These mini pumpkin cheesecakes are a mixture of pumpkin puree, cream cheese, and warm spices on top of a buttery sweet graham cracker crust making them the perfect individual desserts for fall celebrations!
Why this recipe works
With Autumn at our fingertips, we can’t wait to sink our teeth into everything pumpkin spiced! These mini pumpkin cheesecakes are a great option for bite-sized treats at Friendsgiving, Thanksgiving, or any fall party you have planned. They are crazy easy to make with staple ingredients and only take about 35 minutes total – not including the chill time (I know it’s hard to resist).
With its creamy, rich center and sweet graham cracker crust, these decadent morsels make it incredibly difficult to choose between mini pumpkin pies or mini pumpkin cheesecakes to jazz up the dessert table. I think I’m choosing both this year.
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
FILLING – A simple mixture of cream cheese, pumpkin puree, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and pumpkin pie spice is all you’ll need for a deliciously creamy filling. Be sure to let your cream cheese soften before beginning. The best way to do so is to remove it from the refrigerator and cut it into cubes. Let it rest at room temperature for around 20 minutes to take the chill off.
CRUST – The crust is a classic graham cracker crumb, butter, and granulated sugar combination. The graham cracker crust caramelizes with the sugar and butter and tastes absolutely delicious. If desired, you can substitute the graham cracker crumbs with gingersnap cookies. You can find graham cracker crumbs pre-packaged at the store, if you are unable to find them, you will need 12 full sheets of graham crackers to yield 1 1/2 cups of crumbs.
How to Make Mini Pumpkin 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 350°F.
- Fill regular-sized muffin tins with 18 cupcake liners (I suggest parchment liners).
- In a medium bowl, stir together the melted butter, 1⁄2 cup sugar, and graham cracker crumbs until mixed.
- Divide the graham cracker crumb mixture (about 1 tablespoon per cupcake wrapper) into the muffin tins.
- In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with the remaining 1 cup of sugar until smooth.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Beat in pumpkin puree, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, and flour until well mixed.
- Gently stir in eggs until well mixed.
- Divide the cheesecake batter between the prepared muffin cups.
- Bake 20-25 minutes, or until the cheesecakes appear matte across the tops.
- Remove from the oven and let cool for 20 minutes before placing in the fridge to cool completely. Chill at least 2 hours to set before serving.
- Whip heavy cream and powdered sugar with a mixer until stiff peaks form. Pipe or dollop the whipped cream onto the cheesecakes and dust with pumpkin pie spice.
Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips
Yes, you can prepare and bake the mini pumpkin cheesecakes a day in advance and store them in an air-tight container in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve. Hold off on adding the whipped cream until you are ready to serve as it does not store as well.
Store leftovers in an air-tight container kept in the refrigerator for 5-7 days.
Yes, these mini cheesecakes freeze well. To do so, flash freeze the mini cheesecakes on a baking sheet until hardened. Transfer the cheesecakes to a large ziptop bag or air-tight container (separating the layers with parchment paper) and freeze for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Serving Suggestions
These sweet mini pumpkin cheesecakes are best served chilled with a garnish of whipped cream and pumpkin pie spice. Feel free to omit the whipped topping and enjoy as is or with a dusting of just pumpkin pie spice.
Enjoy with caramel apple mimosas, pumpkin pie martinis, or pumpkin spice lattes!
More Pumpkin Recipes
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Mini Pumpkin 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
Crust
- 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs or 12 full sheets of graham crackers, crushed
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup salted butter melted
Filling
- 16 ounces cream cheese 2 – 8 ounce blocks, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
Whipped Topping
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- ground cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice for dusting over cheesecakes
Things You’ll Need
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Fill regular-sized muffin tins with 18 cupcake liners.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the melted butter, 1⁄2 cup sugar, and graham cracker crumbs until mixed.
- Divide the graham cracker crumb mixture (about 1 tablespoon per cupcake wrapper) into the muffin tins.
- In a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese with 1 cup of sugar until smooth.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Beat in pumpkin puree, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, and flour until well mixed.
- Gently stir in eggs until well mixed.
- Divide the cheesecake batter between the prepared muffin cups.
- Bake 20-25 minutes, or until the cheesecakes appear matte across the tops.
- Remove from the oven and let cool for 20 minutes before placing in the fridge to cool completely. Chill at least 2 hours to set before serving.
- Whip heavy cream and powdered sugar with a mixer until stiff peaks form. Pipe or dollop the whipped cream onto the cheesecakes and dust with pumpkin pie spice.
Expert Tips & FAQs
- Place the muffin tins directly into the refrigerator to chill. Once the cheesecakes are chilled and firm, they will be easier to lift from the muffin tins.
- When you’re making mini cheesecakes, you don’t have to worry quite as much about your cheesecakes puffing and cracking. I try to eliminate extra air in the batter by mixing the eggs in by hand. Nevertheless, we don’t use a water bath and the cheesecakes will puff a bit. Once they cool, the puffiness will come down.
If you WANT to use a water bath, fill a shallow baking dish with a couple of inches of water and set it on the rack beneath the muffin tins. - I recommend topping with whipped cream just before serving as whipped cream doesn’t store as well.
Nutrition
Amanda Davis
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Sally says
These are yummy without the whipped cream
Sherry says
Love your no bake cheese cake and cannot wait to try these. Always love your recipes and your easy to follow directions. Also, love that so many of your recipes are pantry staple easy. Thanks for sharing.
Kathryn says
I found it to be very easy to make and the grand kids couuldnt get enough over the week-nd . makeing a double batch next time. I did try home made frosting on6 of them insread of the whipped cream and that as also good but a tad to sweet for me, yet again the kids loved them.