust the baking time.) I used a mini-muffin pan for these and some autumn-themed mini muffin cups.




Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake Bites

4 (8-oz) packages light cream cheese, at room temperature
4 eggs
1 cup white sugar, divided
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 tsp cinnamon (plus some for garnish)
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
cooking spray
Reddi-wip for topping


Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Line a mini muffin tray with the muffin liners, and spray each one with a tiny amount of cooking spray.  Put 1/2 teaspoon of graham cracker crumbs in each liner, and pat down with the back of a spoon or your finger--you don't have to press hard, just press enough to flatten it out. 

In a food processor, combine the cream cheese, 3/4 cup sugar, and vanilla. Add the eggs one by one and process until smooth. Remove 1-1/4 cups of the batter, and then add the rest of the sugar (1/4 cup) to that, mixing well. In the remaining batter, add the pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg and combine until smooth.

To fill the cups: 

Alternate layers in each cup--a tiny bit of pumpkin batter, then the white batter, then one more of the pumpkin, then one more white. This should fill them almost to the top. Using a toothpick, swirl the white batter into the pumpkin batter just enough for it to swirl the colors together--don't mix it.

Put the baking sheet with the cups full of batter into the preheated oven and bake for approximately 12-13 minutes--they will still be soft. As soon as you take them out, use a butter knife to remove them (with the papers still on) from the pan and let them cool. (The tops will sink down a little.)  Refrigerate at least 2-3 hours (until cold) before serving. Using the aerosol can of Reddi-wip, put a tiny dollop on top to fill in the little well that forms. Sprinkle with cinnamon.

These can be frozen--I froze my leftovers and ate one a couple days later, and it was still heavenly, if not more so than the first day! Makes 72 bite-size cheesecakes.

2 comments:

  1. Katie if I was going to make these in a traditional cupcake tin, should I adjust the temp or duration?

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    Replies
    1. I can't really say for sure because I've not made them like that--but I would probably keep the temp the same (or maybe lower to 325) and bake a little longer (maybe 5 minutes?). Sorry I can't be more helpful!

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