Description
These Salted Caramel Pumpkin Cheesecakes are delightful mini desserts featuring a crunchy gingersnap crust, creamy pumpkin-spiced filling, and a luscious salted caramel topping with toasted pecans. Perfect for fall gatherings or holiday treats, each cheesecake offers a rich, smooth texture balanced by the sweet and salty caramel drizzle and nutty crunch.
Ingredients
Scale
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 salted caramel sauce
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 12-count muffin pan with liners and prepare a second 12-count muffin pan with only 4 liners as this recipe yields 16 cheesecakes. Set aside for later use.
- Make the Gingersnap Crust: In a medium bowl, combine the gingersnap cookie crumbs, granulated sugar, and melted unsalted butter. Mix until the mixture is thick, coarse, and sandy. Press about a heaping tablespoon of this mixture firmly into each muffin liner, making sure the crust is compact and tight. Use any remaining crust mixture to add a bit more to each liner if desired. Pre-bake the crusts for 5 minutes, then remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly.
- Prepare the Pumpkin Filling: In a large bowl, use a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment to beat the softened cream cheese on high speed until completely smooth, about one minute. Reduce speed to medium-high and mix in pumpkin puree, the whole egg, and egg yolk, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Increase to high speed again and beat in granulated sugar, ground cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and pure vanilla extract until well combined and creamy.
- Fill the Crusts: Evenly pour the prepared pumpkin filling into each crust-lined muffin cup, filling almost to the top.
- Bake the Mini Cheesecakes: Bake in the preheated oven until the centers of the cheesecakes only slightly jiggle when gently shaken, about 18 to 20 minutes. Once baked, remove and let cheesecakes cool at room temperature in their pans placed on a wire rack.
- Chill the Cheesecakes: Once cooled to room temperature, place the cheesecakes in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight to fully set. Note that the cheesecakes may sink slightly in the center after chilling, which is normal and provides space for the caramel topping.
- Toast the Pecans (Optional): While the cheesecakes are chilling, spread chopped pecans on a lined baking sheet and toast in the oven at 300°F (149°C) for 8-10 minutes until fragrant and lightly browned. Remove and let cool.
- Add Toppings and Serve: After the cheesecakes have chilled, drizzle each with salted caramel sauce and garnish generously with the toasted pecans. Serve immediately or store leftovers tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: You can prepare the cheesecakes through filling and crust pressing steps and keep them unbaked covered in the fridge for 2-3 days before baking. Freeze baked cheesecakes (without caramel topping) for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
- Gingersnap Crust: Use crunchy gingersnap cookies like Nabisco or Trader Joe’s and process them into fine crumbs in a food processor.
- Alternative Crust: A graham cracker crust can be used instead, plus an optional 1/4 teaspoon each of ground ginger and ground cloves for extra flavor.
- Cream Cheese: Use full-fat brick-style cream cheese for best texture and flavor. Avoid cream cheese spreads or fat-free versions.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: Use store-bought or homemade pumpkin pie spice. If unavailable, mix 1/4 teaspoon each of ground ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice in addition to the cinnamon.
- Caramel Sauce: The recipe uses a salted caramel sauce. If you prefer a sweeter caramel, reduce salt in the caramel to 1/2 teaspoon. This sauce can be prepared ahead.
- Scaling Up or Down: For a full-size 9-inch cheesecake, double the filling ingredients, press crust into a springform pan, and bake for about 1 hour at 350°F with a water bath to avoid cracks. Refrigerate 4-6 hours before topping. For super mini cheesecakes, use a 24-count mini muffin pan, press 1 teaspoon crust per liner, bake about 10 minutes, yielding 40-50 cheesecakes.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 mini cheesecake
- Calories: 250 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 140 mg
- Fat: 17 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
