Mini Peppermint Cheesecakes

It's been a while since I've used my mini cheesecake pan. I meant to use it for Thanksgiving but never got around to it. That tends to happen a lot around here lately. I wonder why ;) Ok, I do know why- it's because we have an adorable almost 3 month old that loves attention and being held! Most days when I try to make something he'll sit happily in his bouncer or sleep in the Bjorn while I scurry around like a mad woman. He's so sweet and patient... and very observant. Other days he demands my full attention and wants to play elsewhere, which I am perfectly ok with! This past Tuesday he was content just hanging out in the kitchen so I got to work. I started by making an Oreo crust for the base, then a standard sour cream cheesecake for the filling. Then I added peppermint extract and a heaping scoop of peppermint baking chips and mini semisweet chocolate chips to give these their flavor. For the finishing touch I piped on homemade whipped cream and topped them with Candy Cane Kisses. They were perfect- a triple threat of sorts! Creamy, chocolatey and pepperminty. So very good!!!

Mini Peppermint Cheesecakes

Ingredients

Oreo Crust:

14 Oreo cookie halves (or 7 cookies with the filling removed)

1½ tbsp. melted butter

1½ tsp. sugar

Pinch of salt

Peppermint Cheesecake:

2 tbsp. all-purpose flour

¼ c. sugar

1 (8 oz) package original cream cheese, room temperature

¼ c. sour cream, room temperature

¼ c. heavy whipping cream, room temperature

1 egg

½ tsp. vanilla extract

½ tsp. peppermint extract

pinch of salt

⅓ c. Andes peppermint baking chips

⅓ c. mini semisweet chocolate chips

Whipped Cream:

2 tbsp. powdered sugar

½ c. heavy whipping cream, chilled

¹⁄₈ tsp. vanilla extract

pinch of salt

12 Candy Cane Kisses for garnish (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350℉. Spray mini cheesecake pan* generously with baking spray.

2. In the bowl of a food processor, grind all ingredients for crust, except for the melted butter. The mixture should resemble slightly coarse crumbs. Remove mixture and pour melted butter over. Mix until crumbs are wet. Press evenly into the bottom of each hole. Place in oven and bake for 8 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together sugar, cream cheese, sour cream, salt, vanilla, and peppermint extract until smooth (about 2 minutes). Add vanilla, heavy cream, mix, then add the egg and mix until incorporated. Add flour and mix until just combined. Remove bowl from stand and fold in peppermint & chocolate chips. Pour mixture into cooled crusts, dividing evenly.

4. Place cheesecakes in oven and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 30 minutes before covering and placing in the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours (note: the cheesecakes will sink a little, this is normal).

5. To make the whipped cream, in the bowl of a stand mixer (preferably chilled) fitted with the whisk attachment, beat together all ingredients for approximately 2 minutes- cover and chill until needed.

6. To assemble, remove cheesecakes from pan and remove bottom plates. Pipe with whipped cream and top with kisses. Serve immediately!

NOTE: Although I've never tried making these in a cupcake tin, my recommendation would be to line the pan, double the crust and filling, and increase the bake time to 25-30 minutes (just wiggle the pan to be sure they are set before removing them from the oven).

Life Made Simple Original Recipe | Makes 12 mini cheesecakes *using the Chicago Metallic Pan

Blueberry Crumble Cheesecake Bars

I love baking with fresh blueberries, don't you? They undergo a magical transformation when exposed to heat that makes them turn that beautiful color and burst on impact. The other day I knew I wanted to bake something for National Cheesecake Day, I mean, I'm kind of obsessed with cheesecake. Instead of doing something with chocolate or candies, I decided to use the fresh blueberries I had in my refrigerator. Stephen loves blueberry truffles so I figured he'd really enjoy these bars. I started off with a traditional graham cracker crust, then filled it with a vanilla cheesecake, topped it with those delicious berries and then cover it with a layer of sugary buttery crumble. Perfection! These bars scream summer to me! I think they'd be great with mixed berries or even peaches too! I know we'll be eating a few of these to celebrate, how about you?! For more cheesecake inspiration, click here!

