Mini Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe

This Mini Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe is the ultimate fall dessert! They’re complete with a buttery graham cracker crust, a creamy cheesecake filling packed with pumpkin and the warm flavor of pumpkin spice, and fresh whipped cream. They’re a fun mini dessert that’s perfect for dinner parties and holidays!

I love serving mini desserts for parties and holidays so that everyone can sample a few different types. And in my opinion they’re a lot more fun!

I love cheesecake, but an entire slice can be quite heavy. I had that in mind when I created this Mini Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe.

Like my lemon cheesecakes and mini no bake cheesecakes, these are so much lighter and they’re the perfect little bites.

Even if you have more than one. 🙂

Why you’ll love this recipe:

• These Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes will be your new favorite fall dessert. They’re creamy and delicious, and packed with cozy pumpkin spice flavor.
• They come together quickly and can be made entirely in advance.
• They’re a fun yet elegant dessert that’s perfect for entertaining.

Recipe ingredients

Ingredient notes

• Cream cheese. For best results, use full fat cream cheese as it lends a richer flavor and texture. Be sure that it’s room temperature before you begin as it will be lumpy if it’s cold.
• Pumpkin puree. Be sure to use either canned or homemade pumpkin puree. Do not use pumpkin pie filling as it contains sugar and other additives.
• Egg. One large egg helps bind the cheesecake together.
• Sour cream. A bit of sour cream adds a tangy flavor. It can be substituted with plain Greek yogurt.
• Sugar. The crust and cheesecake include brown sugar, which can be substituted with granulated, coconut or maple sugar.
• Graham cracker crumbs. Pulse gluten-free graham cracker crumbs or gingersnap cookies in your food processor to make this recipe gluten-free.
• Butter. If you are using salted butter, omit the the salt from the crust.
• Pumpkin pie spice. Use my homemade pumpkin pie spice or your favorite store bought brand.
• Vanilla extract. This adds nice depth of flavor, but it may be omitted if you don’t have any on hand.
• Whipped cream. This is not included in the recipe ingredients as it is in a separate post. Serve with my homemade whipped cream right before serving, or pipe my stabilized whipped cream decoratively over the top in advance. You may also use your favorite store bought brand.
• Salted caramel sauce. You can take these pumpkin cheesecakes completely over the top with a little drizzle of salted caramel sauce. It’s completely optional, and can be found in the recipe card below.

How to make pumpkin pie cheesecake

This pumpkin pie cheesecake recipe takes minimal prep and they bake up in a flash. The hardest part is waiting for them to set!

Pro tip:  Prep the pumpkin cheesecakes up to 1 day in advance for the ultimate make ahead dessert.

See the recipe card below for the full recipe.

1. Combine the graham cracker crumbs, butter, sugar and salt in a small bowl.
2. Divide the crust evenly between the (12) cavities and bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes
3. Beat the cream cheese until smooth.
4. Beat in the sugar, pumpkin, egg, sour cream, pumpkin spice and vanilla until well incorporated.
5. Divide the filling evenly between the (12) cavities.
6. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until set. Cool slightly, then remove from the pan, cool completely and chill.

FAQs

Recipe notes

• Pro tip:  Prep the pumpkin cheesecakes up to 1 day in advance for the ultimate make ahead dessert.
• If you don’t have a mini cheesecake pan, just use a standard muffin or mini muffin pan lined with paper liners.  Just be sure to keep an eye on them in the oven because cooking time will vary.
• Prepare my homemade whipped cream to dollop onto the cheesecakes just before serving, or pipe my stabilized whipped cream decoratively on top of them in advance.
• Store leftover cheesecakes in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

More pumpkin recipes you’ll love:

• Gluten-free pumpkin bread
• Healthy pumpkin muffins
• Pumpkin breakfast cookies
• Pumpkin cake by Natasha’s Kitchen
• Pumpkin chocolate chip bread
• Pumpkin pecan pie
• Pumpkin pie bars
• Pumpkin pie from scratch
• Pumpkin waffles

Did you try this recipe?  If so, be sure to leave a review below and tag me @flavorthemoments on Facebook and Instagram!

