Mini candy corn cheesecakes combine creamy vanilla cheesecake with vibrant yellow and orange layers to mimic the look of the iconic Halloween candy!
Why this recipe works
These not so spooky mini candy corn cheesecakes are the perfect touch to your Halloween party spread.
While these mini cheesecakes don’t exactly taste like candy corn, they definitely play their part in the costume department. Yellow and orange layers of tinted vanilla cheesecake are stacked on top of an Oreo cookie crust and then finished with piped whipped cream and sweet candy corn to tie it all together. Even the candy corn haters will love them!
Ingredients you will need
Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.
Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions
CRUST – There is no need to remove the Oreo filling when making the crust, in fact, it helps add moisture to the mixture. Try to get the Oreo crumbs as fine as possible without any cookie chunks remaining. The finer the crumb, the better it will hold its shape.
CHEESECAKE – Use room temperature brick-style, full-fat cream cheese for best results. To help cream cheese come to room temperature quicker you can slice it into cubes and allow it to rest on the counter for 30-40 minutes. It’s best to use gel food coloring for the most vibrant colors in your cheesecakes.
How to Make Mini Candy Corn Cheesecakes
These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.
- Preheat the oven to 325°F and place cupcake liners in two 12-capacity muffin pans.
- Place the Oreo cookies in a food processor and pulse until they resemble a fine crumb. Add the melted butter and continue pulsing until it has the texture of wet sand.
- Using a 1-tablespoon cookie scoop, portion the Oreo crumbs among the cupcake liners. Using the bottom of a measuring cup, flatten them out.
- Bake for 5 to 8 minutes (or until the crust has set). Set aside to cool while making the filling.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and sour cream with a hand mixer until fluffy.
- Stir in the sugar and flour using a wooden spoon or soft silicone spatula.
- Stir in the vanilla and one egg at a time until just combined. (Don’t use the hand mixer for this step, as you want to avoid incorporating any air into the mixture.)
- Transfer ¾ cups of the filling to the first bowl and add 3 drops of yellow food coloring. Transfer 1 cup of filling to the second bowl and add 3 drops of orange food coloring. Transfer the remaining 1 ¼ cups of filling to the third bowl.
- Stir the food coloring until well combined. At this point, if you want a darker shade, continue adding more food coloring until you achieve the desired color.
- Place a heaping teaspoon of the yellow filling onto the cooled Oreo crust.
- Place 1 tablespoon of the orange filling on top of the yellow layer, and finally, top with 2 tablespoons of the cream-colored filling.
- Set the muffin pans on a baking sheet (to catch any spills) and bake on the middle rack until the centers of the cheesecakes are still jiggly (about 15-20 minutes). It is important not to overbake the cheesecakes as you don’t want them to crack.
- Turn the oven off and leave the door ajar for 1 hour to allow the cheesecakes to set and cool down slowly. (This step is crucial so the cheesecakes do not sink in the middle).
- While the cheesecakes are cooling down, prepare the whipped cream by combining the chilled heavy cream and powdered sugar. With a hand mixer, beat at a low speed to build up volume, and then increase the speed to medium/high until soft peaks form.
- Place the whipped cream in a pastry bag (or ziplock bag with the corner cut) and refrigerate until needed.
- Remove the muffin pans from the oven and place them on a wire rack to cool to room temperature. If you don’t plan on serving the cheesecakes immediately, store them in the fridge.
- Just before serving, pipe the cheesecakes with the whipped cream and garnish with candy corn.
Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips
Yes, these mini candy corn cheesecakes freeze very well. I would recommend waiting to add the whipped cream if you plan on freezing them. Place the fully cooled cheesecakes in an air-tight container and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight then top with whipped cream.
You should turn the oven off when the cupcakes are slightly puffed up around the edges but still have a wiggle in the middle. Keeping them in the turned-off oven for an additional hour will ensure they finish setting during the cooling phase.
While a bit of cracking is unavoidable (and is covered by the whipping cream), to get around extreme cracking, ensure you have the proper oven temperature set and that it isn’t too hot. As all ovens have different internal temperatures, it is best to use an oven thermometer to get an accurate temperature.
The sinking of your cheesecakes can be avoided. Overmixing and extreme temperature changes can cause your beautifully domed cheesecakes to deflate.
