Mini Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe: Bite-Sized Fall Dessert with Graham Cracker Crust

Mini Pumpkin Cheesecake

Every fall I buy a can of pumpkin puree, and every fall I look for a dessert that delivers the warm spice of pumpkin pie without the fuss of rolling and crimping a crust. These Mini Pumpkin Cheesecake bites solve that problem.

They are small, creamy, and built on a spiced graham cracker base that comes together in a single bowl.

The recipe has two parts. The crust uses 1 cup crushed graham crackers, which works out to about 7 to 8 graham crackers, plus 2 tablespoons brown sugar (dark brown sugar is preferred), 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg, and 3 tablespoons melted butter.

The filling brings 8 ounces room temperature cream cheese, 2/3 cup brown sugar (preferably dark), 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice, 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1 cup pumpkin puree, and 2 whole eggs.

That is a short list of everyday ingredients, and most of them are probably already in your pantry. If you enjoy this style of dessert, the same source also shares Mini Banana Pudding Cheesecakes, Pumpkin Cheesecake Crumb Bars, Pumpkin Cheesecake with Butterscotch Swirl, and Baked Banana Pudding Cheesecake.

One thing I learned the hard way: read the whole method before you start, because the oven changes temperature halfway through. Knowing that ahead of time keeps the whole process calm and unhurried.

Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes

Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes are two holidays in one bite. You get the spiced, earthy sweetness of pumpkin pie and the tangy, dense creaminess of cheesecake, all sitting on a graham cracker crust that has been seasoned like a gingerbread cookie.

The author behind the original recipe could not always find gingersnap cookies that were good enough, so the crust is built from graham crackers with the spices that would normally come from a gingersnap. That is a smart move for anyone baking at home.

It removes a specialty ingredient, and it means the crust tastes the same every time instead of shifting with whatever brand of gingersnaps happens to be on the shelf.

The recipe makes 12 mini cheesecakes. Prep takes about 20 minutes, the crust and filling bake for a total of 27 minutes, and then the real work happens during roughly 6 hours of hands off chilling. Plan for that chilling time rather than treating it as optional. Both the texture and the flavor improve once the cheesecakes are fully cold.

I like the mini format for a few practical reasons. There is nothing to slice at the table, every portion is already the same size, and they travel well to a potluck because each one sits in its own liner.

They also hold up beautifully when made a day ahead, which is exactly what you want when you are cooking for a crowd.

Serve them straight from the refrigerator with a small swirl of sweetened whipped cream and a light dusting of cinnamon. On a Thanksgiving table they sit nicely next to the pie, and they are just as welcome on an ordinary weeknight when you want a small, sweet finish to dinner.

Ingredients US Metric

This recipe is written in US cup and spoon measures, and the original recipe card includes a metric toggle for cooks outside the United States. If you keep a kitchen scale, weighing the cream cheese and the pumpkin puree is the easiest way to stay consistent from one batch to the next.

Spiced Graham Cracker Crust

• 1 cup crushed graham crackers, about 7 to 8 graham crackers
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar, dark brown sugar preferred
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted

Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling

• 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 2/3 cup brown sugar, preferably dark
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 2 whole eggs

For Serving, optional

• Sweetened whipped cream
• Additional ground cinnamon for dusting

A few notes before you shop. Room temperature cream cheese blends smoothly, so pull it out of the refrigerator about an hour ahead.

Check the pumpkin can label and choose pumpkin puree rather than pumpkin pie filling, because the two are sold side by side and they are not the same product.

Dark brown sugar adds a deeper molasses note, and it is worth using here if you have it. Melt the butter and let it sit for a minute before you pour it in, so it mixes into the crumbs instead of melting the sugar into a paste.

There is not much room to hide in a recipe this short, so it pays to check your spice jars. If the cinnamon or nutmeg has been sitting in the cabinet for years, the crust and filling will taste flatter than they should.

Each mini cheesecake, based on a yield of 12, provides roughly 198 calories, 22.8 grams of carbohydrate, 2.9 grams of protein, 11 grams of fat, 6.1 grams of saturated fat, 1 gram of fiber, 17 grams of sugar, 147 milligrams of sodium, and 54 milligrams of cholesterol.

InstructionsFahrenheitCelsius

The oven temperatures are given in Fahrenheit on the recipe card, and a Celsius toggle is included for anyone whose oven dial reads in Celsius. The crust bakes at 350 °F, then the oven drops to 325 °F for the cheesecake filling.

Make the crust. Preheat the oven to 350 °F and line a standard 12 cup muffin tin with muffin liners. In a mixing bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg until well combined. Drizzle in the melted butter while stirring, and keep going until the mixture is evenly combined and looks like wet sand.

Press and prebake. Place about 2 tablespoons of the crust mixture into each lined cup. Use the back of a small spoon to press it into the bottom of the liner. A measuring tablespoon works well for this job.

Bake for 5 to 8 minutes, until the crusts are lightly brown, then remove the pan from the oven and let the crusts cool.

Reduce the heat. Turn the oven down to 325 °F.

Make the filling. In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, brown sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, and nutmeg until well combined, then scrape down the sides of the bowl. Mix in the pumpkin puree and scrape the bowl again.

Add the eggs one at a time, scraping down between additions, and mix just until everything comes together. Overmixing whips air into the batter, and trapped air is what makes a cheesecake crack.

