Fall is one of my favorite seasons, spring being the other. Apples start to appear at the farmers markets. Pumpkins, gourds and corn stalks start to dot the sides of country roads, beckoning you to carry them home. Fall is when I can start making all of the pumpkin and apple related goodies I have been thinking about the rest of the year.
I work in a gourmet food store called Benjamin Twiggs and while it is mostly known for the cherry products we sell, you will find other fruit and vegetable products. We sell a wonderful Pumpkin Butter that I like to call Pumpkin Pie in a Jar! In the store and online you will find a recipe for a Pumpkin Butter Dip that is made with cream cheese, whipped topping and said pumpkin butter. It is a delicious dip and could easily be made dairy free if you care to try it.
A year ago while whipping up this recipe for work, to be sampled to customers, an idea started forming that with a few changes this could easily be a pumpkin cheesecake. Since the pumpkin butter is seasonal I didn't have time then to test my idea. Well a year has passed and pumpkin butter is back and 3 jars later I believe I have a wonderful tasting, quick and easy cheesecake recipe that is Dairy Free.
What you will need:
- Foil Baking Cups, standard size. I found some at Target made by Reynolds
- Gingersnaps
- 1 jar(10oz) Pumpkin Butter
- 8 oz tub Dairy Free Cream Cheese
- 1/3 cup Dairy Free Sour Cream
- 1 Large Egg
- 1/2 teaspoon All Purpose Flour
- 1/4 teaspoon Corn Starch
Makes 10-12* individual cheesecakes
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Place Foil baking cups, without the paper separators, on a cookie sheet. Put one gingersnap into each cup. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, by hand mix cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add the following one at a time mixing after each addition sour cream, pumpkin butter and slightly beaten egg. Stir in flour and corn starch. Divide evenly between baking cups. ( * I got 11 using a 2 oz cookie scoop. You can also use a 1/4 cup. If you want them fuller make 10, need twelve? just don't fill as much)
Bake about 25 minutes or until set. Cool completely and then chill for several hours or overnight.
This photo is from my second test. I didn't use the sour cream so it did not have quite the right texture for cheesecake. It does show the optional topping, coconut whipped cream, a delicious addition! It is simple to make, you can find the recipe all over the internet but here is one from Oh She Glows. I like to make the topping and refrigerate overnight as it will firm up a bit more. One of my favorite bloggers, Alisa Fleming of Go Dairy Free, posted a list of store bought options as well as links to several other recipe options for a dairy free whipped topping.
Enjoy!
Enjoy!