It is a fall baking extravaganza! Monday brought about the annual 30 people plus Thanksgiving family gathering on the hubby’s side of the family. And I volunteered to bring desserts. And I got home from the cottage Sunday night, moments before the grocery stores closed and I could pick up some last minute ingredients.

And it’s a good thing I did too, because once I got going, there was no stopping this baking mama in the kitchen! What started out with one simple recipe (these cheesecakes) turned into 3!

These cheesecakes came about because a month or so ago my well-meaning husband accidentally bought the GIGANTIC block of cream cheese from Costco. I’m talking like a 4 x 4 size! Not quite that long, but that big around. It was HUGE! So we split it up and froze some, knowing it would do just fine for baking later on. Enter pumpkin cheesecakes!

These were a HUGE hit! Not everyone likes pumpkin, but these were small enough that you got just a nice little shot of flavouring, and with the cinnamon spiced whipped cream on top, it was the perfect fall treat. I didn’t get any pictures of the miniature ones (they went too fast!), but they are basically just the mini-muffin version of the regular size muffin pans.

The spices you can vary to your liking, I’d love to know any other spice combos you have tried or would recommend!

Individual and Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes

Crust

9 graham crackers, crushed in the blender (or you can pull out a ziploc and the mallet and work off some steam)

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons melted butter

1 tablespoon maple syrup

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8-1/4 teaspoon nutmet

Filling

1 8 oz package cream cheese, room temp

1/2 canned pumpkin

1 egg plus 1 egg white

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

pinch of ground cloves

Topping

1 cup whipping cream

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 (or more) teaspoon cinnamon

sugar to taste

Lightly spray the inside of your muffin pans. Mix crust ingredients together. Divide mixture between the cups (12 regular muffin or 24 mini muffin) and press down, either flat or curving up the sides, depending on how you want it to look.

Blend filling ingredients together until smooth. Spoon into crusts, about 3/4 full.

Bake @375 for 14 minutes, or until lightly browned and pumpkin is no longer wet (toothpick test!). Let cool IN THE PANS for 20 minutes, at least. Carefully remove cheesecakes using a knife (grapefruit knife or serrated edge fruit knife works great, something with a bit of flex to help pull the cheesecakes out).

Before serving, combine whipping cream, vanilla, cinnamon and sugar together. Top cheesecakes with whipped cream and serve.

I think I’m going to go and have me one of these from the fridge…… :D