Pumpkin Cheesecake with Salted Caramel Sauce

What is the best part of the holidays? Family, friends and FOOD of course! I love that I get to indulge in the deliciousness of the holidays a little early since I like to post the holiday recipes before the holidays arrive. This time around I wanted to create a dessert recipe that would be an exciting twist on a classic. I just have to say it, this cheesecake is dee-vine! Just imagine your favorite pumpkin pie meets a fluffy, rich cheesecake and then it's generously covered in salted caramel sauce and finished with sweetened whipped cream. Yeah, almost to good to be true. I don't know that I'm going to care much about pumpkin pie during the holidays anymore, this has definitely stolen its limelight for me. Start the holidays out right, with a gourmet and autumn inspired cheesecake! Enjoy!

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Salted Caramel Sauce
Yields about 10 servings
Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups crushed graham crackers (from 14 sheets)
1/3 cup packed light-brown sugar
6 Tbsp salted butter, melted

3 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened (I recommend using Philadelphia)
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
3 large egg yolks

topping:
caramel sauce, store bought or homemade, recipe follows 
coarse sea salt
sweetened whipped cream, for serving (optional)

Directions:
To prepare crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, mix together crushed graham crackers and light-brown sugar (being sure to break up any clumps of the brown sugar). Pour in melted butter and mix until mixture is evenly coated. Firmly press mixture into the bottom and sides of a 9-inch spring-form pan coming within about 1-inch of the top edge. Bake in preheated oven for 8-9 minutes until lightly browned. Remove from oven and allow to cool while preparing filling. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.

To prepare filling: In a large mixing bowl, using an electric hand mixer set on low speed, blend together cream cheese, light-brown sugar and granulated sugar until smooth, about - 30 seconds. Mix in flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. Add in pumpkin and vanilla and mix on low speed just until combined. Add in whole eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition just until combine, then add in egg yolks and mix just until combine. Lift and tap mixing bowl against the counter several times to release air bubbles from mixture. Pour mixture into graham cracker crust and bake in preheated oven (325 degrees) for 1 hour, then turn oven off and allow cheesecake to rest in oven 25 - 30 minutes (without opening oven door). Remove from oven and allow to cool 15 minutes, then cover with plastic wrap and chill 5 hours. Slice and drizzle each serving with a generous amount of caramel sauce, sprinkle with a pinch of coarse sea salt then top with optional sweetened whipped cream. Store in refrigerator in an airtight container.

Caramel Sauce

Ingredients:
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup salted butter
2/3 cup heavy cream

Directions:
Gather all of your ingredients and have them nearby ready to add to the mixture as needed. In a heavy-bottomed 3 quart saucepan, heat sugar and water over moderately high heat whisking constantly to dissolve sugar. Once mixture reaches a boil, stop whisking and allow mixture to boil until it reaches a dark amber color, carefully swirling pan occasionally. Once mixture reaches a dark amber color, immediately add butter and whisk until butter has melted then immediately remove from heat. Wait 3 seconds then carefully pour in cream and immediately whisk to combine (it will bubble vigorously). Whisk until mixture is smooth. Allow caramel to cool several minutes then pour into a glass jar to cool completely.

Recipe Source: Cooking Classy

Cheesecake Swirled Lemon Butter Cake

Cheesecake collides with lemon butter cake and creates this rich, creamy, lemony, dense and irresistible cake that won't easily be forgotten. This cake is full of that fresh, zesty lemon flavor and with its cheesecake combination its sure to satisfy that decadent dessert craving. There are several ways to serve this cake which I listed below. You could even come up with your own variation, maybe something blueberry or coconut. Anyway you serve this cake, at room temperature or chilled, with or without sweetened whipped cream or simply with a generous dusting of powdered sugar, I think you are really going to enjoy this recipe!

