Mini Pumpkin Cheesecake (can be habit forming!!)

 I spent part of my weekend baking, just so I would have recipes to share this week.....Well, that and feeding my hungry family.  I had four out of five children home, plus we went to a family birthday party, so there was a lot of reason to cook. I started out by using the pan pictured above. It is a mini cheesecake pan...complete with bottoms that pop out (as shown). Uber cool. I bought it on Amazon this past summer.

 The crust on this cheesecake recipe is easy to make and very generous. I put over a tablespoon (probably more like two) of crust in each little hole, and used the back of the tablespoon to pack it in (as shown). I made sure some of the crust was going up the sides.

 The ingredients for the cheesecake are fast and easy to whip (literally!) together. I had forgotten to set my cream cheese out to soften, but other than that it was smooth sailing.

The cheesecake pan has twelve holes and this recipe made exactly enough for twelve. Perfect!

 I added whipped topping to the top of mine, but you can add anything you want. (My children had suggestions of hot caramel, chocolate, marshmallow topping, cinammon whipped cream to name a few!)

 If you do not have, nor wish to purchase a mini cheesecake pan, they can probably be made in a muffin pan as well. I cannot promise results though! And here's what you have all been waiting for..........

Mini Pumpkin Cheesecake

Crust:

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons melted butter

1 tablespoon maple syrup

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

Filling:

1 eight ounce package cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup canned pumpkin (or cooked and mashed fresh pumpkin)

1 egg plus 1 egg white, slightly beaten

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

   Preheat oven to 375 degrees, lightly grease the insides of the mini cheesecake pan (I use cooking spray).

   In a medium bowl, mix crust ingredients until well combined. Divide mixture evenly between the 12 cups. Press crumbs firmly on bottom and 1/3 up sides of each cup using your fingertips or the bottom of a tablespoon. Set aside.
   In a separate medium bowl, blend filling ingredients together until smooth. Spoon this mixture into each crust-lined cup, dividing evenly between all 12.
   Place cheesecake pan into the preheated oven and bake for 14 minutes. Remove from oven and place on rack to cool for 20 minutes. Carefully remove cheesecakes from pan by pressing up from the bottom of each cup. Let cheesecakes cool completely on wire rack then refrigerate until ready to serve.
  Just before serving, add the topping of your choice.

Recipe Notes: You can change up the amount and type of spices in this recipe to suit your own taste.

 These are so good you might even find that people grab little bites of it as it sits on the table!
                                           Enjoy!