Pecan Caramel Cheesecake {Egg-free, Gluten-free}

During all of our egg-free and gluten-free Christmas festivities and celebrating with family, I also made this Pecan Caramel Cheesecake.  This is a slight adaptation of my previously posted recipe for Cheesecake (EF, GF), which was shown served with fresh berries.  

If you need a gluten-free cheesecake, I especially like how the ground pecans enhance the taste of crust when made with gluten-free cookie crumbs.  I think it adds some flavor and richness to the crust.

Pecan Caramel Cheesecake

3 pkg 8 oz cream cheese

1 c sugar

1 pkg gelatin (1 oz)

3 T cold water

1 c evaporated milk (8 oz)

2 t vanilla

1 3/4 c graham cracker crumbs or gluten-free cookie¹

¼ c finely ground pecans

6 T butter or margarine, softened

1/3 c sugar

Caramel sauce²

8-10 Pecan halves

Be sure the cream cheese and butter are at room temperature prior to starting.

Preheat oven to 325^o.  Mix graham cracker crumbs, ground pecans, butter and 1/3 c sugar and press into the bottom and slightly up the sides of a spring form pan.  Set aside while preparing the filling.

Sprinkle gelatin over water to soften.  Set aside.  Using an electric mixer, cream the cream cheese until fluffy.  Gradually add sugar and vanilla.  Bring evaporated milk to a soft boil.  Remove from heat and add softened gelatin, stirring until dissolved.   Let cool slightly.  Very gradually while mixing constantly, add the milk and gelatin mixture to the cream cheese mixture.  Once fully incorporated, scrap the sides of bowl to make sure all of the cream cheese is mixed in.  Pour into pan over prepared crust.

Bake at 325^o for 1 hour.  Turn oven off.  Leave cake in oven and set the door ajar for 1 additional hour.  Chill overnight or 4 hours before serving. 

While cheesecake is chilling, toast pecan halves at 350^o for 8-10 minutes in oven.  Remove and cool.  Prior to serving, top cheesecake with caramel sauce and toasted pecan halves.

  

Serves 8-10

¹I use gluten-free S’moreables Graham Style Crackers and they work great.  Depending on how sensitive you are to eggs, they were noted as may contain eggs.  My husband is not as sensitive as some.  He cannot have anything with egg ingredients but he can have something that may be proceeded on equipment with items containing egg. 

²Check your labels carefully on the caramel sauce.  Several had gluten and or egg!  I used Smucker’s Simple DelightSalted Caramel Topping.  This topping had, well, simple ingredients.  If you are allergic to gluten, it does have vanilla extract and does not specify that it is gluten free.  So, if you are fairly sensitive, you may want to check with the manufacture or try a different brand.

Cut Out Cookies {Egg-free}

Every year on Christmas Eve, we make cut out cookies and decorate them.  I love this recipe.  The cookies bake up the perfect texture, firm enough to hold the shape but still soft and delicous.  Of all my recipes, this is one of the favorites among my non-allergic friends.  Everytime, I make these I am asked for the recipe.  My nonallergic friends are shocked to learn they don't include eggs.

Cut Out Cookies (EF) - link to recipe

Cut Out Cookies {Egg-free}

I am so excited to share this recipe!!  The original version of these cut out cookies came from a friend of a friend.  They are seriously the best sugar cookie cut outs I have ever tasted!  I was nervous about trying to adjust the recipe to exclude the egg.  Would they taste the same?  Would they hold their shape?  Well, I am happy to report they turned out just like the original recipe!  I am so excited!!  We made them today as a fun 4th of July treat!  I can't wait to try them again at Christmas time.  I hope your family enjoys them as much a mine does!

I use sweet glaze to frost these cookies.  See recipe below.

The cookies cooling on a wire rack.

Cut Out Cookies

4 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature

3 oz cream cheese

1 ½ c sugar

1 t vanilla or almond extract

2 t baking powder

½ t salt

5 ½ c flour

With an electric mixer, blend butter and cream cheese together.  Add sugar and vanilla.  Blend until smooth.  Add dry ingredients a little at a time.  Blend until well combined and dough starts to mold together.  Divide cookie batter into fourths.  Wrap in saran wrap and flatten until almost desired rolling thickness (no less than 1/8 inch thick).  Chill 1 hour.

Roll refrigerated dough a little more to smooth out the surface.  Dough should be no less than 1/8 inch thick.  Cut with cookie cutter and place on ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 for about 8-10 minutes.  Cool on pan for about one minute.  Remove to a wire rack until completely cooled.  Frost with the cookie glaze below.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Cookie Glaze

16 oz powdered sugar (about 4 cups)

1/3 c whole milk or evaporated milk (add 1 T milk at a time, if needed)

1 t vanilla or almond extract

¼ t salt

Mix together so it is spreadable but not drippy or stiff, adjusting ingredients as needed.

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Squares {Egg-free}

There are numerous recipes going around the internet for Cream Cheese Squares.  I decided to try the one from allrecipes.com first.  It turned out really good but I thought it turned out a little gooey on top.  Upon researching other recipes, I found that most use half the butter or margarine.  The recipe on GroupRecipes.com only uses three tablespoons compared to the eight tablespoons used in the allrecipes version.  The GroupRecipes.com recipe also used more sugar in the topping.  I think that would also help absorb the butter or margarine.  Both of these two recipes use one teaspoon of cinnamon.  We were recently at a function where this was served made with one tablespoon of cinnamon.  We liked the stronger cinnamon taste.  I also found another recipe on Old Town Home blog that used reduced-fat crescent rolls and light cream cheese.  This one also used more cinnamon, including in the cream cheese.  I don't think I will put cinnamon in the cream cheese but I do plan to use the lower-fat versions of the ingredients. So, I will reprint the recipe below, as I plan to make it next time.  Regardless of the version you use, I really don't think you can go wrong with this simple, egg-free sweet treat great for dessert or brunch!