Cheesecake Swirled Lemon Butter Cake
Yields about 10 servings


Ingredients:
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup sour cream
2 Tbsp heavy cream
1 egg yolk
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest


1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 large egg
1/4 cup sour cream
3 Tbsp lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp lemon zest
1 tsp vanilla extract


Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a mixing bowl, using an electric hand mixer on medium speed, whip together cream cheese and 1/3 cup granulated sugar until fluffy and smooth, about 2 minutes. Stir in sour cream and heavy cream. Add in egg yolk, 1 Tbsp lemon juice and 1 tsp lemon zest and mix until combine, set aside. 
In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, set aside. In another mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, whip together butter and 2/3 cup granulated sugar until pale and fluffy. Stir in egg. Mix in sour cream, lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla extract. Add in dry ingredients and mix just until combine. Pour cake batter into a buttered 9 inch springform pan and spread mixture into an even layer. Pour cream cheese mixture over cake batter layer and spread cream cheese mixture into an even layer (you don't need to swirl the cake, it did it on it's own while baking). Bake in preheated oven for 35 - 40 minutes until edges are golden and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Allow to cool before cutting into slices.
I tried serving and eating this a few different ways:
1. Serve warm garnished with lots of powdered sugar
2. Allow to cool at room temperature 30 minutes, then cover and chill 1 hour. Slice and serve with sweetened whipped cream and optional fresh raspberries.
3. Allow to cool at room temperature 30 minutes, then cover and chill 1 hour. Slice and serve with raspberry sauce and sweetened whipped cream.

Oreo Cheesecake Bites (a no bake recipe)

I'm in love with the cheesecake bites lately, can you tell =)? Three cheesecake bite posts in a row. Hopefully that will give you an idea of just how simple and incredible these are. These are dangerously delicious! Who doesn't love an Oreo cookie? Then you add a creamy, dreamy, no bake Oreo cheesecake mixture on top that. Yeah, like I said, dangerous! If you are someone that likes an easy, basically cheater recipe then this is for you. You don't need to be a fancy cook to be able to make these delightful treats, but you can fool people into thinking you are with how amazing they taste. Be the hit of the next party when you show up with these! Enjoy!

Oreo Cheesecake Bites

Yields about 30

Ingredients:

33 Oreos, divided

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup heavy cream

3/4 cup milk

1 (3.4 oz) pkg cheesecake flavored instant pudding mix

30 mini Oreos

Directions:

In a mixing bowl, using an electric hand mixer, whip together cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth. Using a wire whisk, stir in cream, milk and instant pudding. Whisk mixture for about 2 - 3 minutes until very thick. Freeze mixture for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, place 3 large Oreos in a ziploc bag, seal bag and crush Oreos finely using a rolling pin (alternately you can do this in a food processor). Stir crushed Oreos into cheesecake mixture. Pipe cheesecake mixture over 30 large Oreos, then top each one with a mini Oreo. For best result serve immediately (store in refrigerator if not used immediately).

July 4th Cheesecake Bites (a no bake recipe)

I was so excited about this recipe that I wanted to make the July 4th version right away. So here they are... (It's never to early to start planning, right? =))

July 4th Cheesecake Bites
Yields about 28


1 Recipe Cheesecake Bites, recipe found here
1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam
28 fresh blueberries


Directions:
Follow directions listed using 1/4 cup raspberry jam (for the jam called for) and top each mini cheesecake with a fresh blueberry. For best results serve immediately. 
Note: for best results when cutting the graham crackers, if you open the package a day or two before cutting them you should have less breakage. You can use an unopened package you will just have more of them break when cutting, but you can always save the broken ones to make a graham cracker pie crust in the future.


Recipe Source: Cooking Classy

Mini Cheesecake Bites

Mini cheesecake desserts in 15 minutes, yes please! This is one of those uh oh recipes for me =). I created it because if you haven't noticed I LOVE cheesecake and I wanted a simpler, ready to enjoy sooner cheesecake recipe. Yes those New York style cheesecakes are utterly amazing but sometimes I just can't wait for it to bake and hour then chill eight hours to dive in and enjoy it. These are ready to eat in about 15 minutes! Hence why I said this is an uh oh recipe for me. They are dangerously delicious and so incredibly simple to make. I'm sure I will be making them a bit too often. These would be so fun for parties. I know I will be making them for July 4th using raspberry jam and garnishing them with blueberries. 
This recipe is so versatile, you can switch up the pudding flavor (I want to try white chocolate and chocolate next). You can use your favorite type of jam/berry syrup or even omit it and just use berries. You could drizzle with caramel ice cream topping or melted chocolate rather than using jam and garnish it with chocolate slivers. You could even do an Oreo cheesecake version by adding crushed Oreos to the cheesecake mixture and then garnishing them with a mini Oreo (you could even use a regular size Oreo in place of the graham cracker). You could do a lemon or lime version by adding in a little bit of lemon/lime zest and juice to the pudding and garnishing them with mini lemon/lime wedges. I would like to try a Nutella version sometime too. You see what I mean there are endless possibilities, so have fun and create your own version. Enjoy!

