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!
1/2teaspoonfleur de sel or finishing saltI used Maldon
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, 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.