Cubes of creamy pumpkin cheesecake dipped in melted chocolate! Deliciously gluten-free!
I don’t know about you guys, but I am so ready for Christmas.
Yeah I know Halloween is still a day away, but for most of us who Halloween party’d ourselves out this past weekend, the shift in seasons is definitely welcome. But before we carol on into Christmas, I guess we should probably give a little attention to the middle child of the holidays–Thanksgiving.
You know, that all important day where it’s all about stuffing your face from noon ’til midnight, and regretting it the next day when you step on the scale and realize you’re up 15 pounds from the day before. Don’t worry though, that regret will soon fade away once you realize how nice it is to have that extra layer of fat to insulate your body from the chilly winter months 😉
Anywho, with Thanksgiving still on the horizon, that means pumpkin season is still going strong. That’s why I decided it was time for another pumpkin-licious recipe.
Move over, cake pops because these Pumpkin Cheesecake Pops definitely “take the cake” when it comes to desserts on a stick. And if you thought it was impossible to improve upon the wonderful richness of cheesecake, I’m here to prove you wrong. Dunk that cheesecake in a bowl of melted chocolate, and your tastebuds will pretty much explode.
In a good way…
The beauty of these cheesecake pops is that they’re less time-consuming than cake pops because there is no rolling or forming involved. Just slice the cheesecake into cubes, stab them with sticks, and you’re ready to dip!
To make them even easier (and gluten-free!), I omitted the graham cracker crust. Besides, we all know that when it comes to cheesecake, it’s ALL about the filling–NEVER the crust.
Since I couldn’t decide on whether I should dip these cheesecake pops in chocolate or butterscotch, I just did half and half. White chocolate is another great option! Being the butterscotch fanatic that I am, I’d have to say that the butterscotch-covered pops were my favorite.
The pumpkin cheesecake itself is AMAZING. So soft, creamy, and flavored with just the right amount of pumpkin and spices. Combined with the dark richness of chocolate or the buttery sweetness of butterscotch, these Pumpkin Cheesecake Pops are a home run in the book of BaJillian.
Pumpkin Cheesecake Pops
Ingredients
- 16 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 3 Tablespoons sour cream
- ¾ cup pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 large eggs lightly beaten
- 20 ounces semi-sweet chocolate*
- 3 Tablespoons coconut oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325ºF. Line an 8-inch square baking dish with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the sides for easy removal later on. Spray with nonstick cooking spray
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and both sugars together on high until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the sour cream, pumpkin puree, vanilla, salt, spices, and cornstarch, and continue beating until smooth. Add the eggs and mix until combined--try not to overmix at this point.
- Pour batter into prepared baking dish and place in the oven for 40-45 minutes, or until edges are set and center jiggles slightly. Remove cheesecake from the oven and allow to cool completely. Place cooled cheesecake in the freezer for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Remove cheesecake from the freezer and lift out of the pan onto a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, cut the cheesecake into 1-inch cubes. Insert a lollypop stick into the center of each cube, then place cheesecake pops onto a wax-paper lined baking sheet.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the chocolate and coconut oil in the microwave at 30-second increments, stirring occasionally, until fully melted and smooth. Dip cheesecake pops into the melted chocolate, shake off any excess, then place back onto lined baking sheet. Refrigerate until chocolate has set. Leftover cheesecake pops can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.