adventures of an american housewife in the south of france

Thanksgiving Sleeper Hit – Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes

You guys, I have something to confess... I don't like Pumpkin Pie. I know!  I know!  How completely unAmerican of me!  But it's true.  I like Pumpkin Bread, Pumpkin Cookies, Pumpkin Muffins, but I don't like Pumpkin Pie. Now that I have that off my chest, I can share my latest recipe with you - Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes.  I decided to try these out as an alternative to Pumpkin Pie so that I could feel festive on Thanksgiving but still enjoy my dessert.  I whipped these up, had a taste and decided that they were meh, ok.  The Hub tried one too and declared them delicious.  I guess the reason why I didn't like them is because they taste like Pumpkin Pie, only with a tasty twist! I wasn't expecting much from these but I brought them over to Matt & Leslie's for Thanksgiving dinner and everyone absolutely loved them!  Since they received such praise, I decided they were blog worthy after all.

I found this recipe, which called for Gingersnap Cookies as the crust.  I decided against this because I thought it would overpower the pumpkin flavor, plus I couldn't find them at the store.  So instead, I made my own crust using Nilla Wafers and butter.  I put a package of Nilla wafers into a resealable plastic bag, crushed them with a rolling pin, and mixed them with melted butter to form a crust inside the cupcake liners.

It took a little extra work, but it was worth it!  See below for the rest of the recipe.  It made about 40 cupcakes, so you might want to cut it in half for a smaller group.  We still have some leftover!

You’ll Need:
  • 4 (8 oz. pks) of cream cheese softened
  • 1 1/2 c. sugar
  • 1/3 c. flour
  • 2 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1 tsp. nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
  • 1/4 tsp. all spice
  • 6 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 c. canned pumpkin puree (14 oz. can)
  • 1 box of Nilla Wafter
  • 1 – 1 ½ c. butter, melted
Directions: Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees.  Line cupcake tins with paper liners and add your homemade crust to the bottom of each one. In a large bowl beat softened cream cheese until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Add sugar, flour and spices.  Beat in one egg at a time, making sure each egg is incorporated.  This is usually around the time I curse myself for not registering for a Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer.  Add pumpkin puree and blend well. Pour filling about 2/3 way up in the paper holders.  Bake for about 20-25 minutes until the tops are slightly golden and firm to the touch.  Cool on wire racks....the middle will sink slightly. Cover and chill for at least 3 hours.  Top with whipped cream and sprinkle with nutmeg immediately before serving.  Cover and refrigerate to store.

4 Responses to “Thanksgiving Sleeper Hit – Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes”

  1. Alicia says:

    They look delicious and cute!!!

  2. Lorna says:

    These look so good (I also loathe pumpkin pie) and I am going to make these for our holiday party. Thanks !

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