Description
These Mini Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecakes are a delightful fall treat featuring a smooth cream cheese filling swirled with spiced pumpkin puree on a crunchy graham cracker crust. Baked to perfection and topped with whipped cream and freshly grated nutmeg, they make an elegant and delicious dessert perfect for any occasion or holiday gathering.
Ingredients
Scale
Crust
- ¾ cup graham crackers, finely crushed
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Cheesecake Mixture
- 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 egg, room temperature
Pumpkin Mixture
- ⅓ cup pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon orange zest (optional but highly recommended)
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon flour
Garnish
- Whipped cream
- Grated nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare pan: Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C). Line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners and set aside.
- Make crust: In a food processor, grind the graham crackers into fine crumbs. Add the melted butter and mix well until the crumbs are evenly coated. Press about 2 tablespoons of this mixture firmly into the bottom of each lined muffin cup to form the crust.
- Prepare cheesecake filling: In the bowl of a stand mixer equipped with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add granulated sugar and vanilla extract, continuing to mix until creamy and combined.
- Add egg and sour cream: Add the egg to the cream cheese mixture and blend until just combined. Then add the sour cream (or Greek yogurt) and mix until smooth and fully incorporated.
- Prepare pumpkin mixture: In a separate bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, orange zest, brown sugar, and flour until thoroughly combined.
- Fill muffin cups: Pour the cheesecake mixture into each muffin cup, filling about three-quarters full.
- Swirl pumpkin mixture: Add a few dollops of the pumpkin mixture onto the cheesecake batter in each cup. Use a toothpick or skewer to swirl the pumpkin mixture through the cheesecake batter creating a marbled effect.
- Bake: Bake the mini cheesecakes in the preheated oven for 25 to 28 minutes, or until the edges are set but the centers still slightly jiggle.
- Cool: Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool completely at room temperature. After cooling, refrigerate the cheesecakes for at least 1 hour to set fully.
- Serve: Before serving, top each mini cheesecake with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of freshly grated nutmeg.
Notes
- For a smooth and creamy texture, ensure all ingredients, especially cream cheese and eggs, are at room temperature before mixing.
- If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, you can substitute with a homemade blend of ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon nutmeg, and ¼ teaspoon ground ginger.
- The cheesecakes will puff up during baking and will deflate slightly as they cool, creating a perfect little pocket for the whipped cream topping.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 mini cheesecake
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 130mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 17g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 55mg