Fill and bake. Divide the filling evenly among the muffin cups. Bake at 325 °F for 22 minutes. Then turn the oven off and crack the oven door with the mini cheesecakes still inside for another 5 minutes. That slow, gentle finish helps them set without a sudden drop in temperature.

Cool and chill. Move the pan to a cooling rack and let the cheesecakes cool completely. Leave them in the muffin tin while they cool, because they can be a little soft before they firm up in the refrigerator. Once they are cool, refrigerate until cold, or better yet overnight so the flavors fully develop.

Serve. Top each mini cheesecake with sweetened whipped cream and a light dusting of cinnamon if you like.

Here is the full baking timeline in one place.

Equipment is simple. You need a mixing bowl or two, a whisk or hand mixer, measuring cups and spoons, a standard 12 cup muffin pan, and paper liners. I line every cup, even the ones I am tempted to leave bare, because the liners make removal effortless once the cheesecakes are chilled.

On doneness, trust the method rather than the clock. After 22 minutes at 325 °F the filling should be set around the edges with a slight wobble in the middle, and the 5 extra minutes with the oven door cracked finish the job.

They will firm up further as they cool and chill, so there is no need to push the bake time.

If you have the time, chill these overnight. The spice settles, the texture firms up, and the pumpkin flavor becomes noticeably rounder the next day.

A note on pan sizes, since this trips people up. A standard 12 cup muffin pan uses 4 ounce cups, and that is the size this recipe is built around.

If you are working with a 6 well pan, check whether the cups are 4 ounce standard size or 7 ounce jumbo size, because jumbo cups will change both the amount of filling per cup and the bake time.

Scraping the bowl is the step most people skip, and it is the one that keeps the batter even. If a streak of plain cream cheese hides at the bottom of the bowl, you will find it later in a bite that tastes flat. Take the extra ten seconds and do it properly.

If you are planning ahead, this dessert splits neatly into two days. Make the crust and the filling, bake everything, and chill overnight. Then garnish right before serving so the whipped cream stays fresh. Keep any leftovers covered in the refrigerator.

For a Thanksgiving spread, set the tray out with the pie and let people take one of each. Watching a guest reach for a second mini cheesecake before finishing the first is the highest compliment this recipe gets in my house.

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Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes

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Mini Pumpkin Cheesecake Every fall I buy a can of pumpkin puree, and every fall I look for a dessert that delivers the warm spice of pumpkin pie without the fuss of rolling and crimping a crust. These Mini Pumpkin Cheesecake bites solve that problem.

• Total Time: 407 min
• Yield: 12 1x

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Spiced Graham Cracker Crust
1 cup Crushed Graham Crackers, about 7–8 Graham Crackers
2 tablespoons Brown Sugar, I prefer Dark Brown Sugar
1/4 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon Ground Ginger
1/8 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
3 tablespoons Butter, melted

Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling
8 ounces Cream Cheese, Room Temperature
2/3 cup Brown Sugar, Preferably Dark
1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Ground Allspice
1/4 teaspoon Ground Ginger
1/8 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
1 cup Pumpkin Puree
2 whole Eggs

For Serving
Sweetened Whipped Cream
Additional Ground Cinnamon, For Dusting

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Crust
1-Preheat oven to 350 °F: Preheat oven to 350 °F.
2-Line a standard 12 cup muffin tin: Line a standard 12 cup muffin tin with muffin liners.
3-Mix together Graham Cracker Crumbs, Brown Sugar,: Mix together Graham Cracker Crumbs, Brown Sugar, Cinnamon, Ginger and Nutmeg until well combined. Drizzle in Melted Butter while stirring until evenly combined and resembles wet sand.
4-Place about 2 tablespoons of crust mixture: Place about 2 tablespoons of crust mixture into each lined muffin tin. Use the back of a small spoon (I used a tablespoon) to compact the crust mixture into the bottom of liner.
5-Bake for 5-8 minutes until lightly brown: Bake for 5-8 minutes until lightly brown. Remove from oven to cool.

Filling and Assembly
6-Reduce oven temperature to 325°F: Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.
7-Mix together Cream Cheese, Brown Sugar, Vanilla: Mix together Cream Cheese, Brown Sugar, Vanilla Extract, Cinnamon, Allspice, Ginger and Nutmeg until well combined. Scrape down sides of bowl.
8-Mix in Pumpkin Puree and scrape down: Mix in Pumpkin Puree and scrape down sides of bowl.
9-Mix in Eggs one at a time: Mix in Eggs one at a time scraping down bowl between additions.
10-Divide Pumpkin Cheesecake filling evenly between muffin: Divide Pumpkin Cheesecake filling evenly between muffin cups.
11-Bake for 22 minutes: Bake for 22 minutes. Turn off oven and crack oven door with Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes still inside for another 5 minutes.
12-Move to cooling rack until fully cool: Move to cooling rack until fully cool and then refrigerate until cold or overnight.

For Serving
13-Top with whipped cream and dust lightly: Top with whipped cream and dust lightly with cinnamon if desired.

Last Step:

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• Prep Time: 20 min
• Cook Time: 27 min
• Method: bake

Nutrition

• Calories: 197.81
• Sugar: 17.03
• Sodium: 146.83
• Fat: 10.98
• Saturated Fat: 6.09
• Carbohydrates: 22.76
• Fiber: 0.98
• Protein: 2.9
• Cholesterol: 54.27