Special Diet Information
Coumadin® (Warfarin)
This recipe is safe for Coumadin (warfarin) users.
Lactose
This recipe contains cheese and some of those who are lactose intolerant may be able to tolerate it.
Sodium
This is a low sodium recipe.
GERD / Acid Reflux
No specific GERD triggers.
Gluten Sensitivity
This recipe is safe for those who are sensitive to gluten.
"Because you don't live near a bakery doesn't mean you have to go without cheesecake."
-Hedy Lamarr
The refrigerator light goes on...
Cheesecake seems so daunting to make when I read recipes, but it is actually really easy. The cool thing about this one is that you can make it in a standard springform pan but the individual cheesecakes made in the muffin tins is really easy and they cook a whole lot faster. The hardest part is whisking the egg whites.
You can use granulated Splenda for this recipe and it is more widely available but Z-sweet is a great alternative to sugar. It is a sugar alcohol, but unlike other no-calorie sugar alcohols, it is not passed into the large intestine so there is no gastric distress.
Cinnamon
This spice is the dried inner bark of evergreen trees that are in the laurel family (such as bay laurel). There are three types. Cinnamon harvested from the Cinnamomum zeylanicum tree that is native to Sri Lanka is a softer and sweeter spice with a paler color. Because Sri Lanka was known as Ceylon, this is usually referred to as Ceylon cinnamon.
Cinnamon from the Cinnamomum cassia tree found in the Far East, as well as the Indonesian Cinnamomum loureirii tree, is bolder and more pungent.
The most common spice used in Europe and the Americas is the cassia cinnamon. It is darker than Ceylon cinnamon. Often cassia will be labeled from its country of origin as Chinese, Vietnamese, Sumatra, or South America.
In stick form, you can tell the difference between Ceylon cinnamon and cassia cinnamon. The former curls inward from both edges, forming a sort of double stick, while cassia curls only from one edge.
As with any spice, buying the whole product and grinding it yourself is the surest way to get a fresh flavor, but that's not always practical. I have both stick and ground cinnamon in my cupboard. I generally use the whole product when I am going to grind other whole spices for marinades or rubs.
Pumpkin Cheesecake
Servings = 12 | Serving size =1 muffin-sized cheesecake
Cooking Time = 120 Minutes
This recipe can be multiplied by 2, 3, 4.
The cheesecakes keep fairly well for a couple of days, but the fresher the better. Note that cooking time does not include chilling time.
| 3/4 cup | walnuts |
| 4 tsp | honey |
| 2 large | eggs (separated) |
| 8 ounces | reduced-fat block cream cheese |
| 1/2 cup | reduced-fat sour cream |
| 1 cup | canned pumpkin |
| 1/2 cup | Z-sweet or granulated Splenda |
| 1 tsp | ground cinnamon |
| 1/2 tsp | ground nutmeg |
| 1/2 tsp | ground cloves |
| 1 tsp | pure vanilla extract |
| 2 Tbsp | fresh lemon juice |
| 1/8 tsp | salt |
Preheat the oven to 300°F.
Line a standard size muffin tin with 12 muffin papers (preferably foil papers).
Place the walnuts in food processor fitted with a steel blade and process until they are coarse crumbs.
Drizzle in the honey through the top of the food processor until well blended into the crumbs then stop the food processor.
Distribute the walnut mixture evenly between the muffin papers and pat down gently.
Place the pan in the oven and cook for ten minutes. Remove from the oven.
Fill a large roasting pan with about 1 1/2 inchs of water and place in the oven.
While the crust is cooling, place the cream cheese, sour cream, pumpkin, sweetener, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, vanilla extract, lemon juice, egg yolks and salt in a clean food processor bowl fitted with a steel blade.
Process until smooth.
In a copper bowl, whisk the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Gently fold in the batter from the food processor until well blended.
Pour the batter into the muffin tins. It is easiest if you use an ice cream scoop or large spoon. The muffins papers should be as full as you can make them.
Place the pan in the heated water bath and bake for 20 minutes.
Turn off the oven and remove the water bath from the oven.
Return just the cheesecakes in the muffin tin (without the water bath) to the warm oven and allow to sit for 40 minutes in the oven as it cools.
Chill for at least four hours before serving.
Nutrition Facts
Serving size = 1 muffin-sized cheesecake
Servings = 12
Amount Per Serving
| Calories 151 | Calories from Fat 101 |
| % Daily Value |
| Total Fat 11g | 17% |
| Saturated Fat 4g | 17% |
| Monounsaturated Fat 2g | |
| Trans Fat 0g | |
| Cholesterol 56mg | 18% |
| Sodium 105mg | 5% |
| Total Carbohydrates 7g | 4% |
| Dietary Fiber 2g | 4% |
| Sugars 4g | |
| Protein 6g |
| Vitamin A 69% | Vitamin C 4% |
| Calcium 7% | Iron 6% |
| Vitamin K 3 mcg | Potassium 173 mg |
| Magnesium 23 mg | |