Ingredients
Method
- Crush your graham crackers (or gingerbread cookies) in a food processor until they are crumbs. Add sugar and spices. Mix in the melted butter. Pulse until combined. Place a tablespoon (about 10 gm) into the bottom of your mini cheesecake pans. Press down as tight as you can - this will make it less likely to fall apart when removing from the pan. . Freeze for 10-20 minutes as you prepare the filling.
- Combine pudding mix and rice milk in a small bowl. It will be thick and pasty - don't worry. See aside.
- Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the cold heavy cream into stiff peaks on medium-high speed, about 4 minutes. Set aside in the fridge.
- Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until perfectly smooth and creamy. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add the pumpkin, pudding mix, confectioners’ sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg and salt. Beat on medium-high speed until combined. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as needed to help combine. Make sure there are no large lumps of cream cheese. If there are lumps, keep beating until smooth.
- Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the whipped cream into the cheesecake filling until combined. This takes several turns of your rubber spatula. Combine slowly as you don’t want to deflate all the air in the whipped cream - that is what makes this so light and delicious!
- Remove mini cheesecake pans from the freezer and add 2 tablespoons filling (30 gm) into each cup/tin. Using the back of a spoon or a small offset spatula, smooth down the top.
- Cover tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and refrigerate for at least 12 hours and up to 2 days. The longer refrigerated, the nicer the no-bake cheesecake will set up.
- After the cheesecake bites set in the fridge, you can wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in fridge and serve. You can use this recipe to make a regular sized cheesecake as well. Use a 9 inch spring form pan.
Notes
Flexi-Phe
If you need to make this dessert lower in protein, substitute part or all of the whipped cream with So Delicious CocoWhip or Cool Whip.
If you would prefer this dessert to be higher in protein, use regular graham crackers and/or substitute part or all of the violife cream cheese with regular cream cheese. Reader Q&A:
Q: Are the pans for the mini cheesecakes, special pans or mini cupcake pans? Do you line the pans with cupcake liners? A: I use min cheesecake special pans -- they have the removable bottom so the cakes stay intact. If you are putting in regular mini cupcake pan, then I would line. (You can also make one regular sized cheesecake). --- Brenda
Q: Could I omit the pumpkin and spices in this recipe to make a plain cheese cake??? A: There is a recipe for a plain cheesecake -- https://cookforlove.org/recipes/detail/98235
If you need to make this dessert lower in protein, substitute part or all of the whipped cream with So Delicious CocoWhip or Cool Whip.
If you would prefer this dessert to be higher in protein, use regular graham crackers and/or substitute part or all of the violife cream cheese with regular cream cheese. Reader Q&A:
Q: Are the pans for the mini cheesecakes, special pans or mini cupcake pans? Do you line the pans with cupcake liners? A: I use min cheesecake special pans -- they have the removable bottom so the cakes stay intact. If you are putting in regular mini cupcake pan, then I would line. (You can also make one regular sized cheesecake). --- Brenda
Q: Could I omit the pumpkin and spices in this recipe to make a plain cheese cake??? A: There is a recipe for a plain cheesecake -- https://cookforlove.org/recipes/detail/98235
