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Enjoy creamy pumpkin spice filling, a chocolate Oreo crust, and homemade whipped cream in these Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes, an easy dessert served in individual portions.
These Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes are the perfect fall dessert. They’re easy to make and perfect for Thanksgiving, christmas holiday gatherings, or whenever you’re craving a pumpkin treat. The individual portions are also easier to serve than a full-sized cheesecake and convenient to prepare ahead.
For another cheesecake option, the Mini Lemon Cheesecake has a fresh citrus flavor. Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake Bars combine chocolate and peanut butter for a richer dessert.
Why You’ll Love These Miniature Pumpkin Cheesecakes
- No water bath needed. The cheesecakes bake directly in a cupcake pan without the extra step of a water bath.
- Easy to portion. Cupcake liners create individual servings with no need to slice a large cheesecake.
- Simple to scale. Double or triple the recipe when you need more individual servings.
Pumpkin Cheesecake Ingredients
- Oreo Crust: Crushed Oreo cookies and melted unsalted butter form a rich chocolate base that contrasts with the creamy pumpkin filling.
- Cream Cheese: Use full-fat cream cheese for a rich, creamy texture. Let it soften to room temperature before mixing for a smoother filling.
- Pumpkin Spice: Brings warm spice notes to both the cheesecake filling and whipped cream topping.
- Granulated Sugar: Balances the pumpkin and warm spices without making the filling overly sweet.
- Vanilla Extract: Complements the pumpkin spice and rounds out the cheesecake flavor.
- Pumpkin Puree: Use pure pumpkin puree for the best flavor and consistency. Avoid pumpkin pie filling, since it contains added sugar and spices.
- Eggs: Bring them to room temperature to help them blend evenly into the cheesecake mixture.
- Heavy Whipping Cream: Whips into a light topping that balances the rich cheesecake.
- Confectioners’ Sugar: Dissolves easily into the cream for a smooth whipped topping.
*See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes
For the Crust
Step 1: Preheat the oven. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a 12-cavity cupcake tin with cupcake liners and set aside.
Step 2: Prepare the Oreo crust. Add the crushed Oreos and melted butter to a small bowl. Mix until well combined and the crumbs resemble wet sand.
Step 3: Fill the liners. Firmly press 1 ½ tablespoons of the Oreo crust mixture into the bottom of each liner.
Step 4: Bake the crusts. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and let the crusts cool completely.
For the Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling
Step 1: Reduce the oven temperature. Reduce the oven temperature to 300°F.
Step 2: Make the cheesecake filling. Add the cream cheese and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat until smooth.
Step 3: Mix in the remaining filling ingredients. Add the vanilla, pumpkin spice, and pumpkin puree. Beat until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Step 4: Finish the filling. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
Step 5: Fill the liners. Divide the cheesecake mixture among the pre-baked Oreo crusts, filling each liner almost to the top.
Step 6: Bake and cool. Bake the cheesecakes for 15 minutes. Turn off the oven and leave them inside for 30 minutes. Crack the oven door open and leave the cheesecakes inside until they cool to room temperature.
Step 7: Chill the cheesecakes. Transfer the cheesecakes to the refrigerator until ready to serve.
For the Whipped Cream
Step 1: Prepare the whipped cream. Add the heavy cream, confectioners’ sugar, and pumpkin spice to a medium bowl.
Step 2: Whip the cream. Beat with a hand mixer until stiff peaks form.
Step 3: Top the cheesecakes. Pipe or scoop the whipped cream onto each cheesecake before serving.
Tips For Best Results
- Avoid overmixing the eggs. Mix each egg only until incorporated to avoid adding too much air to the cheesecake batter, which can cause cracks as the cheesecakes cool.
- Crush the Oreos into fine crumbs. Use a food processor to create fine, even crumbs for the crust. If you don’t have one, place the cookies in a zip-top bag and crush them with a rolling pin.
- Remove them carefully from the pan. Once cooled, gently lift the cheesecakes by the edges of the paper liners. If they don’t release easily, use a fork or small offset spatula to help lift them out.
- Wait to add the whipped cream. Chill the cheesecakes first, then add the whipped cream closer to serving for a neat finish.
Frequently Asked Questions
The edges should look set while the centers still have a slight jiggle when you gently shake the pan. They will continue to set as they rest in the turned-off oven and cool to room temperature.
