Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes with Chocolate can be made very best baking. No stress for your Thanksgiving holiday!
These gluten-free mini pumpkin cheesecakes are the perfect make-ahead Thanksgiving dessert and can also be made with all-purpose flour. Thanksgiving is by far my favorite holiday. I love Christmas but it’s way too stressful! Maybe it’s different in your family but in mine, it seems as though the entire month of December is filled with Christmas stress. And sometimes a little too much drama! Not only that, but I much prefer Thanksgiving food. I made these gluten-free mini pumpkin cheesecakes back in September as a trial run and have been enjoying one a week from the freezer.
For those of you who want to get as much of their Thanksgiving preparation done in advance as possible, these are perfect! Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes with Chocolate will bring everyone running to the dessert table. Who can resist pumpkin and chocolate? Freeze them in their wrappers, unwrap and pour some ganache on top before serving. I used to try to time everything so that all the food, including dessert, would be piping hot and fresh from the oven.
I adapted the chocolate cookie crust from my mini peanut butter cheesecakes. If you use buckwheat flour, the crust will be very bubbly and even soupy looking when baking. The three different versions are all equally delicious so use whatever works best for you. Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes with Chocolate will make everyone swoon. Especially perfect for those who eat gluten free. If you don’t like the pumpkin and chocolate combination, the almond flour based crust in these gluten-free mini cheesecakes would be perfect!
I’d leave out the lemon zest and add about a teaspoon of cinnamon and maybe even a little ginger. If you’re not wild about pumpkin pie spice, feel free to reduce it. So what are you favorite make-ahead Thanksgiving recipes? Looking for more gluten-free holiday desserts? Be sure to check out these Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie Streusel Bars and these Gluten-Free Mini Caramel Pecan Tarts. If you haven’t already, you’re definitely going to want to whip up a batch of my Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice!
Note: If you need these cheesecakes to be gluten-free, make sure all your ingredients are certified gluten-free. F and line a muffin pan with 12 muffin liners. Note that this crust recipe does not work in regular pie pans and only as mini cheesecakes. In a large mixing bowl, mix together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Using an electric hand mixer, beat in the butter at low speed until thoroughly combined and a dough forms. If you have trouble incorporating it, use your hands.
Press the dough down with the bottom of a shot glass. If using gluten-free 1-to-1 baking flour or all-purpose flour, bake for 11-13 minutes or until the surface of the crust no longer appears wet. Move on to the next step. If using buckwheat, bake for 14 minutes. The crusts will appear very bubbly and liquid. After baking, the crust will still be soft but will firm slightly as it cools.
Let cool for 10 minutes while you prepare the cheesecake. With an electric hand mixer, beat the cream cheese at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the brown sugar, granulated sugar, molasses, pumpkin puree, vanilla extract, salt and pumpkin pie spice and beat on low until well combined. Add the eggs one at a time, beating on low after every addition until thoroughly incorporated. Fill each muffin liner to the top with cheesecake batter and bake for 20 minutes or until the middles of the cheesecakes are set and don’t jiggle when the pan is tapped. Remove from the oven and let the cheesecakes cool in the pan. 2 hours or until ready to serve.
The wrappers come off neatly before and after refrigeration. Refrigerate the cheesecakes in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Pour this over the chocolate chips and stir until all the chocolate chips are completely melted. Let cool for about 20-30 minutes or until room temperature before pouring over the chilled cheesecakes. We love to see what you’re baking from MBA!
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. How does this recipe translate to the cheesecakes in a 3″ diameter size with six per pan? I have celiac so it would work along with your Mini-Cheesecake recipe. Are you wanting to half the recipe? Let me know how I can help!
Decieded to make mini cheesecakes, sans chocolate bottom, will top with the ganache. Let you know how they turn out. In the oven now, what can I do with the extra cheesecake batter? I have small ramekins, do you think I can fill them and bake without a waterbath? What oven temp do you suggest? You can put them in the oven with the mini cheesecakes. Can’t wait to hear how you like them!