Halloween Mini Cheesecakes

I have been on a baking craze lately and have had the best day ever today just baking and relaxing... and taste testing.  I have to admit to all of you, I am not a big fan of Halloween.  The creepy, crawly, scarey, bloody, icky stuff just doesn't excite me AT ALL! However, I love baking treats for Halloween.  They're so bright and colorful! And you can really think outside the box and people don't judge:) So, I was thinking this morning (after getting the chicken in the pot for some yummy Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup) about what I could make for a fun "Halloween type" dessert for tonight.  Of course, I have this one favorite food of mine... OREOS! { I swear OREO's should be a food group of their own.} Who can turn down all the colorful new seasonal OREO's?  Obviously not me!  They're just so enticing, aren't they?  Oh and then of course, there's this wonderful ingredient designed just for my taste buds... CREAM CHEESE!!! Seriously, what's better than a combination of these two amazing things?  Not much, really. These Mini Cheesecakes are sooooo good.  They aren't too time consuming and don't call for any crazy (not a staple in my kitchen) kind of ingredients. 
So, I have this notebook filled with recipes that I've found here and there and just copied it down. This recipe is one that I found in my infamous notebook of "who knows where these came from, but I gotta try 'em" recipes.  So... to whomever you are out there that developed this recipe.... Oh How I Love Thee!  Let me count the ways...... one one thousand, two.... {whoa Tea, snap out of it!}.. Once again, it's the OREO's talking!
So take a plunge and make yourself (and your favorite people) some Halloween Mini Cheesecakes!  You won't be sorry! 

Halloween Mini Cheesecakes
adapted by From Cupboard to Cupboard
Printable Recipe

30 whole HALLOWEEN OREO cookies, divided
2 8 oz pkgs Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 c sour cream
orange food coloring

Preheat oven to 275 degrees.  Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners (24).  Place 6 whole OREO cookies in a food processor and grind them up (or smash them in plastic bag).  Put 1 whole OREO in bottom of each liner.  Beat cream cheese until smooth.  Add in the sugar and mix until combined.  Mix in vanilla.  Slowly add in eggs and continue mixing.  Add sour cream and mix to combine.  Use a spatula to scrape bowl.  Add in food coloring. Then add in oreo crumbs and stir just until combined.  Fill each liner about 3/4 full.  Bake for 22 minutes.  Allow to cool on wire rack.  Refrigerate for at least 4 hrs.  Remove liners and garnish with whipped cream and a cute little sugar pumpkin :)

Happy Halloween!

Happy Cooking!
Teauna