If you like this recipe, you may also want to try Cinnamon Crescents (EF).
 

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Squares

Multiple Sources:  see links above

2 8 oz tubes reduced-fat refrigerated crescent rolls

2 8 oz blocks of light cream cheese, softened

1 t vanilla extract

1 1/2 c granulated sugar, divided

3 T margarine, melted

1T ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350^o.  Lightly grease a 13x9 baking pan.  Unroll one tube of crescent rolls and press into the bottom of the pan, sealing the seams (or you can use the seamless crescent dough).  In mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, 1 cup of sugar and vanilla extract, until smooth.  Spread cream cheese mixture over dough.  Unroll second crescent roll dough over cream cheese mixture but do not press down.  Brush top layer of crescent dough with melted butter.  Combine cinnamon and remaining sugar and sprinkle on top.  Bake for 25-30 minutes or until top is crisp and golden.

Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup

I have a great recipe for Chicken Tortilla Soup that is a little time consuming.  To cut back on the preparation time, I started looking for a version that uses a rotisserie chicken or precooked cooked chicken from my freezer, like the recipe for Shredded Chicken {slow-cooker} found on my blog.  I found this recipe for Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup online and was pleasantly surprised by the result.  Delicious!! 

I made it pretty much the same as written.  I reduced the vegetable oil to just one tablespoon and cooked the onion in the oil first, until translucent, prior to adding any other ingredients.  I also used reduced fat cream cheese.

If you like this recipe, please try Taco Soup (EF, GF) or Chicken Taco Chili {Slow-cooker}.

Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup - Click the link for the recipe.

Gluten-free notes:  This recipe could easily be made gluten-free.  Check the ingredients on the corn tortillas and chicken stock/broth to make sure they are gluten-free.  Rotisserie chickens could be tricky for a gluten allergy, so use my recipe for Shredded Chicken {slow-cooker}.

Cream Cheese Frosting

If  you are not allergic to dairy, try this frosting on the Easy Pumpkin Spice Cake.  I got the recipe from allrecipes.com.  It was really good together!

Cream Cheese Frosting - Click to link to the recipe.

Note:  This frosting is gluten-free (if you use gluten-free vanilla) but the cake I am recommending to put it on is not.  So, if you have a gluten allergy, use this frosting on your favorite gluten-free cake.

Cream Cheese Banana Bread {Egg-free}

I usually buy three pounds of bananas a week.  While we love bananas and eat most of them, I still often have a few at the end of the week that are little overripe for my taste.  So, I am always looking for delicious recipes that call for ripened bananas.  I hesitate to post yet another banana recipe but the ones I have posted have by far been the most popular on my blog.  My recipe for banana muffins is hands down the most popular recipe on my blog.  I think part of the reason it is so popular is that it doesn't contain eggs or dairy.  Plus, I must say they are just really good muffins!  One slight flaw with the muffin recipe is that it doesn't easily convert into a recipe for banana bread.  If you try to make bread with that recipe, it will have a gooey crater in the middle.

So, I found a recipe for cream cheese banana bread.  I originally saw the recipe at my sister's house.  She had gotten it from one of her in-laws.  I still didn't know where it originated.  After little research, I found a cream cheese banana bread recipe on the Tasty Kitchen website.  The bread is identical to the recipe my sister gave me but includes a cinnamon topping.  After further research, I found a Southern Living recipe almost identical to the egg-free recipe on tasty kitchen.  The southern living website also had a recipe without the cinnamon topping.  My conclusion, I am giving the credit for this recipe to Southern Living.  I think due to the cream cheese and banana, you can simply omit the egg and it still works!  I made it tonight without the cinnamon topping.  While I like bananas and I like cinnamon, I am not sure how I feel about them together.  Due to all the confusion with three different recipes, I am going to reprint it below.  Plus, I have a feeling I may make some changes to the recipe in the future and this will allow for an easy update.  I made one loaf and twelve muffins.

Cream Cheese Banana Nut Bread

This recipe was adapted from Southern Living Cream Cheese Banana Nut Bread.

¾ c unsalted butter, softened

1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened 

2 c sugar

3 c all-purpose flour

½ t baking powder

½ t baking soda

½ t salt

½ t vanilla extract

1 ½ c mashed bananas (about 4 medium)

1 cup chopped pecans, toasted (optional)

Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy.  Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy.  Gradually add dry ingredients to butter mixture, beating at low speed just until blended.  Mix in bananas and vanilla.  Stir in pecans, if using.  Spoon batter into 2 greased 8- x 4-inch loaf pans. 

Bake at 350° about 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cover with foil the last 15 minutes to reduce over browning, if needed.  Cool bread in pans on wire racks.  

Makes 2 loaves

To bake muffins, spoon batter evenly into 24 greased muffin cups.  Bake at 350° for about 20-25 minutes.  Cool in pans 10 minutes.  Remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks.   

Makes 24 muffin