Avoid beating the mixture after adding the sour cream; doing so will create air bubbles in the filling, which will collapse after baking.
Don’t subject the cheesecakes to extreme temperatures. Allow them to sit in the (turned off) oven for one hour (with the oven door propped open about three inches) so they can cool down slowly.
Store them in an air-tight container kept in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. They can easily be made the day before you plan on serving them, but I would suggest making and piping on the whipped cream shortly before serving.
Serving Suggestions
Serve your mini candy corn cheesecakes with a pretty piping of whipped cream and a candy corn on top!
More Halloween Recipes
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Mini Candy Corn Cheesecakes
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Print It Rate ItIngredients
Oreo Crust
- 16 Oreo cookies regular. Do not use Double Stuf
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
Cheesecake Filling
- 16 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
- ¼ cup full fat sour cream
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 Tablespoons all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- gel food coloring in yellow and orange. We used Americolor Yellow (#107) and Orange (#113)
Things You’ll Need
- 2 Muffin pan 12-cup capacity
Before You Begin
- There is no need to remove the Oreo filling when making the crust, in fact, it helps add moisture to the mixture. Try to get the Oreo crumbs as fine as possible without any cookie chunks remaining. The finer the crumb, the better it will hold its shape.
- Use room temperature brick-style, full-fat cream cheese for best results. To help cream cheese come to room temperature quicker you can slice it into cubes and allow it to rest on the counter for 30-40 minutes.
- You should turn the oven off when the cupcakes are slightly puffed up around the edges but still have a wiggle in the middle. Keeping them in the turned-off oven for an additional hour will ensure they finish setting during the cooling phase.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F and place cupcake liners in two 12-capacity muffin pans.
- Place the Oreo cookies in a food processor and pulse until they resemble a fine crumb. Add the melted butter and continue pulsing until it has the texture of wet sand.
- Using a 1-tablespoon cookie scoop, portion the Oreo crumbs among the cupcake liners. Using the bottom of a measuring cup, flatten them out.
- Bake for 5 to 8 minutes (or until the crust has set). Set aside to cool while making the filling.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and sour cream with a hand mixer until fluffy.
- Stir in the sugar and flour using a wooden spoon or soft silicone spatula.
- Stir in the vanilla and one egg at a time until just combined. (Don’t use the hand mixer for this step, as you want to avoid incorporating any air into the mixture.)
- Transfer ¾ cups of the filling to the first bowl and add 3 drops of yellow food coloring. Transfer 1 cup of filling to the second bowl and add 3 drops of orange food coloring. Transfer the remaining 1 ¼ cups of filling to the third bowl.
- Stir the food coloring until well combined. At this point, if you want a darker shade, continue adding more food coloring until you achieve the desired color.
- Place a heaping teaspoon of the yellow filling onto the cooled Oreo crust.
- Place 1 tablespoon of the orange filling on top of the yellow layer, and finally, top with 2 tablespoons of the cream-colored filling.
- Set the muffin pans on a baking sheet (to catch any spills) and bake on the middle rack until the centers of the cheesecakes are still jiggly (about 15-20 minutes). It is important not to overbake the cheesecakes as you don’t want them to crack.
- Turn the oven off and leave the door ajar for 1 hour to allow the cheesecakes to set and cool down slowly. (This step is crucial so the cheesecakes do not sink in the middle).
- While the cheesecakes are cooling down, prepare the whipped cream by combining the chilled heavy cream and powdered sugar. With a hand mixer, beat at a low speed to build up volume, and then increase the speed to medium/high until soft peaks form.
- Place the whipped cream in a pastry bag (or ziplock bag with the corner cut) and refrigerate until needed.
- Remove the muffin pans from the oven and place them on a wire rack to cool to room temperature. If you don’t plan on serving the cheesecakes immediately, store them in the fridge.
- Just before serving, pipe the cheesecakes with the whipped cream and garnish with candy corn.
Expert Tips & FAQs
- Store them in an air-tight container kept in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. They can easily be made the day before you plan on serving them, but I would suggest making and piping on the whipped cream shortly before serving.
- Freezing – I would recommend waiting to add the whipped cream if you plan on freezing them. Place the fully cooled cheesecakes in an air-tight container and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight then top with whipped cream.
Nutrition
Lindsay Formaro
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Stephanie Lozo says
Looks great