Hi and welcome to day 3 of #PumpkinWeek! We are celebrating our love of the season with a whole week of pumpkin goodies, leading up to National Pumpkin Day. 17 Food Bloggers have come together to share over 65 recipes with you. In addition to homemade pumpkin puree, pie, and cookies, we are also sharing savory pumpkin dishes like hummus, chili and pumpkin corn chowder. Come back every day for #PumpkinWeek recipes. You can also find these great recipes and more on Love and Confections’ #PumpkinWeek Pinterest Board!

I already shared my Pumpkin Loaf and Baked Pumpkin Donut Holes for #PumpkinWeek and couldn’t leave these Pumpkin Pie Cream Cheese Truffles out. They are easy to make and so good. They are the perfect size when you want just one small bite of something sweet.

Scoops, or dishers, are a regularly used tool in my kitchen. I use them on everything from cupcakes to meatballs and truffles. They make portioning out recipes easy, so everything is the same size. I have at least 4 different sizes that I keep handy.

Mr. L&C could not stop eating these. I actually ran out of coating chocolate and they are scrumptious even without the topping. Perfectly pop-able and dangerously good. One thing to note, when making these, the truffles need to be chilled, but not too cold, otherwise the coating chocolate will harden and crack. Make sure you also read the directions on your white chocolate or coating chocolate for heating, it can go from good to bad in a matter of seconds.

Pumpkin Pie Cream Cheese Truffles
a Love and Confections original recipe
Click here for a printable recipe

Pumpkin Pie Cream Cheese Truffles Ingredients:
– 3 ounces Pumpkin Puree

– 6 ounces Graham Cracker Crumbs
– 3 tablespoons Confectioners’ Sugar
– 1 teaspoon Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice
– 5.5 ounces Vanilla Almond Bark, about 3 squares

– 10+ ounces White Chocolate or Vanilla Almond Bark for dipping
– 1-2 tablespoons Shortening for dipping, optional
– Sprinkles, optional

Check out all the #PumpkinWeek Bloggers and their recipes:
Pumpkin Pie Cream Cheese Truffles by Love and Confections
Pumpkin-Vanilla Bean Madeleines by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
White Chocolate Drizzled Pumpkin Scones by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
S’mores Pumpkin Pie by The Spiffy Cookie
Homemade Pumpkin Puree by Happy Food Healthy Life
Pumpkin Mole by Curious Cuisiniere
Drunken Pumpkin Seeds by Life Tastes Good
Pumpkin Roll by A Day in the Life on the Farm
Pumpkin Lasagna by My Catholic Kitchen
Cinnamon Pumpkin Bread by Making Miracles
Pumpkin Quinoa Oatmeal Bake by The Pajama Chef
Pumpkin Chocolate Swirl Pancakes by Dizzy Busy and Hungry

Truth-be-told, sometimes I don’t like cheesecake. Some cheesecakes are too sweet or too heavy and just not that flavorful. I am partial to Italian Cheesecake, though, because may Dad and I make it every year for Christmas.

That is definitely not the case with this cheesecake. This Florida girl loves citrus – Key Limes being my favorite – so a Key Lime Pie Cheesecake was undoubtedly the first one I turned to for National Cheesecake Day. I have a love for Key Limes and often make Key Lime Curd, Key Lime Cupcakes and even Key Lime Pie Ice Cream!

This cheesecake tastes just like a Key Lime Pie, but doesn’t have a drop of sweetened condensed milk in it. I added toasted meringue, but you could easily have whipped cream or leave it plain. For an added flair, you could even top it with toasted coconut.

