These little mini pumpkin cheesecakes are perfect for a party or social event this autumn. For a little extra sparkle, top each tiny cheesecake with a sprinkling of caramel crunch. Adding a little extra seasonal sparkle will really please your crowd - and make these mini pumpkin cheesecakes look almost as good as they taste!
These smooth and creamy pumpkin cheesecakes are made in a 24 cup mini muffin tin with a ginger biscuit crust, and are great for a party or dessert table. You could also top with a pre-made caramel sauce, some chopped nuts or simply a sprinkle of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice on top of the whipped cream.
Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes with Salted-Caramel Crunch Topping
Ingredients
Whipped Cream:
475ml double cream (1 pint heavy whipping cream)
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp maple syrup
Crust:
25-30 ginger biscuits
2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
Pumpkin Cheesecake:
230g (8 oz.) cream cheese
200g (1 cup) light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 tsp salt
170g (3/4 cup) canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
1 tbsp Greek yogurt
1 egg, whisked
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground cloves
Caramel crunch:
200g granulated sugar
3 tbsp water
To garnish:
Caramel sauce
Chopped nuts
Method
1. Whisk the cream and vanilla extract until it doubles in size and changes texture. Then, drizzle the maple syrup into the bowl and continue blending until the mixture is light and fluffy. Set aside or refrigerate until ready to use.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 24-cup mini muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
3. Put the ginger cookies in a large heavy-duty freezer bag and cover with a towel. Pound the bag with a rolling pin until the biscuits are uniformly crushed into very small pieces. (This can also be done in a food processor).
4. Transfer the biscuit mix to a glass bowl and add melted butter. Stir with a fork until thoroughly combined. Add a little more melted butter to hold the cookie crumb mixture together, if necessary. However, do not add too much or the butter will compete with the ginger flavour.
5. Divide cookie crumb mixture into 24 equal parts and press into the bottom of each muffin cup firmly with your fingers to form a crust. Bake in preheated oven for 8- 10 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.
6. To make the caramel crunch line a baking tray with a nonstick baking mat or paper. Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan. The mixture should look like wet sand. Place the saucepan over a medium-high heat and cook until the sugar becomes a dark amber colour. Immediately pour the caramel onto the prepared baking sheet then set aside to cool completely.
6. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, light brown sugar, and salt with a hand-held mixer. Add the pumpkin puree and Greek yogurt to the cream cheese mixture and continue beating until combined.
7. Slowly add the egg to the cream cheese mixture and mix well. Then blend in the vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. Continue blending until all the ingredients are thoroughly mixed in.
8. Evenly divide the pumpkin cream cheese mixture between the 24 muffin-tin cups, placing on top of the pre-baked cookie crust. Fill each cup slightly higher than the edge of the pan.
9. Place the muffin tin in the centre of the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the tops are lightly browned and the pumpkin mixture has set.
10. Crack the cooled caramel into large pieces and place in a resealable plastic bag then crush into tiny pieces using a rolling pin.
11. Remove the cheesecakes from the oven and cool completely before removing them from the tin. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight before serving.
12. To serve, spoon or pipe the whipped cream mix on and add a sprinkle of caramel crunch to each cheesecake.
More delicious pumpkin recipes:
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These smooth and creamy pumpkin cheesecakes are made in a 24 cup mini muffin tin with a ginger biscuit crust, and are great for a party or dessert table. You could also top with a pre-made caramel sauce, some chopped nuts or simply a sprinkle of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice on top of the whipped cream.
Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes with Salted-Caramel Crunch Topping
Ingredients
Whipped Cream:
475ml double cream (1 pint heavy whipping cream)
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp maple syrup
Crust:
25-30 ginger biscuits
2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
Pumpkin Cheesecake:
230g (8 oz.) cream cheese
200g (1 cup) light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 tsp salt
170g (3/4 cup) canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
1 tbsp Greek yogurt
1 egg, whisked
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground cloves
Caramel crunch:
200g granulated sugar
3 tbsp water
To garnish:
Caramel sauce
Chopped nuts
Method
1. Whisk the cream and vanilla extract until it doubles in size and changes texture. Then, drizzle the maple syrup into the bowl and continue blending until the mixture is light and fluffy. Set aside or refrigerate until ready to use.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 24-cup mini muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
3. Put the ginger cookies in a large heavy-duty freezer bag and cover with a towel. Pound the bag with a rolling pin until the biscuits are uniformly crushed into very small pieces. (This can also be done in a food processor).
4. Transfer the biscuit mix to a glass bowl and add melted butter. Stir with a fork until thoroughly combined. Add a little more melted butter to hold the cookie crumb mixture together, if necessary. However, do not add too much or the butter will compete with the ginger flavour.
5. Divide cookie crumb mixture into 24 equal parts and press into the bottom of each muffin cup firmly with your fingers to form a crust. Bake in preheated oven for 8- 10 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.
6. To make the caramel crunch line a baking tray with a nonstick baking mat or paper. Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan. The mixture should look like wet sand. Place the saucepan over a medium-high heat and cook until the sugar becomes a dark amber colour. Immediately pour the caramel onto the prepared baking sheet then set aside to cool completely.
6. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, light brown sugar, and salt with a hand-held mixer. Add the pumpkin puree and Greek yogurt to the cream cheese mixture and continue beating until combined.
7. Slowly add the egg to the cream cheese mixture and mix well. Then blend in the vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. Continue blending until all the ingredients are thoroughly mixed in.
8. Evenly divide the pumpkin cream cheese mixture between the 24 muffin-tin cups, placing on top of the pre-baked cookie crust. Fill each cup slightly higher than the edge of the pan.
9. Place the muffin tin in the centre of the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the tops are lightly browned and the pumpkin mixture has set.
10. Crack the cooled caramel into large pieces and place in a resealable plastic bag then crush into tiny pieces using a rolling pin.
11. Remove the cheesecakes from the oven and cool completely before removing them from the tin. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight before serving.
12. To serve, spoon or pipe the whipped cream mix on and add a sprinkle of caramel crunch to each cheesecake.
More delicious pumpkin recipes:
Pin it:
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