Apple Butter Mini Cheesecakes... made with cottage cheese!
These Mini Lightened-Up Cheesecakes are swirled with Apple Butter and quite easy to make. Delicious, gluten free and topped with whipped cream (or coconut cream) and dried apples. DELISH! Perfect for parties, holidays or when ever you want a light, delicious treat!
Servings: 12 servings
Ingredients
Oat Granola Type Crust:
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 1/4 cup natural sliced almonds
- 1 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut (can replace with extra nuts)
- 1 tablespoon coconut palm sugar or light brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (can use cinnamon)
- 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pure almond extract
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
"Cheesecake" Filling:
- 32 ounces cottage cheese 4% milk fat - to be strained
- 2 large eggs room temperature, I use pasture raised
- 1/3 cup greek yogurt full fat - can use sour cream
- 1/2 cup pure cane sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste can use vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons gluten free all purpose flour (can use regular flour)
- 1/2 cup apple butter see my recipe (2 teaspoons for each cheesecake)
Instructions
Oat Granola Type Crust:
- Add all ingredients with melted butter to a small food processor and pulse until ingredients are finely ground.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place paper muffin cups into a standard muffin tin. Add two teaspoons of crust ingredients to the bottom of each. Press down firmly with your fingers. Bake until firm, 10 minutes. Remove from over, make the filling.
Strain the Cottage Cheese:
- Add the cottage cheese to a fine mesh strainer, set over a bowl to catch the drippings. Set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes. (Will discard the milky drippings.)
"Cheesecake" Filling:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. To the carafe of a blender add: strained cottage cheese, eggs, yogurt, sugar, vanilla bean paste and flour - adding the flour on the top. Blend from low to high speed until very smooth, one full minute.HINT: mixture will be thick, scrape down side with a rubber spatula if not blending... it will!
- Pour the filling evenly into the 12 crusts. Filling will be almost filled to the top.
- Add 2 teaspoon of apple butter into the center of each. Swirl in with a metal skewer or thin small knife (see photos.) Bake for 20 minutes. Cool fully then refrigerate until firm.
- Optional Topping:To each: Add lightly sweetened whipped cream or whipped coconut cream. Top with a piece of dried apple, and a small rosemary sprig.
For Perfect Fluted Edges:
- Place the cooled cheesecakes on a tray and freeze for one hour.Pull away the fluted paper liners for perfect fluted edges- will look gorgeous!
Notes
See Recipe: Easy Silky Macoun and McIntosh Apple Butter
If purchasing apple butter - look for one with low or no sugar and spices, no preservatives.
How to make Apple Crisp Decoration:
Slice Apples thinly with a mandoline (I use gala or honey crisp.) Place them on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Sprinkle with a little cinnamon. Cook at preheated 250 degree oven until dry and crisp, but not too brown - about 1 hour. Crispiness will depend on length in oven and how thinly sliced. Cool completely. Garnish with whipped cream or coconut whipped cream. Add a piece of dehydrated apple and a small rosemary sprig if you desire. Freezing: cheesecakes can be successfully frozen. Defrost in the refrigerator. For this recipe I used: Easy Silky Macoun and McIntosh Apple Butter This recipe may not be reproduced without the consent of its author, Karen Sheer.
Slice Apples thinly with a mandoline (I use gala or honey crisp.) Place them on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Sprinkle with a little cinnamon. Cook at preheated 250 degree oven until dry and crisp, but not too brown - about 1 hour. Crispiness will depend on length in oven and how thinly sliced. Cool completely. Garnish with whipped cream or coconut whipped cream. Add a piece of dehydrated apple and a small rosemary sprig if you desire. Freezing: cheesecakes can be successfully frozen. Defrost in the refrigerator. For this recipe I used: Easy Silky Macoun and McIntosh Apple Butter This recipe may not be reproduced without the consent of its author, Karen Sheer.
Nutrition
Calories: 159kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 42mg | Sodium: 153mg | Potassium: 99mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 155IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 1mg