Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes

These Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes are loaded with warm fall spices, plenty of pumpkin flavor, and garnished with homemade whipped cream, pecans, and a dusting of cinnamon.

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zoomed in image of mini pumpkin cheesecakes on a white plate with a red and orange sunflower behind it

These Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes are rich, creamy, and loaded with the flavors of fall. They’re topped with homemade whipped cream, pecans, and a dash of cinnamon. They’re the perfect dessert to whip up this fall!

What I love the most about making these mini desserts is that I have more control over the ingredients and I don’t need to go through the messy process of slicing and plating the cheesecake.

This recipe is super simple too, which makes it perfect to try out if you’re trying your hand at a cheesecake recipe for the first time.

Do you like chocolate cheesecake? I have a delicious Mini S’mores Cheesecakes, Mini Chocolate Chip Cheesecakes, or Mini Oreo Cheesecakes that all have some sort of chocolate incorporated into them.

Mini Pumpkin Cheesecake Ingredients

This mini pumpkin cheesecake recipe includes a lot of the same ingredients as a lot of fall desserts do so you’ll likely have them in the pantry!

Get the full recipe with quantities in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

graham cracker crumbs
butter
cream cheese
granulated sugar
light brown sugar
vanilla extract
ground cinnamon
ground nutmeg
ground ginger
salt
pure pumpkin puree
eggs

How to make Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes

Learn how to make mini pumpkin cheesecakes with just a few steps.

Start with making the graham cracker crust. Mix the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter in a mixing bowl until the butter has coated all of the crumbs.

Divide the crust into 24 cupcake cavities that have been lined with paper liners. Gently press the crust into the bottom of the liners and place into the freezer until firm.

Next up, throw together the pumpkin pie mixture. Do this by whisking together the pumpkin puree, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth with an electric mixer on medium. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Gradually add the pumpkin pie filling to the cream cheese, 1/2 cup at a time, and beat until fully blended. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and add the next addition.

Hint: Adding the pumpkin pie filling all at once to your cream cheese will make your cream cheese lumpy, so be sure to add it in small additions. You won’t overmix the cheesecake batter since the eggs aren’t added yet.

Once all of the pumpkin filling is worked into the cream cheese, begin mixing in the eggs one at a time. Scrape down the bowl after each addition and mix just until the eggs are worked into the batter. Be careful not to overmix the batter.

Spoon the cheesecake batter evenly into the 24 cupcake liners and give a gentle tap on the counter to remove any air bubbles. Place in the preheated oven and bake as directed on the recipe card.

mini pumpkin cheesecakes on a white rectangle plate with a green and white linen and orange sunflowers behind the cheesecakes

Topping Ideas

The best part about these fall-inspired cheesecakes is you can execute your creative
streak freely here and take your spin on the toppings. Here are some ideas to get you
going.

Got some time? Make an almond or pecan praline to top it on the cheesecake.
Top the whipped cream on the cheesecakes with a light dusting of ground nutmeg to get them that rustic, fall flavor.
Transform these mini cheesecakes into the grand dessert of your dreams by drizzling some caramel sauce on top of the whipped cream.

Substitutions

Here are a few helpful substitutions that you may find yourself asking when checking out the recipe.

Nutmeg & Ginger – You can substitute the nutmeg and ginger with 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice.
Graham Cracker Crust – You can substitute the graham cracker crumbs in this recipe for crushed oreos and leave out the sugar completely. You can also use gingersnap cookies, shortbread cookies, or any other cookie you would like to pair with the pumpkin filling.
Graham Cracker Crust (option 2) – You can substitute the crust for a whole golden oreo or regular oreo instead of the traditional crust. That will shorten the prep time and still taste amazing.
Granulated Sugar & Brown Sugar – for this recipe, you can substitute the granulated sugar for brown sugar and the brown sugar with granulated sugar.

Let me know if you try the substitions or any other substitutions in the comments below. I love to hear what you’ve made work in my recipes.

horizontal photo of the cheesecakes on a green checkered fabric with brick behind the cheesecakes

Equipment

There’s nothing more annoying than being half way through making a recipe and realzing you don’t have everything that you need to get the recipe done. Be sure to double the equipment list before getting started.

Storage

You might want to try making these mini pumpkin cheesecakes for Thanksgiving
dessert. Naturally, you’re gonna have leftovers too.

To store them the right way, all you need to do is allow them to cool down completely
and then transfer them to an airtight container and refrigerate them.
They can stay fresh there for up to 3 days.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can this pumpkin cheesecake recipe be made into a 9-inch cheesecake?

Yes! This recipe will fill a 9-inch springform pan. I would recommend greasing the springform pan and using 3-inch wide parchment paper strips on the edge of the cheesecake just in case it puffs up above the pan.
The baking time will be much longer than the mini cheesecake times. I’m thinking at least 90 minutes but you can test it by giving it a gentle jiggle. The edges will be firm and the center should move slightly like set-up gelatine.
I would also suggest using a hot water bath for a 9-inche cheesecake.

Do I need to water bath these mini cheesecakes?

No! It is actually not necessary to have the whole water bath set up to make these mini pumpkin cheesecakes. The purpose of the water bath is to prevent the cheesecake from developing cracks as it bakes, but since these are mini cheesecakes, the possibility of them having cracks is pretty low.
If you really want to though, you can. Just remember to cover each mini cheesecake with aluminum foil to prevent any condensation.

Can I freeze these mini cheesecakes?

Yes! These mini cheesecake do freeze well. Pop the cheesecakes in a freezer container or a freezer bag and store for up to 3 months in the freezer.
You can even top with whipped cream before freezing, if you would like.
To thaw, place the cheesecakes in the fridge overnight.

Tips for this Mini Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe

And of course, you can never have enough of those little tricks and hacks to make sure you nail the recipe. Right?

Remember to have the eggs and the cream cheese at room temperature before you begin mixing them for the cheesecake mixture. This will help prevent any lumps from forming and will get you that perfectly smooth texture.
Don’t have room-temperature eggs? A quick way to warm up refrigerated eggs is to place them in a bowl full of warm (not hot) water and let them sit for 10 minutes, while you can finish up the rest of the process.
If you’re planning to make the cheesecake in a big batch and refrigerate it to be served the next day, you might want to consider baking the crust for 3-5 minutes, to get it extra crispy, and keep it from being soggy when you serve it later.
Beat the cheesecake mixture just a little after you’ve added the eggs. Overbeating the mixture then might cause your mini cheesecakes to develop cracks.
Working in a kitchen that tends to get hot? Chill your pots and bowls in the freezer first. This trick can come really handy when you’re making the whipped cream yourself.

More Mini Cheesecakes To Try