Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes (Easy Fall Recipe)
Creamy mini pumpkin cheesecakes with a buttery Biscoff crust, silky pumpkin filling, and warm spice, baked in a muffin pan with no water bath. Make ahead, chill overnight, and finish with whipped cream for a stress-free Thanksgiving dessert.
Servings: 12 mini cheesecakes
Ingredients
Crust
- 1½ cup (150 g) speculoos or Biscoff cookie crumbs
- ¼ cup (60 g) unsalted butter
Filling
- 12 oz (340 g) full-fat cream cheese (1½ blocks) room temperature
- ⅔ cup (135 g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (230 g) canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoon (16 g) cornstarch
- 1½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, and a pinch of ground clove)
Topping
- 1 cup (250 ml) heavy cream , chilled
- 2 tablespoon powdered sugar , sifted
- extra cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 320°F (160°C). Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
Crust
- In a bowl, mix crushed Biscoff cookies with melted butter until you get a wet sand mixture. Divide mixture evenly between liners (about 1 heaping tablespoon each). Press down firmly with the back of a spoon or a small glass. Chill while making the filling.1½ cup speculoos or Biscoff cookie crumbs, ¼ cup unsalted butter
Filling
- In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar on low speed until smooth, scraping the bowl as needed.12 oz full-fat cream cheese (1½ blocks), ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- Add pumpkin puree, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, and cornstarch. Mix just until blended.1 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling), 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 tablespoon cornstarch, 1½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing on low just until incorporated. Do not overmix.2 large eggs
Bake and chill
- Divide batter evenly among liners, tap on the counter to release air bubbles.
- Bake at 320°F (160°C) for 15–18 minutes, on lower two-thirds rack, until edges look set and centers jiggle slightly when you move the pan. Do not overbake.
- Remove pan from oven and let cheesecakes cool completely in the pan. Transfer to the fridge for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, to set.
Topping
- Beat heavy cream and powdered sugar until medium peaks form. Pipe onto chilled cheesecakes. Dust lightly with pumpkin pie spice before serving!1 cup heavy cream, 2 tablespoon powdered sugar, extra cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice for dusting
Notes
- Pumpkin purée: Use plain canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling. If using homemade purée, make sure it’s thick and not watery; otherwise, the filling will be too loose.
- Cream cheese: Use full-fat cream cheese that comes in blocks, not the spreadable kind in tubs.
- Room temperature ingredients: Cream cheese, eggs, and pumpkin should be at room temperature so they blend smoothly and prevent lumps.
- Don’t overmix: Once you add the eggs, mix only until combined. Overmixing adds air, which can cause cracks.
- Low and slow: Baking at 320°F (160°C) keeps the cheesecakes creamy and helps prevent cracks.
- Doneness cue: The centers should jiggle slightly when you tap the pan like Jell-O, not look liquid. They’ll firm up as they cool.
Nutrition
Calories: 259.8kcal | Carbohydrates: 27.7g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 13.9g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 65.1mg | Sodium: 274.4mg | Potassium: 175.8mg | Fiber: 1.1g | Sugar: 18.8g | Calcium: 134.7mg | Iron: 1mg