Key Lime Pie Cheesecake
a Love and Confections original
Click here for the printable recipe

Key Lime Pie Cheesecake Ingredients:
– 115 grams Graham Cracker Crumbs
– 40 grams melted Unsalted Butter
– 45 grams Granulated Sugar
– 445 grams Cream Cheese, at room temperature
– 20 grams Cornstarch
– 125 grams Granulated Sugar
– 150 grams large Eggs, at room temperature
– Zest of 4 Key Limes
– Juice of 4 Key Limes
– 1-2 teaspoons Key Lime Extract, optional
– 50 grams Milk
– 100 grams Heavy Cream
– Hot Water for water bath
– 150 grams Egg Whites
– 150 grams Granulated Sugar

Graham Cracker Crust Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350°F and spray the inside of a 9 inch spring-form pan with cooking spray.
2. In a small bowl, mix the Graham Cracker Crumbs, Butter and first measure of Sugar together. Pour into the pan and smooth out with the back of a large spoon.
3. Bake for 10-12 minutes, then set aside while making the filling.
4. Reduce oven to 300°F.

Key Lime Pie Cheesecake Directions:
1. In a medium bowl with a hand blender or in the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the Cream Cheese and Cornstarch. Add in the second measure of Granulated Sugar and mix until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl if necessary.
2. Add in the Eggs, one at a time, making sure it is combined before adding each additional egg. Add the Zest and Juice of 4 Key Limes along with the Key Lime Extract. Mix to incorporate.
3. Being careful not to over mix, add in the Milk and Heavy Cream. You do not want to whip the cream too much.
4. Pour batter into pan and place pan into a large, sided baking dish. Place the baking dish onto the oven rack, then fill with Hot Water, being careful not to get any water inside the foil or the spring-form pan.
5. Bake for 60-70 minutes, or until the sides are set and the middle “jiggles” a little when the pan is touched. Be extremely careful when taking the baking dish out of the oven! I sometimes just take the spring-form pan out to cool and leave the baking dish in to cool before attempting to take it out.
6. Let the Cheesecake cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate a minimum of 8 hours, but overnight is preferable. Run a paring knife that had the blade in hot water (and wiped off so it isn’t wet) around the edge of the cheesecake before releasing it, to insure that it separates from the side.
– If you are making meringue or whipped cream for a topping, leave the cheesecake in the refrigerator until those are made.

Swiss Meringue Directions:
1. In the bowl of your stand mixer combine the Egg Whites and third measure of Granulated Sugar. Place it on top of a small pot of water, making sure the water does not touch the bottom of the mixing bowl.
2. Heat the water on medium and whisk the Egg Whites and Sugar until it is warm and the sugar is all dissolved. If you run your finger through the mixture and rub your finger and thumb together, it should feel warm and not feel grainy.
3. Immediately, place the whip attachment on your stand mixer and whip the mixture on high. Place foil around the bowl’s opening – warm eggs whip up better.
4. Once the meringue is whipped to stiff peaks, you can pipe or spread it on the cheesecake and torch the top. Enjoy!

Until next time,
LOVE & CONFECTIONS!

Featured on A Southern Fairytale’s Moutwatering Mondays

Here are all the Bloggers participating in Cheesecake Day:


Baked Cheesecakes:

• Apricot Ricotta Cheesecake from Diethood
• Blackberry Goat Cheese Cheesecake from Baking a Moment
• Blueberry Ricotta Cream Cheesecake from Hungry Couple
• Caramel Macchiato Cheesecake from Wishes and Dishes
• Cheesecake Factory Vegan Copycat Oreo Cheesecake from Namely Marly
• Chocolate Cheesecake w/ Whisky Toffee Shards from girlichef
• Chocolate Chip Cookie Mini Cheesecakes from My Sweet Zepol
• Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Cheesecake from Savvy Eats
• Coconut Cheesecake with Macadamia Crust from All Day I Dream About Food
• Gluten-Free Mini Cheesecakes with Toasted Coconut Crust from Quarter Life (Crisis) Cuisine
• Hawaiian Chantilly Layer Cheesecake from Wallflour Girl
• Key Lime Pie Cheesecake from Love and Confections
• Lemon Cheesecake from Shugary Sweets
• Lemon Ginger Panna Cotta Cheesecake + Blueberry Sauce from Girl Versus Dough
• Lightened Up Apricot-Swirl Cheesecake from Take A Bite Out of Boca
• Lilikoi Cheesecake with Macadamia Nut Shortbread Crust from Dieter’s Downfall
• Mini Hawaiian Cheesecakes from Pint Sized Baker
• Mini Mascarpone Cheesecakes with Strawberry Balsamic Topping from Boulder Locavore
• Mom’s Cheesecake from Magnolia Days
• New York Style Cheesecake from URBAN BAKES
• Oreo Ripple Cheesecake from Overtime Cook
• Peanut Butter Cheesecake with Nutella Ganache Topping from The Redhead Baker
• Pear cheesecake with gingersnap crust from Roxana’s Home Baking
• Pumpkin Cheesecake from Lady Behind The Curtain
• Rainbow Cheesecake from In Katrina’s Kitchen
• Raspberry Cheesecake with Oreo Crust from Hip Foodie Mom
• Ricotta Cheesecake with Strawberry Basil Sauce from French Press
• Salted Caramel Apple Cheesecake from Jane’s Adventures in Dinner
• Snickers Cheesecake from Life, Love and Sugar
• Sugar Cookie Cheesecake from Munchkin Munchies
• Vanilla Bean Cheesecake from Wine & Glue
• Vegan Mango Coconut Cheesecake from Jessiker Bakes
• Very Berry Cheesecake from JavaCupcake
• White Chocolate Cheesecake with Macadamia Nuts and Caramel from Taste and Tell
• White Chocolate Frangelico Cheesecake from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• White Chocolate Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake from Will Cook For Smiles

No Bake Cheesecakes:

• Butter Pecan Caramel No-Bake Mini Cheesecakes from Simply Southern Baking
• Cherry and Pistachio No Bake Cheesecake with Animal Cracker Crust from Cravings of a Lunatic
• Mini No Bake Lime Cheesecakes from Miss in the Kitchen
• Neapolitan No Bake Cheesecake from Grandbaby Cakes
• No-Bake Berry Cheesecake from Food Lust People Love
• No Bake Blackberry Cheesecake from You Made That?
• No Bake Dulce de Leche Cheesecake with Caramelized Peaches from The Food Charlatan
• No-Bake Limoncello Cheesecake from Cake Duchess
• No Bake Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake from White Lights on Wednesday
• No Bake Peanut Butter Cheesecake from Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts
• No-Bake Peanut Butter Cheesecake from Crunchy Creamy Sweet
• S’mores Cheesecake from The Gunny Sack

Cheesecake Beverages:

• Black Raspberry Cheesecake Milkshake from Blahnik Baker
• Caramel Cheesecake Martini from Happy Food, Healthy Life

Cheesecake Cookies and Bars:

• Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars from Cooking with Jax
• Caramel Overload Cheesecake Bars from Crumbs and Chaos
• Cherry Cheesecake Brownies from Inside BruCrew Life
• Chocolate Brownie Cheesecake Cookies from Lemons for Lulu
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake Bars from Chez CateyLou
• Healthier Peanut Butter Cheesecake Brownie Bars from Texanerin Baking
• Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Bars from Cooking In Stilettos
• No Bake Coconut Lime Cheesecake Bars from Beyond Frosting
• No Bake Cookies and Cream Cheesecake Bars from Garnish with Lemon
• Strawberry Chocolate Ganache Cheesecake Bars from A Kitchen Addiction

Cheesecake Desserts and Treats:

• Banana Foster No Bake Cheesecake Shooters from Mind Over Batter
• Chocolate Nutella Cheesecake Cake from gotta get baked
• Key Lime Cheesecake Trifles from Hoosier Homemade
• Strawberry Cheesecake Pots from Barbara Bakes
• Triple Brigadeiro Cheesecake Tart from From Brazil To You

Frozen Cheesecakes and Treats:

• Blackberry Cheesecake Popsicles from The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
• Chocolate Caramel Cheesecake Ice Cream from Chocolate Moosey
• Frozen PB&C Cheesecake from Noshing With The Nolands
• No Bake Frozen Peanut Butter Cheesecake {Nutter Butter Crust} from Crazy for Crust

Just in time for your fall festivities… and who doesn’t love cheesecake?