 Unprofessional I know, all I had on hand was frozen berries but I wanted you to have an idea at least of what they look like with the berries. Fresh would be best if you have them.

Mini Cheesecake Bites
Yields about 28


Ingredients:
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup whole milk
1 (3.4 oz) pkg cheesecake flavored instant pudding
14 graham cracker sheets (plus some extra, it's likely some will break when cutting)
1/4 cup seedless jam of your choice*
Raspberries, blueberries or diced strawberries, for garnish (optional)


Directions:
In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, whip together cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth, about 1 minute. Using a wire whisk, stir in cream, milk and instant pudding. Whisk mixture for about 2 - 3 minutes (by hand) until very thick. Place mixture in the freezer for 5 - 10 minutes while you prepare the graham cracker circles. 
Break graham cracker sheets into halves, then using a metal 2 1/4" circle cookie cutter or fondant cutter, cut crackers into circles. Remove cheesecake mixture from freezer and using a large spoon stir until nearly smooth (to remove the little lumps), about 30 seconds. Pipe cheesecake mixture over graham cracker circles, drizzle with seedless jam and top with optional berries. Store in the refrigerator (note: for best results drizzle jam just before serving).


*see post above for additional drizzling and topping ideas.

Sugar Cookie Squares with White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake Frosting

I just can't get enough of the sugar cookie squares! Yesterday I was making the original Sugar Cookie Squares with Vanilla Frosting and was thinking of what other combinations would be good with these squares. The best that came to mind, these Sugar Cookie Squares frosted with decadent White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake Frosting. They basically melt in your mouth while the combinations of sweet yet tangy cream cheese with natural berry goodness tantalize your taste buds.  White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake is one of my favorite desserts so I thought this would be a great combination of cookie and cheesecake. Let me tell you it most definitely is!  The great thing about these is that you get the cheesecake flavors without waiting 9 hours for a cheesecake to bake then set in the refrigerator.  The cookie portion of this recipe is so incredibly simple, that is one other reason it's one of my favorites to do variations on.  I hope you enjoy this version as much as I do!

Also, this frosting would be incredible on a vanilla, chocolate or angel food cake, just keep in mind it has a slightly runnier consistency than your average butter cream frosting  so it not ideal for piping.

Sugar Cookie Squares with White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake Frosting
Yields 24 squares


Ingredients:
1 recipe sugar cookie squares (cookie portion only, omit Vanilla Frosting), found here
White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake Frosting, recipe follows


Directions:
Prepare cookies according to directions listed and allow to cool completely.  Frost with White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake Frosting (note: for cleaner cutting, if desired, cover pan with plastic wrap and freeze bars for 15 minutes to help frosting set). Cut into squares and store cookies in an airtight container.


White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake Frosting


Ingredients:
6 oz. cream cheese, softened
3 Tbsp butter, softened
1/2 cup white chocolate chips (or vanilla chips)
1 Tbsp cream
3 cups powdered sugar
3 Tbsp raspberry puree*


Directions:
In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, whip together cream cheese and butter until smooth and fluffy.  In a microwave safe bowl, combine white chocolate chips and cream, melt mixture in the microwave on 50% power in 30 second intervals, stirring after each interval until melted and smooth.  Add melted chocolate mixture to cream cheese mixture and blend together with electric mixer until well combine.  Add in powdered sugar and mix until well blended.  Fold in raspberry puree.


*This is about 3/4 cup fresh or frozen raspberries processed in a food processor.  Note, if you are using frozen raspberries measure them before thawing, then thaw and process in the food processor.


Recipe Source: Cooking Classy