Gingersnap Cheesecake Bites w/ Homemade Cranberry Jam

What’s that you say? How can I be making cheesecake for my gluten-free and dairy-free blog?

I’ve been dairy free for a number of years due to severe lactose intolerance. [I know it’s an intolerance and not a casein (milk protein) allergy because I can eat lactose-free cottage cheese and drink lactose-free milk.] Over the last year, I read a lot of research about the interplay of gluten and lactose intolerance–people with Celiac Disease are frequently also lactose intolerant because of damage to the small intestines. A gluten-free diet can sometimes allow the small intestine to repair itself.

Although I tested negative for Celiac Disease last year, I still maintain a pretty strict gluten-free diet, and have been totally gluten-free for about 9 months. And guess what? I can eat some dairy again!!! Not too much and mostly only cooked dairy [like cheesecake :)], but don’t look a gift horse in the mouth, right?

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this celebratory cheesecake recipe. I made these cheesecake bites for an office holiday bake-off [and they won!].

I made a crust of crushed gingersnap cookies (Trader Joe’s makes a wonderful gluten-free version).

For a little extra pizazz I whipped up a quick cranberry jam (also great spread on a piece of gluten-free toast). Happy holidays to one and all!

Gingersnap Cheesecake Bites w/ Homemade Cranberry Jam

Ingredients:

Cheesecake
Gingersnap crumbs
24 oz. cream cheese
3/4 cup sour cream
3 eggs
1 + 1/8 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Cranberry Jam
16 oz fresh cranberries
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup honey
3 Tbsp water

Directions:

1. Allow cream cheese, sour cream, and eggs to come to room temperature.
2. Cream together cream cheese, sour cream, and sugar. Add vanilla and eggs one at a time, mixing until well blended. Do not overmix.
3. Grease a mini muffin tin. Sprinkle 1 Tbsp gingersnap crumbs into the bottom of each cup. Fill each cup about 3/4 full of cream cheese mixture.
4. Bake 10-15 minutes at 325 degrees until edges are brown and center is no longer jiggly [technical term, I know :)].
5. Meanwhile, place jam ingredients in a small stock-pot. Bring ingredients to a boil, then simmer 10-15 minutes, stirring regularly, until cranberries have “popped.” Cool.
6. Allow cheesecakes to cool completely and top with cranberry jam. Store leftovers (if any) in the fridge.

The cost:
gingersnaps: 1.99
cream cheese: 4.77
sour cream: 1.19
cranberries: 1.79
pantry ingredients: ~2.00

Grand total: $11.74 (makes 48)
Winning the office holiday bake-off: Priceless