Blueberry Crumble Cheesecake Bars
Filling ingredients
12 oz. cream cheese
½ c. sour cream
½ c. sugar
2 eggs
½ tsp. salt
1½ tsp. vanilla or vanilla bean paste

Blueberries:
2 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 c. fresh blueberries, rinsed and patted dry

Graham cracker crust:
10 graham crackers, finely crushed
3 tbsp. sugar
4 tbsp. (½ stick) butter, melted

Crumble topping:
1 c. all-purpose flour
¼ c. brown sugar
¼ c. sugar
7 tbsp. butter, cold

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line an 8x8 square baking pan* with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on at least 2 sides for easy removal.
2. In a medium size mixing bowl combine crust ingredients, then spread into prepared pan, creating an even layer. I pressed mine flat with the bottom, of a measuring cup. Place in oven and bake for 10 minutes. Remove and allow to cool while preparing the remaining components.
3. In a small mixing bowl, combine all blueberry ingredients, toss gently to combine, set aside.
4. In a medium size mixing bowl, combine all ingredients for crumble topping. Cut the butter in with a pastry blender until the mixture is coarse, set aside.
5. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together cream cheese, sour cream and sugar until smooth. NOTE: it's really important that the cream cheese, sour cream and eggs are at room temperature, otherwise you'll end up with a clumpy batter! With mixing speed on low, add vanilla, salt and one egg. Mix until combined, then add the remaining egg, mixing until incorporated.
6. Pour the cheesecake batter over the baked (and slightly cool) crust. Spread evenly with a spatula. Carefully place blueberry mixture over top, evenly covering the cheesecake. Finally, top with crumble. Place in oven and bake for 40-45 minutes or until the cheesecake has set and the crumble is lightly golden brown in color. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 1½ hours or until it reaches room temperature. Place in refrigerator and chill for at least 4 hours before removing, cutting and serving.
NOTE: *The pan will be completely full almost to the top, so make sure it's 2" in height! Also, this can be baked in a 9" round cheesecake pan... although the baking time may vary and the result will be a thinner cheesecake. I have not yet tried this, so I can't give exact time amounts.
Adapted from Tyler Florence, Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Bars | Makes approximately 12 bars

GIVEAWAY: Mini Cheesecake Pan

Ahh! I can't believe we've reached 1,000+ fans on Facebook!!!
In celebration I'd like to give one lucky reader one of my favorite pans- the Chicago Metallic® 12 Cup Mini Cheesecake Pan. In case you don't know... I'm kind of obsessed with miniature cheesecakes! I've made Mini Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecakes,  Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes with Gingersnap Crusts, Mini Eggnog Cheesecakes, and Mini Coconut Lime Cheesecakes. They've all turned out beautifully thanks to this pan!

If you were to win, what kind of miniature cheesecakes would you bake up?

Just follow the guidelines below and check back on Monday, May 20th to see who won!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Oreo Cheesecake Topped Brownies

The other day I reached for a bag of pretzels and knocked the package of Oreos off the shelf. I was watching it in slow motion as it tumbled to the floor. I knew they were crushed, no longer any good for dipping in milk. Lucky for me there was only one row left, so I told Stephen I'd figure out a way to use them. It wasn't until yesterday that the idea hit me- Oreo Cheesecake Topped Brownies. Stephen and I both really loved the Cookie Dough Cheesecake Brownies I made a while back, so it seemed like the perfect solution. Plus he could still guzzle down a glass of milk with them! I quickly got to work and within an hour I had these gorgeous chewy and creamy bars. I chilled them for a few more hours to let the cheesecake set up and after dinner we devoured them. They were a huge hit and I don't even feel bad about dropping those Oreos :) In the words of Bob Ross, they were a "happy little accident!"

Oreo Cheesecake Topped Brownies
Ingredients
½ c. all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
4 oz semi-sweet chocolate, melted (use a Ghirardelli baking bar!)
¾ c. sugar
6 tbsp. (¾ stick) butter
2 eggs
¼ tsp. salt
¹⁄₈ tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla
½ c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Cheesecake layer:
¼ c. sugar
1 (8 oz) package regular cream cheese, softened
1 egg
¼ tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
8 Oreo cookies, chopped coarsely

