Pumpkin Cheesecake Bites

This is a super easy dessert that can be made ahead of time. The thing I loved most is that you can cut the sheet pan into smaller bite size pieces to insure your guest will take a piece rather than having a pie or cake that everyone is too full to try. The cheesecake comes out a little thin so if you would like thicker pieces use a smaller pan, but trust me it’s full of flavor and rich so you won’t want to do it too thick. You could even do this in a cheesecake pan, but you’ll need to adjust your baking time to do so. Get creative if you would like too and instead of cutting them into squares, use cookie cutters to make shapes.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bites

(Adapted from Eat Live Run)

 

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1 15-oz can pumpkin

3 eggs

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tbsp cream

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 tbsp cornstarch

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp salt

1.5 lbs cream cheese, at room temperature

 

for graham cracker crust:

18 graham crackers (2 sleeves)

1 stick butter, melted

1/4 cup sugar

*whipped cream to top

 

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

 

In a large bowl crush graham crackers with your hands. Add sugar and butter and mix well.

 

 

 

Press graham cracker crumbs onto a lined (parchment paper or silpat) jelly roll pan. Bake for 5 minutes until toasty. Remove and reduce oven temperature to 325.

 

 

 

Mix together the pumpkin, eggs, brown sugar, cream and vanilla in a large bowl.

 

 

 

In the bowl of a KitchenAid, beat together the cream cheese, granulated sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and ginger.

 

 

 

 Beat until light and fluffy then slowly pour in pumpkin mixture.

 

 

 

Continue beating until mixture is smooth and no lumps remain.

 

Pour batter onto baked crust and bake for 50 minutes until edges begin to pull away from the sides of the pan.

 

 

 

Let cool completely before cutting into small squares and topping with whipped cream.