GINGER-LEMON ZINGERS (bite-sized cheesecakes with a twist!)

GINGER-LEMON ZINGERS Yield = 36 mini bite-sized cheesecakes; Prep: 20 mins; Inactive: 4 hours to Overnight

I created these little tasty morsels for the Fall Harvest Staff Appreciation Luncheon at my son's elementary school. Inverted Ginger Snaps cookies in mini cupcake papers speed things up and to make this recipe even easier!! I modified a No-Bake Cheesecake recipe (#135379) from Food.com -- submitted by crazycookinmama.

1 (12 oz. box) Ginger Snap cookies *I used Hy-Top brand, as they have a good amount of ginger! --SR

1 (8 oz. pkg) cream cheese, at room temperature

1/2 a lemon, zested & juiced - need 1/4 cup of lemon juice, so you may need to use the other have of the lemon for more juice

3 oz. Dulce de Leche (canned in condensed milk aisle of store) *I use La Lechera brand by Nestle, it will be a thick caramel! --SR

4 oz. Condensed milk *NOT evaporated milk!!! --SR

Garnishes: drizzling top of cheese cakes-bites with warmed DdL (*careful it will be HOT!!) & a light crumble of crushed ginger snaps on top

Place 36 mini-cupcake papers in mini muffin tins. Insert Ginger Snap cookies UPSIDE DOWN into the paper cups; press down gently to level cookie and leave about 1/2' of room to the top of the paper cup. *If you do not have mini-baking tins, you can place these paper cups side by side on a rimmed baking sheet. Just make sure the cups are all compressed together to give the paper stability and so the cheesecake mixture will not ooze out the sides of the paper cups. --SR

In a medium-sized bowl beat room temperature cream cheese for about 1 minute on medium-high speed until nearly smooth. In 4 additions, add in Dulce de Leche and Condensed milk; scrape down sides of bowl. Slowly drizzle in lemon juice & vanilla while beaters are on. Scrape down bowl and beat for 1 minute more. Using a small portion scoop or two small spoons, place about 1 TBSP or so of the cream cheese mixture on top of each ginger snap cookie.

*Note: This is not be as firm as regular baked cheesecake, as there are no eggs and the mixture is not baked. To make mixture firm up a bit more, you may want to add 2 more ounces of room temperature cream cheese to your mixing bowl.

Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.

I have yet to try it, but I also think these would be great FROZEN! Sorry there is NO PHOTO, I forgot to take one before my hubby took them out the door to deliver them to the school! --Courtesy Sabryna A. Roberson, The Traveling Culinarian - October 16, 2012.