After making pumpkin cake and pumpkin pies at my internship, I decided to tackle pumpkin cheesecake on my day off. I really do bake 6-7 days out of the week. The difference is that I love baking at home, because I can make a variety of small things; as opposed to work, where I need to make sure I have enough to feed about 3,000 people per day. That, in and of itself, is not easy, and gourmet pastries, cakes, etc., in mass quantities with limited time and space is difficult.

Baking with family has always been some of my best memories. Being in the kitchen with my mother and grandmother was a requirement for most holidays. With my grandmother gone, and my mother a few hundred miles away, I still try to do holiday baking, even though they’re not with me – but they’re always on my mind. Fall was always the start of the big baking season for us. Halloween, followed by Thanksgiving and then Christmas, meant that we would spend a lot of time together in the kitchen. Because of them, there is no longer a “want” to bake for the holidays; now its a “need.” I need to keep the family traditions. I need to keep the memories alive. I need to keep them close, and if baking and being in the kitchen helps, then that’s what I need to do.

The smell of pumpkin and spices filled my apartment and it truly felt like Autumn – all we need is the cooler weather here in Florida. Yesterday it was 91 degrees! In October! I have a friend in Colorado that already shared a picture of the “first snow of the season” – can you say jealous. We are supposed to get a cold front next week. The temperature might make it down to the 50s!

Even with the warmer weather, I have been getting in the Fall spirit. I unpacked some Halloween/Autumn decorations, bought myself some mini pumpkins, and indulged in a bag of candy corn. I also bought myself some flowers, just because I wanted some, and to accentuate my Fall decorations. Sunflowers are one of my favorite types of flowers, and they look great next to the bright orange mini pumpkins.

This recipe is simple and delicious. It is creamy, rich, and perfect for any holiday gathering you plan to have this season. I hope you enjoy making it as much as I did.

Pumpkin Cheesecake
adapted from verybestbaking.com

Pumpkin Cheesecake Ingredients:
Crust
– 1 & 1/2 cups Graham Cracker Crumbs
– 1/3 cup unsalted Butter, melted
– 1/4 cup granulated Sugar

Cheesecake
– 3-8 ounce packages Cream Cheese, softened
– 1 cup granulated Sugar
– 1/4 cup packed Light Brown Sugar
– 2 large Eggs
– 1-15 ounce can 100% Pure Pumpkin
– 1-5 fluid ounce can Evaporated Milk
– 2 tablespoons Corn Starch
– 2 teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice
Pumpkin Cheesecake Directions:
Crust
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Combine Graham Cracker Crumbs, Butter, and granulated Sugar in a medium bowl.
3. Press into bottom and 1 inch up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan. A little trick I use do is use the bottom and sides of a solid measuring cup to press down and around the sides – much easier and more precise than using your hands.
4. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes (do not allow it to brown)
5. Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes

Cheesecake
1. Beat Cream Cheese, granulated Sugar, and Brown Sugar in a large mixing bowl, until fluffy.
2. Beat in Eggs, Pumpkin and Evaporated Milk.
3. Add Corn Starch and Pumpkin Pie Spice, and beat well.
4. Pour into crust
5. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes – the edge will be set, but the center will still move slightly
6. Cool on wire rack and then refrigerate overnight – keep springform pan sides on while cooling and refrigerating

You can serve this by itself, but it would also be great with some freshly whipped cream or homemade ice cream! Yum!

Until next time,
LOVE & CONFECTIONS!