Pumpkin Cheesecake Cupcakes

These are dead easy, moist and tasty. I like 'em for breakfast or dessert. I adapted this from a recipe I found online -- sorry I've forgotten where -- at a pre-school of all places. Apparently kids like to make them, too.

Ingredients

1 pkg small gingersnap cookies
2 1/2 cups part-skim ricotta cheese
1 cup canned, or fresh, pumpkin puree
1/2 cup granulated brown sugar, I like Demerara
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
cupcake papers & tins
whipped cream for topping -- optional

You can also add chopped nuts such as walnuts, hazelnuts or pecans, or a slice of orange for colour. 

Method

Place one gingersnap in bottom of each cupcake paper and place in cupcake tin.  Beat ricotta until smooth.  Add remaining ingredients except whipped topping, and mix until well blended.  Pour into cups.

Bake 20 minutes at 325° until lightly  set; turn off heat and let stand in oven over 1 hour.  Cool on rack and chill overnight -- good luck with that!  The cupcakes tend to look flat on top so if you want pizzazz, add a little whipped cream and/or nuts for a topping. Serve with 1 tbsp of whipped topping. Makes one dozen.