Pumpkin Cheesecake Bites (Version #1)

So, it's been a while since I've posted a recipe. I know, I know. Honestly, I want to post everything I'm making for my Halloween party, but I just can't make them that far ahead in advance.

However, there's one thing that I can make a week ahead of time - cheesecake. The freezer is your friend, folks.

Now, I will point out that this was my first time making them and I'm posting the recipe as I made it, but I have some suggestions that I'll add in at the end! (I'll probably come back and play with this recipe some more later on.)

I'm generally not a pumpkin fan (when autumn hits, I'm cheering for apple cider!), but I know a lot of people love pumpkin stuff, so I wanted to accommodate to my party gifts a bit and make something that most of them would probably like!

(I apologize for the poor quality of the photo - the lighting in my house is incredibly awful and it is not a photographer's dream.)

ingredients:

for the crust:

• 1 cup crushed graham crackers (Note: Check to make sure they're vegan! Many use honey - I'll show you what I use in a moment.)
• 4 Tbsps vegan butter (I use Earth Balance), melted
• optional: a pinch of cinnamon sugar - I used Trader Joe's brand!

instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 
2. Get out an 8x8" pan and line it with parchment paper.
3. In a blender, crush the graham crackers. (You can pre-crush them in a plastic bag and then roll over them with a rolling pin - that's what I do.) Add the melted butter and cinnamon sugar.
4. Press the crust into the pan, and bake for six minutes.

These are the graham crackers I used!

Ugh, this is a wonderful product. The second you pop off the lid, you're just hit with the sweet scent of cinnamon and it's absolutely beautiful.

This is the kind of texture you want from the crust. 

While the crust is pre-baking, you can work on the filling.

for the filling:

• 2 8-ounce packages of vegan cream cheese, softened (I used Tofutti for this)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 2 tsps vanilla extract
• 3 Tbsps flour
• *1 Tbsp cornstarch (I didn't use this originally, but I wish I had. This may be too much or not enough - this is something I'd add the next time I made this, though.)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 2 Ener-G eggs

instructions:

1. In a mixing bowl, whip the cream cheese for about 30 seconds.
2. Add the sugar and mix it for another 30 seconds.
3. Add the pumpkin puree and mix it for another 30 seconds.
4. Add the vanilla, flour, cornstarch, and spices and mix for another 30 seconds.
5. Mix in the Ener-G eggs - mix for about 10-20 seconds.
6. Pour the filling over the crust, and bake for 38 minutes.
7. Let the cheesecake sit at room temperature (for at least one hour, preferably two). Once it's cooled, put it in the fridge for at least two to four hours.
8. Cut into small bite-sized pieces, or add the optional chocolate drizzle.

optional: chocolate drizzle

• 1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips
• 1/2 tsp refined coconut oil

instructions:

1. Over the stove, melt the coconut oil over low heat. Once melted, increase the heat a tiny bit and add in the chocolate chips. Melt until smooth, then pour over the cheesecake. Let it cool to room temperature, then put the cheesecake back into the refrigerator or freezer.
2. Once the drizzle has hardened, cut the cheesecake into bite-sized pieces.

Mmmmm, cream cheese.

So yeah, my one major edit would be to add some cornstarch to this recipe. Otherwise it's pretty liquid-y. (Though still delicious.) Without it, you should probably stick to pumpkin cheesecake dip or something, dip some apple slices or graham crackers into it. :) 

Let me know if you guys try this out! I'm really curious. I'm starting to like pumpkin stuff a lot more, so that's exciting! I froze this tonight and I'll pull it out when Halloween hits, so I'll have less to worry about for my approaching party. :)

I hope everyone's having a nice night! Take care, dears!

xo, Kate