Salted Caramel Pumpkin Cheesecake Minis

My husband bought a pie pumpkin for “decoration” at 9 PM on a Tuesday, and the pumpkin immediately started taunting me from the counter. I am not the kind of person who uses water baths and springform pans without having a minor breakdown, so I turned that situation into salted caramel pumpkin cheesecake.

These mini pumpkin cheesecakes bake in a standard muffin tin, which removes the foil-wrapping drama and gives everyone a personal dessert. I once dropped an entire 9-inch cheesecake on the floor, but this fall individual dessert gives me fifteen more chances if one serving hits the ground. Here is exactly how I do it.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• No water baths. You bake these in a standard muffin tin, which means zero foil wrapping and zero panic about leaks.
• Built-in portion control. You get individual cheesecakes, although eating three at the counter still counts as a serving decision.
• Make-ahead magic. These taste even better on day two, which makes them ideal for holiday planning.
• Crunchy cookie crust. Store-bought gingersnaps provide the spice and texture without complicated pastry work.

Tools You’ll Need

Nothing fancy, I promise.

• 12-count muffin pan – The absolute hero of this recipe, saving us all from springform pan anxiety.
• Hand mixer. A mixer creates smooth cream cheese filling without lumpy sadness.
• Paper liners. Liners help the cheesecakes release cleanly from the pan.
• Cooling rack. A rack helps the cheesecakes cool evenly before refrigeration.

Ingredients

Gingersnap Crust

• 1 and 1/4 cups gingersnap cookie crumbs – Use the extra crunchy ones; soft cookies make a mushy, depressing crust.
• 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar – Just a bit to help bind it all together.
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted – The glue that holds our lives and this crust together.

Pumpkin Filling

• 12 ounces full-fat brick cream cheese – Do not buy the tub spread, it has too much air and water. Brick cream cheese is mandatory here.
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree – Make sure it is 100% pure pumpkin, not the pre-sweetened pie filling.
• 1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk – Room temperature if you can remember, but I usually forget and it still works out.
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar – Standard white sugar to sweeten the deal.
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon – For that cozy autumnal vibe.
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice – Store-bought is totally fine, we are not trying to be heroes here.
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract – Measure with your heart.

Topping

• 1 cup caramel sauce – Store-bought or homemade, just make sure it is salted to balance the sweet.
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans – Toast them if you have the energy, skip it if you do not.

How To Make Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes

Forget everything you know about fussy cheesecakes; this is basically just mixing things in bowls and hoping for the best.

1. Prep the pans: 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. If you forget the liners, you will be eating these out of the tin with a spoon, which I have done, and it is still tasty but very messy.
2. Mix the crust: Mix the cookie crumbs, sugar, and melted butter together until it looks like wet sand. Press a heaping Tablespoon of mixture down into each liner. Press it down hard—if some crumbs escape up the sides, that is just rustic charm. Pre-bake for 5 minutes.
3. Beat the cream cheese: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese on high speed until completely smooth. Do not rush this step. If you leave lumps now, they will haunt you in the finished product.
4. Add the rest: On medium-high speed, beat in pumpkin, egg, and egg yolk. Then beat in the sugar, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla. Scrape the bottom of the bowl with a spatula, or you will find a hidden pocket of unmixed cream cheese later.
5. Bake: Pour the filling evenly into each crust and bake for 18 to 20 minutes until the centers only slightly jiggle. If they sink a little in the middle while cooling, celebrate—that is just a natural bowl for your caramel sauce.
6. Chill and top: Let them cool at room temperature, then put them in the fridge for at least 2 hours. Once cold, drown them in salted caramel and top with pecans. Do not skip the chill time, warm cheesecake tastes like sweet scrambled eggs.

Make It Yours

• Replace gingersnaps with graham crackers and add cinnamon.
• Swap pecans for chopped walnuts.
• Add whipped cream just before serving.
• Drizzle chocolate sauce over the caramel for a richer finish.

Perfect Pairings

These go perfectly with a complete lack of shame about licking caramel off your fingers.

• A giant mug of black coffee to balance out all that rich, sweet topping.
• Your neighborhood Thanksgiving potluck, because nobody wants to slice a pie while people are watching.
• A cold glass of milk – obviously.
• A fork and a quiet kitchen counter after the kids have finally gone to sleep.

Caramel Pumpkin Cheesecakes

This salted caramel pumpkin cheesecake proves that an impressive holiday dessert does not require a water bath, springform pan, or perfect baking technique. This easy mini pumpkin cheesecake recipe fall gatherings need uses a gingersnap crust, creamy pumpkin filling, salted caramel, and pecans for a rich individual treat. Whether you serve these mini pumpkin cheesecakes at Thanksgiving or prepare them as a salted caramel mini cheesecake recipe for a quiet night, this fall individual dessert deserves a permanent place in your baking rotation.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 3 hours hrs 50 minutes mins

Servings: 16 servings

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Gingersnap Crust

• 1 and 1/4 cups gingersnap cookie crumbs (see note)
• 2 Tablespoons (23g) granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup (4 Tbsp; 56g) unsalted butter melted

Pumpkin Filling

• 12 ounces (339g) full-fat brick 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 store-bought or homemade pumpkin pie spice*
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Topping

• 1 cup (240ml) store-bought or homemade caramel sauce*
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Equipment

• 12-count muffin pan
• Hand mixer
• Paper liners
• Cooling rack

Method

 

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. Pour the filling evenly into each crust.
7. 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.
8. The cheesecakes will slightly sink in the middle- that’s ok! It gives you room for the caramel. Feel free to toast the pecans for the topping as the cheesecakes cool. To toast, spread the chopped nuts on a lined baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes at 300°F (149°C).
9. Once chilled, drizzle each with salted caramel sauce and garnish with pecans. Store leftovers covered tightly in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Recipe Notes

Make Ahead & Freezing:
Prepare the cheesecakes through step 4 up to 2–3 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate unbaked cheesecakes until ready to bake. Freeze baked cheesecakes without caramel for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

Gingersnap Crust:
Use crunchy gingersnap cookies and grind them into fine crumbs. Nabisco or Trader Joe’s work well.

Graham Cracker Crust:
Use a graham cracker crust instead. Add 1/4 teaspoon each ginger and cloves for extra flavor, if desired.

Cream Cheese:
Use full-fat brick-style cream cheese for the best texture. Low-fat works too, but avoid spreadable or fat-free cream cheese.

Pumpkin Pie Spice:
Use store-bought or homemade pumpkin pie spice. For individual spices, use 1/4 teaspoon each ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice, plus the 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon.

Caramel Sauce:
The homemade caramel sauce is salted. For sweeter caramel, reduce the salt to 1/2 teaspoon. Make it ahead and refrigerate as directed in the caramel recipe.

Full-Size Cheesecake:
Double the filling, but not the crust. Use a 9-inch springform pan and bake at 350°F (177°C) for about 1 hour. A water bath helps prevent cracks. Cool, then refrigerate for 4–6 hours before adding caramel. No need to double the caramel.

Super Mini Cheesecakes:
Use a 24-count mini muffin pan. Add 1 teaspoon crust to each liner, then divide the filling evenly. Bake for about 10 minutes. Makes approximately 40–50 mini cheesecakes.