Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes

These Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes are the perfect Thanksgiving dessert. They're made with a rich and creamy pumpkin cheesecake filling and a buttery vanilla wafer crust. Their miniature size is fun and festive, and makes them easy to transport and serve at holiday parties!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings

Calories 195

Author Ashlyn Edwards | Belle of the Kitchen

Ingredients

For the crust

5.5 ounces vanilla wafer cookies about 2 heaping cups
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/4 cup unsalted butter melted

For the cheesecake filling

8 ounces cream cheese softened
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie mix
2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 Tablespoon all purpose flour
1 egg

Instructions

To make the crust

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and line a muffin tin with 12 cupcake liners.
In a food processor, crumble the vanilla wafer cookies and pumpkin pie spice until crushed. Pour in the melted butter and pulse to combine. The mixture should resemble wet sand.
Place one heaping Tablespoon of the crust mixture into each liner and press firmly into the bottom. Bake for 6-10 minutes or until the edges begin to brown. Allow to cool while making the cheesecake filling.

To make the cheesecake filling

To make the cheesecake filling, beat the cream cheese and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes.
Mix in the pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, and flour until incorporated. Slowly beat in the egg, just until combined. Do not overmix.
Place about 1 1/2 Tablespoons of the cheesecake batter in each prepared and cooled crust.
Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the edges are set and the middle slightly wobbles. Allow the cheesecakes to cool completely, then cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.
When ready to serve, remove from the baking pan (and also from the muffin liners if you want to display them for serving.) Top with whipped cream, if desired.

Video

Notes

Toppings: I like to top my mini pumpkin cheesecakes with whipped cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce. You could also dust them with a little bit of pumpkin pie spice or a sprinkling of crushed nuts like pecans or walnuts.
Make it into a whole cheesecake: You can also make this into a whole cheesecake instead of miniature ones if you'd prefer. Use a regular 9 inch pie plate (not a deep dish one) and follow the instructions as directed to assemble. You will need to bake the crust for the same amount of time as the minis (6-8 minutes,) but the fully assembled whole cheesecake will need to bake for a bit longer, around 20-25 minutes. When the edges of the filling are set and the middle wobbles slightly, it is done.
Prepare up to 2 days in advance. These can be made up to two days in advance and stored in the refrigerator covered with plastic wrap. Don’t add the whipped cream or additional toppings until right before you are ready to serve.
Storing leftovers. Any leftovers can be stored in the fridge covered with plastic wrap for up to three days. You can also freeze them for up to 6 months in a freezer safe container.

Nutrition