INDIVIDUAL PUMPKIN CHEESECAKES

Individual Pumpkin Cheesecakes image

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Time 6h

Yield 18

Number Of Ingredients 11

18 vanilla wafer cookies
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/3 cup half-and-half
1/3 cup sour cream
One 15-ounce can pure pumpkin puree
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
Whipped cream and chopped crystallized ginger, for serving

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Line 18 muffin cups, from 2 12-cup muffin tins, with paper liners. Place 1 whole cookie in the bottom of each lined cup.
Beat the cream cheese, granulated and brown sugars and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl using an electric mixer on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Reduce the speed to low and beat in the eggs until combined. Beat in the half-and-half and sour cream until smooth. Use a spatula to stir in the pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice until well blended. Divide the batter evenly among the cookie-lined cups (the cups will be very full).
Bake until the filling is just set and a knife inserted into the center comes out moist but clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool completely in the pans on a wire rack and then refrigerate until cold, at least 4 hours or up to overnight. Top each with whipped cream and a sprinkle of crystallized ginger before serving.