Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes

5 from 2 votes

Dive into the season with these Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes. They're the perfect blend of fall flavors, packed into a bite-sized treat. It's all the autumn vibes without the fuss.

Course Baked Goods, Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword thanksgiving dessert

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 16

Chilling time 2

Servings servings

Calories 257kcal

Author Robin Donovan

Ingredients

For the crust
2 cups crushed graham cracker crumbs
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon pumpkin spice
½ cup 1 stick unsalted butter, melted
For the filling
16 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
1 cup sugar
4 large eggs
1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
2 tablespoons pumpkin spice
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups sour cream
pinch salt
For the topping
1 cup heavy cream
¼ cup powdered sugar

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Place cupcake liners in a muffin tin.
Crush the graham crackers into small pieces and crumbs. Some small chunks are okay. Add the sugar, pumpkin spice, and melted butter. Mix until the butter is incorporated and the mixture has a wet appearance. Scoop out one heaping, loosely packed tablespoon worth of the crust mixture and place in the bottom of the cupcake lined baking pan. Using the back of the tablespoon or the flat bottom of a ¼ cup measuring cup, gently press down to pack the crust into the bottom of the pan. Repeat with the remaining crust mix.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the sugar and cream cheese and beat until thoroughly incorporated and smooth. Add one egg at a time and mix well after each addition.
Add the pumpkin pie spice, flour, and lemon juice and beat again to incorporate.
Add the pumpkin puree, sour cream, and salt and mix thoroughly to combine, stopping the machine to scrape down the sides as needed.
Fill each cupcake liner to just under the rim of the top. Cheesecakes will not overflow when baked. They will puff up slightly during baking, but then settle again once cooled. Bake in preheated oven for 14 to 16 minutes. Before removing from the oven, preform a “jiggle test” by gently wiggling the pan. The centers of the cheesecakes should move slightly while the edges remain in place. The cheesecakes will completely solidify once cooled but overbaking until it is completely set will make the cheesecakes dry and crumbly.
Remove from the oven and allow the cheesecakes to cool, still in the muffin tin, to room temperature. Place the muffin tin in the refrigerator and chill for 2 hours to set completely.
To make the topping, whip the cream and powdered sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer on on high speed for for a few minutes until stiff peaks form. Transfer the whipped cream to a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip and gently pipe a swirl on top of each cheesecake.

Notes

This recipe can also be used to make one 9-inch cheesecake. Using a springform pan, cover the bottom of the pan in two layers of foil and then place in a large roasting pan with approximately 2 inches of water to create a water bath. Bake for approximately 60 minutes or until the outside edges are set with a slight jiggle in the middle.
If cheesecakes are over cooked, they will brown. If they are baked at too high of a temperature, they will crack. To ensure the cheesecake is done without these issues — do a jiggle test! The outside edges of the cheesecake(s) should be set with a slight jiggle in the middle when you GENTLY shimmy the baking dish. If no jiggle, they are overbaked and remove immediately. If too much of a jiggle, continue to bake and test occasionally until done.
Use a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip. If you don’t have a pastry bag, you can use a sturdy resealable plastic bag with the corner snipped off.
Cheesecakes can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.

Nutrition