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8x8 baking pan with foil so that there is enough to pull the brownies out once they are done. Butter or spray lightly with baking spray. Set aside.
2. Over a double broiler, melt butter, sugar and chocolate. Whisk until smooth. Let mixture cool on counter for 5 minutes. Pour into the bowl of a stand mixer. Add vanilla and one egg, mix, then add the other egg, mix until incorporated.
3. In a small mixing bowl whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. With mixing speed on low, gradually add the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. Remove bowl from stand and fold in chocolate chips. Set aside.
4. For the cheesecake batter, in a medium size mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar, salt and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Add egg, then mix until just combined. Gently fold in chopped Oreos.
5. To assemble, pour the brownie batter into the prepared pan. Place in oven and bake for 10 minutes. Remove and carefully pour the cheesecake batter on top, gently spread to create an even layer. (to create the look above, place additional crushed Oreos on top of the batter) Place in oven and bake for an additional 30-35 minutes or until the cheesecake is set and is slightly golden brown around the edges.
6. Remove from oven and let cool in pan for 45 minutes before chilling in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours. When ready to serve, remove from pan using the foil overhang. Peel foil from brownies, cut and serve.
Adapted from Ready For Dessert, Brownies | Makes approximately 9 large brownies or 12 standard size brownies

Mini Coconut Lime Cheesecakes

A few weeks ago I shared this recipe over at Lil' Luna and now it's time to share it with all of you! One of my favorite spring time flavor combinations is lime and coconut, it's sweet, zesty and refreshing! So I thought that I'd combine those flavors into delicious mini cheesecakes. I started off by using a toasted coconut graham cracker crust, filling it with a zesty cheesecake base, adding a swirl of lime curd and topping it off with coconut-infused whipped cream and toasted coconut flakes. Let me tell you, these were heavenly, and my husband agreed! I think this would be a great summer recipe too, especially served up with some toasted coconut ice cream or fresh lime sherbert. Mmm, I can't wait for summer!

Mini Coconut Lime Cheesecakes

Lime Curd:

Ingredients

4 tbsp. butter, melted

1/2 c. + 2 tbsp. sugar

2 eggs

5 tbsp. lime juice

2 drops green food coloring

1 drop yellow food coloring

Coconut Graham Cracker Crust:
Ingredients
5 graham crackers
2 tsp. sugar
4 tbsp. toasted coconut
1 tbsp. butter, melted

Zesty Cheesecake:
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/4 c. sugar
1 (8 oz) package original cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 c. sour cream, room temperature
1/4 c. heavy whipping cream, room temperature
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. lime zest
pinch of salt

Coconut Whipped Cream:
2 tbsp. powdered sugar
1/2 c. heavy whipping cream, chilled
1/8 tsp. coconut oil (or more to liking)
pinch of salt

DIRECTIONS:
1. Begin by making the lime curd. In a small mixing bowl, combine melted butter, sugar, eggs and lime juice. Beat with a hand mixer until smooth (there may be small chunks, that's ok). Pour mixture into a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook mixture until it begins to thicken- it should reach 170 degrees on a digital thermometer. Remove from heat, allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before transferring to the refrigerator to cool completely.
2. Preheat oven to 350℉. Spray mini cheesecake pan generously with baking spray. While curd is cooling, in a food processor, grind up graham crackers, sugar and coconut flakes until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Remove and add in butter. Scoop about 1 tablespoon of the mixture into each well of the mini cheesecake pan and press firmly. Place into oven and bake for 6-8 minutes. Remove and allow to cool.
3. Meanwhile, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together sugar, cream cheese, sour cream, lime zest and salt until smooth (about 2 minutes). Add vanilla, heavy cream, mix, then add the egg and mix until incorporated. Add flour and mix until just combined. Pour mixture into cooled crusts, dividing evenly.
4. Remove lime curd from refrigerator and add food coloring, mix until incorporated. Add about 3/4 tsp. of curd to the top of each mini cheesecake. Swirl gently. Place cheesecakes in oven and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 30 minutes before covering and placing in the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours (note: the cheesecakes will sink a little, this is normal).
5. To make the whipped cream, in the bowl of a stand mixer (preferably chilled) fitted with the whisk attachment, beat together all ingredients for 2 minutes- cover and chill until needed.
6. To assemble, remove cheesecakes from pan and remove bottom plates. Pipe with whipped cream and sprinkle with lime zest. Serve immediately!
NOTE: Although I've never tried making these in a cupcake tin, my recommendation would be to double the crust and filling and increase the bake time to 25-30 minutes (just wiggle the pan to be sure they are set before removing them from the oven).
Recipe inspired by Sprinkle Bakes, Key Lime Cheesecake Bars | Makes approximately 12 mini cheesecakes

