90-Calorie Pumpkin Cheesecake Pops Recipe

Photos by Perry Santanachote

Swap Halloween candy for a homemade, delicious dessert. These pumpkin cheesecake pops are seasonal and sure to please. And if you’re watching your waistline, you’ll be happy to know they clock in at only 90 calories and 5 grams of fat each!

RELATED: 16 Healthy Pumpkin Recipes for Every Meal

Low-Fat Pumpkin Cheesecake Pops

Serves 24

Prep time: 45 minutes (plus 4 hours for chilling time)
Cook time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

8 ounces 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
24 lollipop sticks
1 pound semi-sweet chocolate chips
4 tablespoons shortening
2 tablespoons graham cracker crumbs or your topping of choice

Preparation

1. Heat oven to 300°F. Grease a 9-inch pie plate.
2. Beat cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth, then beat in egg until combined. Add pumpkin, vanilla and pumpkin pie spice and mix on low speed until smooth.
3. Pour batter into pie plate and bake for 25 to 30 minutes (should still be wobbly in the  center). Transfer to a rack to let cool completely.
4. Cover cheesecake with a round of parchment paper then wrap in plastic and chill for at least 3 hours or overnight.
5. Scoop out tablespoon-sized chunks of cheesecake and roll them into balls with your hands (keep your hands wet with water to prevent sticking). Place the balls on a wax paper–lined baking sheet and push a lollipop stick ¾ of the way into each one. Freeze until frozen solid, at least 1 hour.
6. Combine half the chocolate and half the shortening in a small bowl and microwave on medium, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted and smooth.
7. Working with half the batch of cheesecake balls, dip each one into the chocolate and let excess chocolate drip off, and return coated ball to wax paper–lined pan. Sprinkle with graham cracker crumbs or other toppings. Repeat with remaining balls. If cheesecake begins to soften, return to freezer to harden. Refrigerate finished pops until serving.
8. Melt remaining chocolate and shortening and coat remaining cheesecake balls.

Originally posted October 2013. Updated October 2016.