Just a warning, these little things are dangerous! Because they are MINI! Which means you may actually eat more than what would be equivalent to a single piece of cheesecake! However, if you can control yourself, this is the perfect little Thanksgiving dessert!

Mini versions of dessert seem a bit more appealing – maybe because it is smaller and you don’t feel as guilty having just a little bit of dessert. Or you could do what I do to avoid that guilt and either skip the appetizer or eat a smaller portion of dinner just so you can have room for dessert! Not as much guilt with that approach! Dinner is not complete without dessert, especially on Thanksgiving!

We are only a little over a week away until the big turkey day! Are you ready?

Thanksgiving wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without something pumpkin. I will have the traditional Pumpkin Pie this year, but I like to add another dessert for variety, especially since the day is all about variety of foods! This recipe seemed like the perfect little ending for right after dinner, then, if there is room, maybe a piece of pie later. Sshh, that’s just between you and me!

I usually make mini-cheesecakes at Christmas topped with the traditional cherry pie filling. They are always a favorite because they’re an easy to eat finger dessert and pretty light. So, I adjusted the recipe by adding pumpkin, spices, and topped them with whipped cream.

To start making these mini delights, you have to make a simple graham cracker crust (directions below). Line a 12 cup baking pan with cupcake liners  and fill 1/4 of the way full with the graham cracker mixture. Pat or press down gently. 

Next, fill the cups with the cheesecake mixture. Filling them until they are about 2/3 full.

  Bake for about 18-20 minutes at 350 degrees or until a knife inserted comes out clean.  You may notice some cracks while they are baking, but that’s ok, they will disappear once they settle down in the cooling process.  Remove from pan to cool. Once they are completely cool, top with whipped cream.

Yummy! Mini versions are just more appealing!

“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests”  Ephesians 6:18

As I was discerning on what to write for this post, the message of prayer kept coming to me. Prayer is such an important part of our spiritual life. How can our Father know what we need if we don’t ask, how can He help if we don’t tell Him what is going on? Prayer is a direct connection to our Lord. Knowing how important it is to take time to pray, I struggle with finding the time to make myself sit quietly and pray, especially when I have a thousand things to do running through my mind. I realized that I tend to have a lot of mini-prayers throughout the day- a sort of praying on the go! For example, I offer a quick prayer of thanksgiving as soon as I wake up;  I pray when I get into the car for the Lord’s safety and protection; I pray when I’m at work for the ability to stay focused and be productive; I pray, wherever I am, for a particular person when their name enters my mind; I pray when I start to feel anxious or worry about a situation; or I say a prayer of forgiveness if I unknowingly offended someone; and when I crawl into bed, I pray. My thoughts have actually turned into quick little mini-prayers. If you find yourself in the same situation of being unable to find the time to actually sit and pray, let your thoughts become mini-prayers. No matter how small they are, and no matter where you are, the Lord will hear them and will answer them!

Blessings and enjoy!

~Lori

Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes

Preheat oven to 350.

Crust:

1 1/4 cups Graham Cracker crumbs

3 tablespoons brown sugar

1/4 cup melted butter

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp nutmeg

Combine crumbs and brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a bowl. Stir in melted butter, mix until thoroughly blended. Into each cupcake liner, add a heaping tablespoon and gently press down with the back of a spoon or your fingers. (You may have leftover crumbs – save for another batch)

Filling:

1 8oz. package of cream cheese, softened (regular or less fat)

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp nutmeg

1/8 tsp ginger

sprinkle of cloves

1 egg plus 1 egg white

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1/2 cup canned pumpkin

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese on medium until light and fluffy. Add brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. Beat until combined. Add eggs. Beat until combined. Stir in the maple syrup and gradually add the canned pumpkin, mixing until well incorporated. Pour into cupcake liners, filling them about 2/3 full. Bake at 350 degrees for about 18-20 minutes or until a knife inserted comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove cheesecakes from pan and cool completely on the wire rack. Refrigerate for 30-45 minutes. Top with whipped cream and serve.

Whipped cream:

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

2 tablespoons confectioners sugar

1 tsp of cinnamon (optional – but makes it really good!)

Beat with a whisk or with electric beaters until soft peaks form – not too stiff – it should be the consistency to form a nice dollop!