Mini Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe

Servings: 12 mini cheesecakes

Prep Time: 30 mins

Cook Time: 30 mins

Chilling Time: 3 hrs

Total Time: 4 hrs

This Mini Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe is the ultimate fall dessert! They're creamy and delicious with plenty of pumpkin and the warm flavor of pumpkin spice. This mini dessert is easy to make and it's perfect for the holidays!

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Ingredients

For the crust:

• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs pulse gluten-free graham crackers or gingersnap cookies in a food processor to make this recipe gluten-free
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar packed; sub with granulated or coconut sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

For the filling:

• 8 ounces cream cheese softened
• 1/2 cup brown sugar packed; sub with granulated or coconut sugar
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
• 1 tablespoon sour cream sub with Greek yogurt
• 1 large egg beaten
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1.5 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Optional salted caramel sauce:

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 drops fresh lemon juice*
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons butter cut into small cubes
• 1/2 teaspoon fleur de sel or finishing salt I used Maldon

Equipment

• Mini cheesecake pan
• Pyrex Glass Mixing Bowls
• 1 1/2″ Stainless Steel Cookie Scoop
• KitchenAid Hand Mixer

Instructions 

Prepare the crust:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the inserts into the bottom of each of the (12) cavities of a mini cheesecake pan, and spray with cooking spray. Set aside.
• Place the graham cracker crumbs, pecans, brown sugar, and pinch of salt in a small bowl and stir to combine. Add the butter and stir until the mixture is well coated with butter.
  1 cup graham cracker crumbs, 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Drop 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon of the mixture into the each of the (12) cavities, and press down firmly with the back of a teaspoon.
• Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack while you make the filling.

Prepare the filling:

• Beat the cream cheese in a medium bowl until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the brown sugar, pumpkin, sour cream, egg, pumpkin spice and vanilla, and beat until smooth and well combined.
  8 ounces cream cheese, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup pumpkin puree, 1 tablespoon sour cream, 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 1.5 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• Fill each cavity with the filling, leaving a bit of space at the top. You will have a bit of filling leftover.
• Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 15-20 minutes or until set. Begin checking for doneness after 10 minutes, as oven temperatures vary considerably.
• Cool 20 minutes on a wire rack, then using your finger, push up through the hole in the bottom of each cheesecake and remove each one. Remove the metal insert, and cool completely in the refrigerator for 3 hours or overnight.

Prepare the salted caramel sauce (optional):

• Place the sugar, water, and lemon juice in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until the sugar has melted, stirring just a bit to combine the ingredients.
  1/2 cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons water, 2 drops fresh lemon juice*, 1/4 cup heavy cream, 2 tablespoons butter, 1/2 teaspoon fleur de sel or finishing salt
• Once the sugar has melted, increase the heat to high and do not stir. The mixture will bubble rapidly, then the bubbles will become bigger and slower, and it will begin to color. The edges will normally color first, and you can swirl the pan ever so gently to distribute the color so the mixture doesn't burn. When the caramel is a golden amber color, remove it from heat.
• Slowly whisk in the cream a bit at a time, as the mixture will bubble over if you add too much, then whisk in the butter and finishing salt. If the caramel has hardened, place it back over medium low heat and whisk until it's smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Notes

• Pro tip:  Prep the pumpkin cheesecakes up to 1 day in advance for the ultimate make ahead dessert.
• If you don’t have a mini cheesecake pan, just use a standard muffin or mini muffin pan lined with paper liners.  Just be sure to keep an eye on them in the oven because cooking time will vary.
• Prepare my homemade whipped cream to dollop onto the cheesecakes just before serving, or pipe my stabilized whipped cream decoratively on top of them in advance.
• Although the salted caramel sauce is optional, it is included in the nutrition information as the recipe card calculates all ingredients listed.
• Store leftover cheesecakes in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cheesecake, Calories: 315kcal, Carbohydrates: 28g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 22g, Saturated Fat: 12g, Cholesterol: 79mg, Sodium: 131mg, Potassium: 98mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 23g, Vitamin A: 2338IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 53mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Author: Marcie

Keyword: pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin cheesecake recipe

All recipes and images © Flavor the Moments.

Did you try this recipe?Be sure to tag @flavorthemoments with the hashtag #flavorthemoments on Instagram so I can see what you made!

**This post was originally published in September 2014. The photos have been updated to include step by step instructions, and the text has been modified to include more recipe information.

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