Cookie Dough Cheesecake Brownies

So a few weeks ago, (ok several, more like before Thanksgiving) I decided to make Stephen some brownies. I didn't have to go into work until that afternoon so I planned on making a quick batch of triple chocolate brownies and calling it good. Somehow when I reached for the butter I grabbed a brick of cream cheese which got me thinking. I decided to make those triple chocolate brownies into cheesecake brownies, and then last minute whipped up a batch of eggless cookie dough to fold into it. Let me tell you, these turned from ordinary to extraordinary within a matter of minutes. They're everything you could ask for in a bar- chocolatey, creamy and filled with cookie dough. A triple threat of sorts. Stephen loved them and so did I! It only took us 2 days to eat the entire pan!

Cookie Dough Cheesecake Brownies
Ingredients
½ c. all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
4 oz semi-sweet chocolate, melted (use a Ghiradelli baking bar!)
⅔ c. sugar
6 tbsp. (¾ stick) butter
2 eggs
¼ tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
½ c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
¼ c. dark chocolate chips

Cheesecake layer:
½ c. sugar
2 (8 oz) packages regular cream cheese, softened
2 large egg yolks
¼ tsp. salt
½ tsp. vanilla

Eggless cookie dough:
¼ c. butter, room temperature
¼ c. + 2 tbsp. brown sugar, packed
¼ c. + 2 tbsp. flour
pinch of salt
½ tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. water
2 tbsp. semi-sweet mini chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8x8 baking pan with foil so that there is enough to pull the brownies out once they are done. Butter or spray lightly with baking spray. Set aside.
2. Over a double broiler, melt butter, sugar and chocolate. Whisk until smooth. Let mixture cool on counter for 5 minutes. Pour into the bowl of a stand mixer. Add vanilla and one egg, mix, then add the other egg, mix until incorporated.
3. In a small mixing bowl whisk together flour, cocoa powder and salt. With mixing speed on low, gradually add the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. Remove bowl from stand and fold in chocolate chips. Set aside.
4. For the cheesecake batter, in a medium size mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar, salt and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Add egg yolks one at a time, then mix until just combined. Set aside.
5. For the eggless cookie dough, in a small mixing bowl, combine butter, brown sugar, flour, salt, vanilla, and water. Mix until combined, then gently fold in the mini chocolate chips. Roll into ½" balls. Set aside.
6. To assemble, pour the brownie batter into the prepared pan. Pour the cheesecake batter on top and  carefully spread to create an even layer. Submerge cookie dough balls into the cheesecake. Place in oven and bake for 35-40 minutes or until the cheesecake is set and is slightly golden brown around the edges.
7. Remove from oven and let cool in pan for 30 minutes before chilling in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours. When ready to serve, remove from pan using the foil overhang. Peel foil from brownies, cut and serve.
NOTE: There are no leaveners in the brownie recipe... they turn out just fine :)
Adapted from Ready For Dessert, Brownies | Makes approximately 9 large brownies or 12 standard size brownies

Mini Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecakes

It's almost been a week since my last post! Somehow I've managed to get a bit off track. I blame it on the holiday and the fact that I've been a bit under the weather. Today I'm writing this from the comfort of my bed. I refuse to get out of it any sooner than I have to... which means I've got about another hour or so before I have to drag myself out and get ready for work. Sigh. Anyway, as you can probably tell, I'm slightly obsessed with my mini cheesecake pan. Admitting it is the first step, right? I would use it on a weekly basis if I could! So when Stephen asked me to make him a chocolate raspberry cheesecake, I knew exactly what to do. I scaled down a full-size cheesecake recipe and added a few extra ingredients. They became moist little bites of creamy goodness with beautiful swirls of raspberry sauce in them. Oh, and since I didn't want to be wasteful, I sunk a whole raspberry into the center of each- a nice little surprise!

Mini Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecakes
Ingredients
1 package (8 oz) Original Philadelphia Cream Cheese, room temperature

1/4 c. + 2 tbsp. sugar

3 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 egg
2 tsp. heavy cream

1/4 tsp. vanilla bean paste

12 raspberries, rinsed and dried

For the raspberry swirl:

1/4 c. water

2 tbsp. sugar

1 c. raspberries

For the crust:
14 Oreo cookie halves (or 7 cookies with the filling removed)
1½ tbsp. melted butter
1 tsp. sugar
Pinch of salt

For the chocolate whipped cream:
1 c. heavy cream
4 tsp. confectioners sugar
2 tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
Pinch of salt

Chocolate shavings for garnish

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a mini cheesecake pan with baking spray. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of a food processor, grind all ingredients for crust, except for the melted butter. The mixture should resemble slightly coarse crumbs. Remove mixture and pour melted butter over. Mix until crumbs are wet. Press into the bottom of each hole. Place in oven and bake for 10 minutes.

