Mini Dessert Week: Cherry Chai Cheesecake Bites

Cherry Chai Cheesecake Bites

I love the smell and taste of fresh cardamom, and paired with sweet cherries…YUM! These little Philly bites are like a mini-spice cheesecake with a cherry pie frosting! The ginger snap crusts give it a spicy and elegant base and I just love the way the cherry pie filling drips off the edges for a great little presentation! 

Cherry Chai Cheesecake Bites 

Prep time: 25 minutes / Cook time: 20 minutes / Servings: 24

Cherry Chai Cheesecake Bites

Ingredients:

• 8 ounce(s) of Philadelphia Cream Cheese, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cup(s) of finely crushed ginger snap cookies (48 cookies)
• 4 tbsp. of butter, melted
• 2 egg whites
• 1/2 cup(s) of sugar
• 1 tsp. of vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. of cardamom powder
• 1 tsp. of pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tbsp. of flour
• 1 21 oz. can of cherry pie filling

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Spray a mini-muffin tin (24 muffins) with cooking spray.
3. In a blender or food processor, finely crush the gingersnap cookies. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and add melted butter. Mix well until combined.
4. Spoon about 1 tsp. of the cookie mixture into the bottom of each of the mini-muffin tins. Press the mixture to the bottom, creating a small pie crust in the bottom of the tins.
5. In a separate mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, egg whites, sugar, vanilla, cardamom, pumpkin pie spice and flour. Mix with electric mixer for 2-3 minutes until smooth and creamy.
6. Spoon the cheesecake mixture into the tins until each one is about 3/4 full.
7. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove and let cool for 5 minutes in the freezer.
8. Run a butter knife around the edges to loosen the cheesecakes from the tins. Flip the tins over to remove the cheesecake bites.
9. To serve: Place the cheesecake bites on a serving dish and spoon cherry pie filling (about 2 cherries each) onto the cheesecake bites. 

Cherry Chai Cheesecake Bites