Description
These Salted Caramel Pumpkin Cheesecakes combine a spiced pumpkin filling with a crunchy gingersnap crust, topped with rich salted caramel sauce and toasted pecans. Perfect for fall and holiday gatherings, these mini cheesecakes offer a creamy, flavorful dessert that’s easy to make ahead and serve chilled.
Ingredients
Scale
Gingersnap Crust
- 1 and 1/4 cups gingersnap cookie crumbs
- 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 and prepare pans: Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line one 12-count muffin pan with liners and a second 12-count muffin pan with 4 liners; this recipe makes 16 cheesecakes. Set aside.
- Make the crust: In a medium bowl, combine gingersnap cookie crumbs, granulated sugar, and melted butter. Mix until the mixture is thick, coarse, and sandy. Press a heaping tablespoon of the mixture tightly into each muffin liner to form the crust. If there is leftover crust, press more into each liner if desired. Pre-bake the crusts for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.
- Make the filling: In a large bowl, beat softened cream cheese on high speed with a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment for about 1 minute until smooth. On medium-high speed, add pumpkin puree, egg, and egg yolk, beating and scraping down sides as needed. On high speed, add sugar, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla extract, beating just until combined.
- Fill crusts: Pour the pumpkin filling evenly over each pre-baked crust in the muffin liners.
- Bake cheesecakes: Bake the cheesecakes until the centers slightly jiggle when gently shaken, about 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven and cool at room temperature on a wire rack.
- Chill: Once completely cooled, refrigerate cheesecakes for at least 2 hours or overnight. During the cooling time, optionally toast the chopped pecans by spreading them on a lined baking sheet and baking at 300°F (149°C) for 8–10 minutes.
- Add topping and serve: Drizzle each chilled cheesecake with salted caramel sauce and garnish with toasted pecans. Store any leftovers tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing: Prepare through step 4 and refrigerate unbaked cheesecakes for 2-3 days before baking. Freeze baked cheesecakes without caramel for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in refrigerator.
- Gingersnap Crust: Use crunchy gingersnap cookies ground finely for the best texture.
- Graham Cracker Crust: Can substitute with graham cracker crust plus added ground ginger and cloves for flavor.
- Cream Cheese: Use full-fat brick cream cheese, do not use cream cheese spread or fat-free versions.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: Store-bought or homemade spice blend; homemade blend includes 1/4 tsp each ground ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice, plus 1/2 tsp cinnamon.
- Caramel Sauce: Use salted caramel; adjust salt to taste if using homemade.
- Full Size Cheesecake: Double the filling, press crust into 9-inch springform pan, bake 1 hour at 350°F (177°C) using a water bath, chill 4-6 hours before topping.
- Super Mini Cheesecakes: Use 24-count mini muffin pan, press 1 teaspoon crust per liner, bake about 10 minutes, yields 40-50 cheesecakes.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 mini cheesecake
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 24g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 75mg