3. To prepare the raspberry swirl, combine all ingredients in a medium size saucepan over medium heat. Reduce raspberries until they form a thick syrup. Remove and pour through a mesh sieve. Discard any seeds. Set the sauce aside.
4. To prepare the filling, beat together cream cheese, sugar and cocoa until smooth. Add vanilla, heavy cream and egg. Mix until just combined.
5. Pour filling over each crust, dividing evenly. Add a dollop of raspberry sauce to each and swirl using a toothpick. Place a raspberry in the center of each, making sure it is covered by the batter. Place in oven and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and cool in pan for 20 minutes before removing cheesecakes (yes your cheesecakes will sink a little, this is normal).
6. Remove cheesecakes from pan using the bottom of a wooden spoon. Using a butter knife, remove metal bottoms and place cheesecakes in an airtight container. Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.
7. While cheesecakes are cooling, prepare whipped cream by fitting a chilled mixing bowl into your stand mixer. Add heavy cream, sugar, salt, and cocoa. Using the whisk attachment beat on high for 2-3 minutes until stiff peaks begin to form. Return to refrigerator until cheesecakes are ready to be served.
8. To assemble top with a swirl of whipped cream and a pinch of chocolate shavings. Enjoy!
Adapted from Driscolls Decadent Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake | Makes 12 mini cheesecakes using the Chicago Metallic Mini Cheesecake Pan

Mini Eggnog Cheesecakes

Eggnog was never a holiday tradition in my house, in fact I just tried it for the first time yesterday! Stephen has told me time and time again how much he loves it, but somehow year after year I never get it for him. I'm a terrible person, I know. However, when I was at the grocery store this weekend I actually noticed it sitting there on the shelf, so I grabbed a bottle off it and shoved it in my cart. Needless to say I had one surprised and happy husband when I arrived home with it in hand! Yesterday afternoon we opened it and I tried some. It was thick and incredibly rich. I'm pretty sure I drank too much. Is that possible? It was sooo filling! I don't know, do you love it enough to drink a tall glass of it, or do you drink it in small amounts? Hmmm... anyway, I decided to use the last bit of it to make these mini cheesecakes. They turned out tasting amazing, and the best part? They were in creamy bite-sized portions! Everyone loved them, including me! (For those of you wondering about the pan, you can find it here.)

Mini Eggnog Cheesecakes
Ingredients
1 package (8 oz) original cream cheese, room temperature
¼ c. eggnog
1½ tbsp. all-purpose flour
½ c. sugar
1 egg
½ tsp. vanilla
¼ tsp. cinnamon
¹⁄₈ tsp. nutmeg

For the crust:
6 gingersnap cookies
2 graham crackers
1½  tbsp. melted butter
1½ tsp. brown sugar
pinch of salt

For the spiced vanilla bean whipped cream:
1 c. heavy cream
1 tbsp. granulated sugar
Seeds from ¼ a vanilla bean
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. cinnamon

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a mini cheesecake pan with baking spray. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of a food processor, grind all ingredients for crust, except for the melted butter. The mixture should resemble slightly coarse crumbs. Remove mixture and pour melted butter over. Mix until crumbs are wet. Press into the bottom of each hole. Place in oven and bake for 10 minutes.
3. While crust is baking prepare filling beating together cream cheese, sugar, and eggnog until smooth. Add spices, vanilla, and egg. Mix until just combined. Fold in flour with spatula.
4. Pour filling over each crust, dividing evenly. Place in oven and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and cool in pan for 20 minutes before removing cheesecakes (yes your cheesecakes will sink a little, this is normal).
5. Remove cheesecakes from pan using the bottom of a wooden spoon. Using a butter knife, remove metal bottoms and place cheesecakes in an airtight container. Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.
6. While cheesecakes are cooling, prepare vanilla bean whipped cream by fitting a chilled mixing bowl into your stand mixer. Add heavy cream, sugar, scraped vanilla bean seeds, nutmeg and cinnamon. Using the whisk attachment beat on high for 2-3 minutes until stiff peaks begin to form. Return to refrigerator until cheesecakes are ready to be served.
7. To assemble top with a swirl of whipped cream.
Stephen + Natalie | Makes 12 mini cheesecakes using the Chicago Metallic Mini Cheesecake Pan

Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes with Gingersnap Crusts

October is here which means it is officially time to crank out the pumpkin recipes! Excited? I am! Last night we had the missionaries over for dinner and I made chili and cornbread. For dessert I had prepared these tasty little cheesecake bites. This was my first attempt at baking in my mini cheesecake pan and I had no idea what I was doing. Since I made my own recipe I was unsure of the baking/cooling time.... yeah, I winged it. Turns out that my guesses were pretty spot-on because these came out moist and oh so delicious! Happy October and let the pumpkin madness begin!

Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes
Ingredients
1 package (8 oz) Original Philadelphia Cream Cheese, room temperature
½ c. pumpkin puree
¼ c. + 2 tbsp. sugar
1 egg
2 tsp. heavy cream
¼ tsp. vanilla
¼ tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. pumpkin pie spice (or allspice)
¹⁄₈ tsp. nutmeg

For the crust:
8 gingersnap cookies
1 graham cracker
1½  tbsp. melted butter
1½ tsp. brown sugar
¼ c. pecans
pinch of salt

For the vanilla bean whipped cream:
1 c. heavy cream
1 tbsp. granulated sugar
Seeds from ¼ a vanilla bean

Pumpkin pie spice for garnish

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a mini cheesecake pan with baking spray. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of a food processor, grind all ingredients for crust, except for the melted butter. The mixture should resemble slightly coarse crumbs. Remove mixture and pour melted butter over. Mix until crumbs are wet. Press into the bottom of each hole. Place in oven and bake for 10 minutes.
3. While crust is baking prepare filling beating together cream cheese, sugar and pumpkin puree until smooth. Add spices, vanilla, heavy cream and egg. Mix until just combined.
4. Pour filling over each crust, dividing evenly. Place in oven and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and cool in pan for 20 minutes before removing cheesecakes (yes your cheesecakes will sink a little, this is normal).
5. Remove cheesecakes from pan using the bottom of a wooden spoon. Using a butter knife, remove metal bottoms and place cheesecakes in an airtight container. Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.
6. While cheesecakes are cooling, prepare vanilla bean whipped cream by fitting a chilled mixing bowl into your stand mixer. Add heavy cream, sugar and scraped vanilla bean seeds. Using the whisk attachment beat on high for 2-3 minutes until stiff peaks begin to form. Return to refrigerator until cheesecakes are ready to be served.
7. To assemble, using a mesh sieve, lightly dust cheesecakes with pumpkin pie spice before or after topping with a swirl of whipped cream. Enjoy!
Stephen + Natalie | Makes 12 mini cheesecakes using the Chicago Metallic Mini Cheesecake Pan

Hello, fall! Hello, pumpkin!

So as you can probably tell, I'm just a little excited for fall. My Pinterest account can attest to that. But for some reason I've been holding back on making pumpkin goods. There have been two cans of pumpkin sitting in my pantry for weeks now and I've done nothing but stare at them. I think it has something to do with the fact that I want to make everything I see that has pumpkin in it, and because I can't, I haven't made anything at all. But....... that all changed last night. With a Relief Society dinner fast approaching I finally caved. I decided that I would go ahead and make not one, but two desserts. First on the list was cheesecake. Do you remember how I attempted to make that raspberry white chocolate one a couple of months ago? Maybe not. Hopefully not. I know I'd rather not remember, but thankfully I figured out where I went wrong. Anyway, instead of relying on a recipe I had bookmarked in my KitchenAid cookbook, I decided to be really brave and make my own. And guess what? It turned out REALLY good! I'm just a little proud ;) Unfortunately since I had to take it to the dinner, I never got a picture of the inside. So all you get is the before and after. What can I say? A picture is worth a thousand words. (P.S. the recipes below are 4x6, so all you have to do is print them!)

For the second dessert I made pumpkin cupcakes. I have been seeing a lot of recipes on blogs and websites for cupcakes, but again, I decided to create my own. And yet again, another success! My only suggestion is to store these in the refrigerator (because of the cream cheese) and to add extra powdered sugar to the frosting if you're planning on piping it like I did... it helps keep things in place.