Description
Smooth and creamy pumpkin cheesecake made mini in a muffin pan. Complete with salted caramel sauce and a crunchy gingersnap cookie crust!
Ingredients
Scale
Gingersnap Crust*
- 1 and 1/4 cups gingersnap cookie crumbs (use crunchy gingersnap cookies and grind in processor – I prefer Nabisco or Trader Joe’s brand)
- 2 Tablespoons (23g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (60g) unsalted butter, melted
Pumpkin Filling
- 12 ounces (336g) brick-style cream cheese, softened to room temperature*
- 1/2 cup (115g) pumpkin puree
- 1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice*
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Topping
- 1 cup (240ml) store-bought or homemade caramel sauce*
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans (toast for 10 minutes at 300°F)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 12-count muffin pan with liners and a second 12-count muffin pan with only 4 (this recipe makes 16). Set aside.
- Make the crust: Mix the cookie crumbs, sugar, and butter together in a medium bowl until combined. The mixture will be thick, coarse, and sandy. Press a heaping Tablespoon of mixture down into each liner, making sure the crust is tight and compact. You might have a little crust leftover. If so, press a little more into each liner—if desired! Pre-bake the crusts for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
- Make the filling: In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese on high speed until completely smooth, about 1 minute. On medium-high speed, beat in pumpkin, egg and egg yolk, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. On high speed, beat in sugar, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla until combined.
- Pour the filling evenly into each crust.
- Bake until centers of pies only slightly jiggle, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cheesecakes cool at room temperature in the pan set on a wire rack. Once completely cool, place cheesecakes in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight. The cheesecakes will slightly sink in the middle- that’s ok! It gives you room for the caramel.
- Once chilled, drizzle each with salted caramel sauce and garnish with toasted pecans. Store leftovers covered tightly in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Prepare the cheesecakes through step 4 up to 2-3 days in advance. Cover unbaked cheesecakes and store in the refrigerator until ready to bake. Continue with step 5. Freeze individual baked cheesecakes, without caramel topping, for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
- Graham Cracker Crust: Would be just as tasty with these tiny pumpkin cheesecakes! Use the graham cracker crust from my mini key lime pies recipe. You can even add 1/4 teaspoon each of ground ginger and ground cloves for extra flavor.
- Cream Cheese: Don’t use cream cheese spread; use brick-style cream cheese. Full-fat preferred, though low fat works too. Don’t use fat free.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: You can make your own 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice by blending a generous pinch each of ground ginger, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground cloves, and ground allspice.
- Caramel Sauce: If using my homemade caramel sauce, please keep in mind this is a salted caramel. If you prefer a sweeter caramel, reduce salt in the caramel sauce to 1/2 teaspoon. You can make the caramel sauce in advance– see make ahead tip in the caramel recipe.
- Full Size Cheesecake: Double the filling ingredients (not the crust). Press the crust into a 9-inch springform pan. Pour filling on top. Bake at 350°F (177°C) for around 1 hour, give or take. Use a water bath to help prevent cracks in cheesecake. Once the pumpkin cheesecake is cooled to room temperature, refrigerate for at least 4-6 hours before drizzling with caramel and serving. No need to double the caramel sauce recipe.
- Super Mini Cheesecakes: Use a 24-count mini muffin pan! Follow the recipe as written and press 1 teaspoon of crust into each mini muffin liner. Pour filling evenly into each. Bake time will be about 10 minutes, give or take. Yields about 40-50.
Keywords: salted caramel pumpkin cheesecakes, mini pumpkin cheesecakes