CHEESECAKE BITES

RECIPE #1: Pumpkin Cheesecake Bites

Start to Finish: 55 minutes

Servings: 8

Our first recipe, courtesy of Rian Handler, is a fun and no-bake dessert bound to be a hit at any Thanksgiving dinner. It requires a lot of freezing and refrigeration time, however, and the distinct texture and taste can make it hard to have more than a few in a single sitting. The recipe takes about an hour and it yields around 14 pumpkin cheesecake bites. 

Ingredients

• ½ cup pumpkin purée
• 4 oz. softened cream cheese
• 2 ½ cups melted white chocolate, set aside
• ¾ cup crushed ginger snaps
• ¾ cup crushed graham crackers
• 1 tbsp. coconut oil
• 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice (Yes, it exists.)
• Small pinch salt

Steps

1. Set up a baking sheet pan with parchment paper on top.
2. Mix together the crushed graham crackers and ginger snaps in a small bowl, setting 2 tablespoons of mix aside for later.
3. Beat the cream cheese in a large bowl until it is light and fluffy, and add ½ cup of melted white chocolate, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Beat ingredients together.
4. Combine the cookie crumbs from the small bowl with the ingredients in the larger bowl and start rolling it into tablespoon-sized balls.
5. Place the balls onto the parchment paper and freeze for about 30 minutes.
6. Mix the leftover white chocolate with the coconut oil and dunk the pumpkin bites into the melted chocolate. 
7. Place the bites back onto the baking sheet, sprinkling the remaining cookie crumbs on top. Refrigerate for 20 minutes and enjoy!

Whether you plan on visiting relatives out of town or celebrating Thanksgiving with your family at home, these recipes are great ways to enjoy some fall holiday flavors and share a food-filled celebration with everyone at the table.