Mini Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe

These Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes are the perfect dessert for those fall gatherings. They blend the rich, creamy flavor of cheesecake with the amazing, sweet flavors of fall! Better yet, the recipe is super simple and leaves little to clean up!

 

Not only does fall bring cooler, shorter days but with it comes a whole new set of flavor cravings. This recipe takes those sweet fall flavors and combines them with a classic dessert. Mini pumpkin cheesecakes blend the rich, creamy texture of cheesecake with some bold, delicious flavors of fall like pumpkin, nutmeg, and cinnamon.

We love the mini cheesecakes for several reasons. They make an ideal dessert for your next fall party. The recipe creates 12 mini cheesecakes with those amazing flavors associated with fall desserts. This is a go-to fall party dish whether it is Halloween or Thanksgiving! The smaller portion sizes also make it a little easier to keep those cravings under control.

Cooking for that Halloween party doesn’t have to be one more thing to add to your list that week, this recipe can also easily be made ahead of time! If you really love planning, then you can even freeze them weeks or months before you will need them!

What You Will Love About This Recipe

• Delicious. Any cheesecake is hard to beat, but each bite of this pumpkin cheesecake recipe is a rich, creamy bite of fall!
• Perfect party food. This is an ideal recipe for those fall gatherings whether it is Halloween, Thanksgiving, or a game day. This recipe makes 12 mini cheesecakes but could be doubled to make 24 cheesecakes.
• Smaller servings. A slice of cheesecake is easy to devour, but it isn’t known as a light dessert. These smaller servings make it easier to keep those cravings in check!

What You’ll Need

As always, this is a quick overview of the ingredients you will need to make this recipe. For the complete, printable recipe simply scroll to the recipe card below. 

• Graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, packed, and unsalted butter: if on a gluten-free diet, make sure you use GF graham crackers. There are several great brands out there. We used Schar gluten free graham crackers.
• Cream cheese, pureed pumpkin, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract: These ingredients create the rich, creamy flavor and texture for the perfect pumpkin cheesecake. Full-fat cream provides the traditional creamy texture while a low-fat version will have more moisture and can make the filling seem “watery.” We recommend the full-fat cream cheese unless you are trying to reduce your fat intake. Make sure to soften the cream cheese to room temperature.
• Large eggs: allow the eggs to reach room temperature so they blend smoothly with the other ingredients.
• Spices: cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg, salt. These spices create that amazing flavor associated with fall!

How to Make Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes

In addition to the ingredients listed above you will need an electric mixer, spatula, mini muffin pan along with mini cupcake liners for ease. To make these mini pumpkin cheesecakes, follow the step-by-step guide below.

Prepare the Crust

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a 12-count muffin tin with paper liners. Combine the crust ingredients in a medium bowl until well combined. Press the crust mixture evenly into the muffin tin (about 1 ½ tbsp of the mixture in each). I used a shot glass to press the crust evenly into the muffin tin. Otherwise, you can use your hands or the back of a spoon. 

Make the Cheesecake

In a mixing bowl or mixer, cream together the softened cream cheese, pumpkin, ½ cup granulated sugar, and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Next, the brown sugar, eggs, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt, and blend until smooth.

Bake

Next, scoop about ¼ cup of the mixture into each muffin tin. The muffin tins need to be 3/4 full, be sure not to overfill because the filling will rise as it bakes. Bake the mini cheesecakes for 20-25 minutes until the cheesecake has set. Be sure not to overbake or it will result in a dry cheesecake.

Cool

Allow the cheesecakes to cool at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Then place in the refrigerator for 3 hours to allow them to set. This is very important! If you place hot cheesecakes striaght into a fridge the temperature change will shock the cheesecake and it will result in lots of cracks and a soggy crust.

Serve

When the cheesecakes have been properly chilled serve with whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice! If you really want to go all out you can serve with this sugar free caramel sauce for a very indulgent treat!

Storage and Reheating Instructions

• Refrigerator Instructions: You can store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Remember, they need to be fully chilled before being served. 
• Freezer Instructions: These mini pumpkin cheesecakes can be frozen for up to 3 months in an airtight, freezer safe container. When thawing, allow to thaw overnight in the refrigerator or for about 2 hours at room temperature before serving.

Can I make these keto-friendly?

Yes! I have documented the low carb and keto options in the recipe card below. These mini cheesecakes can be made keto-friendly by using keto cookie crumbs and keto-friendly sweetener. Each mini cheesecake has 2.8 net carbs. My suggestion for the crust is to use these cookies instead of graham cracker crumbs. Instead of traditional sweeteners use Brown Sugar Monkfruit and Granular Monkfruit. Aside from those simple swaps you do not need to make any additional changes to ingredients or cooking time.

Mini Cheesecake FAQ

Other Fall Dessert Recipes

• Pumpkin Snickerdoodles– Each low carb cookie is grain free, sugar free and has just 2 net carbs each!
• Slow Cooker Pumpkin Spiced Apples– The ultimate autumn comfort food! Serve these warm spiced apples with vanilla ice cream and toasted pecans for the perfect Fall dessert!
• Apple Butter– This recipe is super easy and perfect for beginners! You only need one pot and a handful of basic ingredients to make this smooth, creamy, cinnamon spiced apple butter!
• Keto Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars– Only 3.3 net carbs per serving, this is a great low-carb fall dessert!
• Pumpkin Chia Pudding– This Pumpkin Chia Pudding is an easy hands-off breakfast that is full of nutritious ingredients. This breakfast has all the cozy flavors of autumn with the ease of all-year-round pantry staples.