Mini Cinnamon Cheesecakes with Pumpkin Pie frosting

 In cast you didn't notice, it's fall! With fall comes all of the yummy comfort food that we know and love. One of those comfort food, that can be seen everywhere, is pumpkin pie. I love pumpkin pie, it is just the essence go the winter fall season. Any variation of the dish is welcomed by me and today's recipe is no different.
I found this amazing recipe on pinterest (follow me here). I know I've said this before but I love pinterest, it's a creative mind's playground. As with all of the recipes I find, I always like to put my little Trisha-spin on it so I hope you like my variation of this fall classic.

Ingredients:

Gingersnap Crust:

-1 cup gingersnap cookie crumbs

-1/4 cup (half stick) unsalted butter; melted

-pinch of salt

Cheesecake:

-2 bars of cream cheese (8 oz each), room temperature

-1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar

-2 large eggs, room temperature

-1/3 cup heavy cream

-1/2 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract

-1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon

Pumpkin Pie “Frosting” 

-1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree

-3/4 cup packed brown sugar (use light brown sugar, I used dark and that's why my pumpkin pie looks a little more brown than orange, but it tastes the same.)

-1/4 teaspoon salt

-1 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice (just a combo of ginger powder, all spice, cinnamon and nutmeg)

-2 eggs

-1/2 cup evaporated milk (I used Condensed milk, much better pie)

-1/2 cup heavy cream

Pumpkin Pie

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  In a mixing bowl, whisk together all ingredients until well blended.  Pour into a greased 9-inch pie pan and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center of the pie comes out clean.  Remove and let cool, then refrigerate. 

Ginger Snap Crust

Prepare 12 cupcake baking pan with paper liners.  In a mixing bowl, whisk together the crust ingredients until well blended.  Scoop 1 packed tablespoon of crust into each well of the cupcake pan, and press down to pack firm.  Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees, then remove and set aside.

Cinnamon Cheesecake

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Begin to boil a large pot of water for the water bath.

In the bowl, combine the cream cheese and sugar, then mix with a hand mixer (or by hand) on medium-speed until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, fully incorporating each before adding the next. Add the heavy cream, vanilla and cinnamon, and mix until smooth.  Do not overmix.  Pour batter into each crust-prepared baking cup until 3/4 full.

Once your kettle or pot of water is boiling, carefully place a large baking dish on the lower rack of your oven and pull the rack out a few inches towards you, and then pour the water into it.  (Or use your best judgment on how to do this without burning yourself.  I just heat the water in a kettle, which is very easy to pour into the pan.)  This will create a water bath that will give off lots of steam while the cheesecake bakes (which makes the cheese.

Then place the cheesecake pan in the oven, and bake for about 25 minutes, or until the edges appear to be set and the center still has a slight jiggle to it.  Turn off the oven and open the oven door slightly for 5 minutes.  Then remove the pan and place on a cooling rack until completely cooled. 

 Scoop the pumpkin pie into a icing bag and pipe onto the cooled cheesecakes. Then eat, wait maybe I didn't have to tell you that part lol. 

Enjoy!

PS:
If you didn't know I am currently having a giveaway for a $100 Nordstrom gift card. To enter,

1.Follow the blog 

2.Like the blog on Facebook here 

3.Tweet this: I have entered the #FA2M fall fashion giveaway here ->> http://www.fashionaccordingtothemenu.com/2012/09/red-ruffles.html
4. Contest ends this Friday ( October 6th) so be sure check back and to see if you are the lucky winner