gluten free & dairy free mini pumpkin cheesecake recipe

Pumpkin pie = Thanksgiving. Done and done. So it was clearly a necessity to make a gluten free, dairy free and refined sugar free pumpkin treat that even my gluten and dairy eating family members could enjoy. I will admit that I attempted to make a pumpkin pie last week and it was, well, not good. Since we are friends, I will also admit that I am still slowly learning how to bake things that taste good, remain intact and still satisfy my dietary needs. I will continue trying new recipes and learning from my failures to I can help you get right to it.

So back to pumpkin. If you have been trying my recipes, you know how much I love pumpkin. It looks, tastes and smells like Fall and everything that comes with it. I don't recall a Thanksgiving that did not have at least one pumpkin pie with whipped cream. When I was younger, I had quite the sweet tooth. I often opted for dessert over my meals, but that was clearly not going to happen on my mom's watch. So I spent many meals forcing myself to finish my dinner just so I could enjoy the dessert. Pumpkin pie was totally worth it. And it still is today - it has just evolved. A lot :) #feelingthankful

Dairy Free and Gluten Free Pumpkin Cheesecake Minis

Serves: 12

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

Fresh From the Market:

8 oz. Daiya Dairy Free Cream Cheese
1 Cage Free Organic Egg
12 Lucy's Ginger Snap Cookies (Gluten Free, Refined Sugar Free, Dairy Free)
Homemade Dairy Free Whipped Topping

From the Pantry (or Fridge):

1/2 c. Pumpkin Puree
1/4 c. Coconut Sugar
1 tbsp. Grade A Maple Syrup
2 tsp. Light Coconut Milk

From the Spice Rack:

1/4 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1 tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice

Kitchen Gadgets:

Hand Mixer
Muffin Pan (12 Count)
Muffin or Cupcake Liners

Dairy Free Cream Cheese, Pumpkin and Coconut Sugar

Cooking Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350 F degrees.
Combine the pumpkin, dairy free cream cheese and coconut sugar in a bowl. Note: you can easily sub the dairy free cream cheese with regular cream cheese if this dish does not need to be dairy free. The serving size remains the same (8 oz.)
Blend the three ingredients with a hand mixer until smooth.

Mixing the Ingredients

Next, add the egg, maple syrup, pumpkin pie spice, coconut milk and vanilla extract. Blend again with the hand mixer for 15 seconds or until smooth and creamy.

Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Refined Sugar Free Ginger Snaps

Line the muffin pan with the liners and drop a gingersnap cookie in each. This will serve as the gluten free, dairy free and refined sugar free crust without needing to bake your own. Pretty creative, huh? I can't take the credit for that idea, as the owner of a gluten free pizza kitchen gave me the idea.
Scoop the mix over each cookie and pop in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Add 5 minutes if you swapped the Daiya for regular cream cheese.

Dairy Free Pumpkin Cheesecake Batter

While you wait for this delicious pumpkin masterpiece to bake, you can keep yourself entertained by doing the dishes, watching TV or sharing the pumpkin love with your adorable puppy. Did you know that pumpkin is a natural remedy for poor puppy digestion? Holly will tell you all about it..

Holly's Pumpkin Treat

Holly Wants More Pumpkin!

Back to the countdown. Your mini cheesecakes will be done when a toothpick is inserted and comes out clean. You will notice the consistency appears jiggly but should not be gooey or sticky. Add the dairy free maple cinnamon whipped topping and you have an amazingly delicious yet nutritious dessert.