As someone who ran her own baking business, the lack of a full kitchen (no oven or stove) at my college makes my life very difficult. I have to create food somehow. So over the past semester I have been gathering a folder of recipes on my computer and adapting them to be college kitchen friendly. This recipe is part of a series of recipes I have determined dorm friendly that feed my stress baking need. I present to you dorm pumpkin cheesecake.

ice, chocolate, pudding, mousse, cream
Sam Jesner

While pumpkin tends to be a fall treat, it can be found pretty much anywhere all year round and it's a pretty cheap ingredient. The cheesecake and whipped cream lighten the pumpkin making it a great treat for any time of year. Plus pumpkin is actually pretty good for you.

When I made these, I used graham crackers, although a later trail proved that gingersnaps make a much better crumb layer. If you can find gingersnaps I fully encourage you to use those, but graham crackers are an okay substitute, you just might want to add a little sugar when you mix them with the butter.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Cups

  • Prep Time:30 mins
  • Cook Time:1 hr
  • Total Time:1 hr 30 mins
  • Servings:4
  • Easy

    Ingredients

  • 6 TBL brown sugar
  • 1 cup pumpkin pie filling
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 8 oz cream cheese
  • gingersnaps
  • 1/4 cup butter melted
juice, sweet
  • Step 1

    Cream the cream cheese.

    ice, cream, butter, peanut, ice cream, peanut butter, chocolate, cheesecake, cake
    Sam Jesner
  • Step 2

    Add the brown sugar and pumpkin filling and mix. Chill for at least an hour.

    chocolate
    Sam Jesner
  • Step 3

    When you are ready to assemble the cups, whip the whipped cream and sugar until it forms stiff peaks. Fold one cup of whipped cream into the pumpkin mixture with a spatula.

    Sam Jesner
  • Step 4

    Crush about 15 gingersnaps in a Ziploc. Add the melted butter and evenly coat the cookie crumbs.

    bread, sweet
    Sam Jesner
  • Step 5

    Begin layering. Start by pushing a handful of cookie crumbs into a glass to evenly coat the bottom.

    peanut, peanut butter, butter, apple
    Sam Jesner
  • Step 6

    Spoon in the pumpkin filling on top of the cookie crumbs.

    Sam Jesner
  • Step 7

    Finally, top with whipped cream and serve.

    chocolate mousse, chocolate, ice, pudding, mousse, cream
    Sam Jesner

If you have any left over cookie crumbs, you can always sprinkle them over the top for an extra fancy finish. Also if you don't have wine glasses laying around, bowls, mugs, or water glasses work just fine. Nobody will care how you present it once they take a bite.