Mini Caramel Pumpkin Cheesecakes

I was so excited when I found a new recipe that would let me use my mini cheesecake pan again. I know it's another pumpkin recipe, but it is still Fall and it's just so good I can't help myself. I promise I will make something without pumpkin soon! I found the Pumpkin Spice Hershey Kisses at Target - my favorite place to shop! If you like pumpkin and cheesecake you should defintely give these a try. Happy Halloween!

Mini Caramel Pumpkin Cheesecakes

from picky-palate

8 whole Oreos finely ground in a food processor

1 1/2 T melted butter

8 oz. softened cream cheese

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup Libby's Pure Pumpkin

1 large egg

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

Caramel Dip (comes in a package of 6 little cups)

12 Pumpkin Spice Hershey Kisses, unwrapped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine ground Oreos and melted butter into a bowl until well combined. Spoon into 12 mini cheesecake cups that have been sprayed with cooking spray. Press into the bottom of each cup so the crust is flat. Partially bake for 10 minutes then remove from oven.

In a stand or electric mixer beat the cream cheese, sugar and pumpkin until smooth. Beat in egg, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg until combined. Pour evenly into the 12 cups filling about 3/4 way full. Spoon about a teaspoon of caramel into the tops of each filled cup and swirl with a toothpick gently. Bake for 25-28 minutes or until cheesecake is cooked through. Let cool completely. Remove cheesecakes from pan and top each with a spoonful of remaining caramel and a Pumpkin Spice Hershey Kiss. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Pumpkin Bites

I am totally into pumpkin this fall. So far I have made pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, pumpkin cobbler, pumpkin cheesecake and now these pumpkin bites. I'm even stirring around spoon fulls of pumpkin puree into my morning oatmeal - yummy! I've been using Libby's Pure Pumpkin in my recipes because the idea of pureeing a real pumpkin has kind of intimated me, plus Libby's just make it so darn easy! Maybe one of these days I'll give it a try.

I made these pumpkin bites for an event I was catering at my work place this week. I found the recipe on She's Becoming Doughmesstic. They are just so cute and the frosting is absolutely fantastic! I totally licked the mixing bowl of my pink mixer after I finished making these! Hope you enjoy them as much as I did!

Pumpkin Bites

(makes 60+ Sandwich cookies)

3 cups plus 2 T all-purpose flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed

1 1/2 tsp ground ginger

2 T cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup melted butter

1/2 cup canola oil

3 cups pumpkin puree

2 large eggs

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and spices. Set aside.

In a mixer bowl, whisk the sugars, canola oil and melted butter together. Add the pumpkin puree and combine thoroughly. Add the eggs and vanilla and whisk until combined. Pour the flour mixture over the wet ingredients and slowly whisk to combine. Do not over mix.

Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare baking sheets by lining with parchment paper or a SilPat.

Place entire mixer bowl in the refrigerator to chill for 20 minutes while oven preheats, then transfer batter to a piping bag fitted with a star tip (I used Wilton #21). Pipe cookies in about 1 inch circles onto prepared sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until cookies look done. Once cool, fill centers with cream cheese frosting.

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

1 stick butter, softened

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

3 1/2 cups confectioners sugar

1 tsp vanilla

dash of salt

Beat cream cheese, butter, salt and cinnamon until lump free and smooth. Gradually add sugar until well combined. Add vanilla until just incorporated. Pipe onto cookies and sandwich them together. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Cobbler

Last night was my daughter's High School Homecoming dance. Before the dance a bunch of the kid's and their parents came by our house to have dinner, get ready together and take pictures before the dance.

I have been wanting to try this Pumpkin Cobbler recipe for a long time, so I thought this would be the perfect opportunity since it was a cold, fall evening. I'm so glad I finally made this because it was so delish. It basically tastes like pumpkin pie, but the crust is on the top. I received lots of compliments and requests for the recipe so I will definitely be making this one again and again! We had about 50 people show up - it was a little crazy, but so much fun. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Cobbler

1 large can Libby's pure pumpkin (or two small cans)

12 oz. can evaporated milk

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

1 tsp salt

1 T cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/8 tsp ground cloves

1 box yellow cake mix

3/4 cup butter, melted

1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Mix first 8 ingredients and pour into a well-greased 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Sprinkle cake mix on top, then pecans. Drizzle with butter and bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes or until set. The cobbler does need to set up a couple of hours before serving. Top each serving with whipped topping and enjoy!

Candy Corn Kiss Cookies

Don't you just love candy corn? I think it is one of the cutest candies ever - it's just so colorful and festive! I always make these Hershey kiss cookies at Christmas with a chocolate kiss on top, but when I saw these on Sugarcrafter I just knew I had to make some for fall too. Hope you enjoy them as much as we did!

Candy Corn Kiss Cookies

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/3 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1/8 tsp cardamom

granulated sugar, for rolling cookies in

10 oz. bag Hershey Candy Corn Kisses

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda and salt. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together. Beat in in the peanut butter and then the egg and vanilla. Add in the dry ingredients half at a time, mixing until well-combined. Roll the dough into balls about 1" thick. Roll them in the granulated sugar. Bake the cookies for about 10 mintues, and then let cool. Top each cookie with a Hershey Candy Corn Kiss!

Chocolate Chip Mini Pancake Muffins

I noticed this recipe on Bakerella a couple of weeks ago and new I had to give it a try. My daughter loves chocolate chip pancakes and I usually make them every Saturday morning, so I thought how cool are mini pancake muffins!! They're bite-size, you can dip them, you can carry them with you and eat them on the go - I just had to give them a try. The first response I got when I presented them to my daughter was "Why didn't you make just regular old pancakes?" Teenagers - grrrrrr! But after a few bites she said "I actually like these better than regular pancakes". Wow - a positive remark! This recipe goes in the keeper file!

Chocolate Chip Mini Pancake Muffins

from Bakerella

1 c flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

2 T sugar

2/3 c buttermilk

1 egg

2 T pure maple syrup

2 T melted butter

1/2 c milk chocolate chips (I used mini size)

Generously grease a 24 cup mini muffin pan with non-stick spray.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar in a medium bowl. Sift together with a wire whisk.

In another bowl, stir buttermilk, egg, maple syrup and melted butter until just combined.

Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir with a spoon until combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Reserve a few chips to sprinkle on the tops. Bake for 8 -9 minutes.

Makes 24 mini pancake muffins. Let cool slightly and remove from pan. Serve with butter and maple syrup for dipping.