Chopped pecans, toasted walnuts, chocolate shavings, or a light dusting of cinnamon all work well as toppings.
Yes, you can prepare the cheesecakes a day ahead to save some time. Do not add the whipped cream until you are ready to serve.
Storing Mini Cheesecakes
Store leftover Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
You can also freeze the cheesecakes without the whipped cream topping. Wrap them well in plastic wrap or foil, then place them in a freezer-safe container or bag.
To serve after freezing, thaw the cheesecakes in the refrigerator before adding the whipped cream topping.
Other Dessert Recipes to Try
- Easy Blueberry Breakfast Cake
- Vegan Chocolate Pie
- Keto Coffee Cake
- Quick No-Bake Chocolate Cake
- Pumpkin Coffee Cake
- Cinnamon Apple Cheesecake
If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out. Leave a comment and rate the recipe! Also follow me at Cookin’ With Mima on Facebook |Instagram |Pinterest for all of my latest social posts and recipes.
Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes
Ingredients
For the Filling
- 8 oz. cream cheese, softened (I use 2 blocks)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice
- ½ cup pumpkin puree
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
For the Crust
- 12 Oreo cookies, finely crushed
- 3 tbsps. unsalted butter, melted
For the Whipped Topping
- ½ cup heavy cream, chilled
- ½ tsp. pumpkin spice
- 2 tbsps. confectioners’ sugar
Instructions
For the Crust
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a 12-cavity cupcake tin with cupcake liners and set aside.
- Add the crushed Oreos and melted butter to a small bowl. Mix until well combined and the crumbs resemble wet sand.
- Firmly press 1 ½ tablespoons of the Oreo crust mixture into the bottom of each liner.
- Bake for 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and let the crusts cool completely.
For the Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling
- Reduce the oven temperature to 300°F.
- Add the cream cheese and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat until smooth.
- Add the vanilla, pumpkin spice, and pumpkin puree. Beat until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- Divide the cheesecake mixture among the pre-baked Oreo crusts, filling each liner almost to the top.
- Bake the cheesecakes for 15 minutes. Turn off the oven and leave them inside for 30 minutes. Crack the oven door open and leave the cheesecakes inside until they cool to room temperature.
- Transfer the cheesecakes to the refrigerator until ready to serve.
For the Whipped Cream
- Add the heavy cream, confectioners’ sugar, and pumpkin spice to a medium bowl.
- Beat with a hand mixer until stiff peaks form.
- Pipe or scoop the whipped cream onto each cheesecake before serving.
Notes and Recipe Tips
- Bring the cream cheese and eggs to room temperature before mixing. This helps them blend smoothly into the filling.
- Press the Oreo crumbs firmly and evenly into each liner to create a crust that holds together after baking.
- Chill the cheesecakes thoroughly before serving for the best texture and easier removal from the liners.
These turned out absolutely delicious! I will definitely be making these again & turning up the pumpkin flavor!
Hi Hannah! Happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe. Thanks for the review!
In the oven right now. I didn’t bake the base. Didn’t think it sounded necessary. The recipe made too much filling. Hate to waste it
Hi Claire! Glad it turned out right for you. It works both ways.
After 15 minutes of baking, you said to turn the oven off and let them sit inside the oven for 30 minutes. Do I crack the oven door at that time?
Hi Margie,
You need to bake for 15 minutes. turn off the oven and keep the cheesecake in there for 30 minutes with door closed. Then after 30 minutes crack the oven open and let the cheesecake gradually cool while sitting in the oven.
How are you combining the cheesecake filling and crust when they are baked separately? They both look like they are in the same liner and fused together pretty well?
Hi Karlyn,
The base is baked and then the filling is placed on top and then baked once more. If you like you can press the base really well and then add in the filling and bake together if that’s easier for you.
I had the same question!! My fiancé was baking these last night and was having a hard time getting the cheesecake filling and crust to stick together after baking them separately. Your answers to this make total sense, but I would recommend including that information in the directions above because it is not clear at all. We didn’t want to just assume we should add the already baked filling to the crust and bake again because we did not want to over bake and ruin them.
Thanks for letting me know. I going to rewrite the instruction to make it more clear.