Muffin Pan Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes

Combine two of your favorite holiday desserts by making my Mini Pumpkin Cheesecake recipe! These adorable muffin tin treats feature a buttery graham cracker crust, classically creamy cheesecake filling, and a heavy dose of pumpkin spice perfection.

Whenever I host a dinner, I like to make sure my dessert is ready to go without any fuss. I guarantee that anyone who has ever tried to dish out the first slice of pie without making a mess knows what I’m talking about. That’s why I love these mini pumpkin cheesecakes—they’re perfectly portioned ahead of time!

Better yet, they satisfy cheesecake lovers and pumpkin crisp devotées alike. These mini cheesecakes are a marvelous mashup of both, which means less work for me. (During the holidays, I’ll take any shortcuts I can get. 😅) Plus, they’re a snap to put together, requiring just 20 minutes of active prep.

But perhaps the best part of all? Each one of these beauties costs less than 50 cents! These days, that kind of affordability is dang near a miracle. So, if you’re in the market for easy, crowd-pleasing holiday dessert recipes, make sure my mini pumpkin cheesecake recipe is at the top of your list. It’s guaranteed to be a smash hit!

Jump to:

• What do they taste like?
• Why You’ll Love This Easy Thanksgiving Dessert Recipe
• Ingredients Needed
• Substitutions
• How To Make Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes In A Muffin Tin
• Optional Variations & Dietary Adjustments
• Serving Suggestions
• Recipe Success Tips
• Storage Instructions
• Mini Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake Nutrition
• Pricing Info
• FAQs
• Other Pumpkin Recipes
• Recipe

What do they taste like?

These mini pumpkin cheesecakes taste like a cozy slice of fall. The brown sugar graham cracker crust is buttery, slightly sweet, and perfectly crisp—a lovely contrast to the silky pumpkin filling. The cheesecake itself is smooth and rich with a mellow pumpkin flavor bolstered by vanilla and warm pumpkin pie spice. 

The balance is spot-on: sweet but not too sweet, warmly spiced without being overpowering, and just tangy enough to tantalize your tastebuds. They’re comforting, creamy, and indulgent, like a pumpkin pie and a New York-style cheesecake had a litter of the yummiest, cutest babies!

Why You’ll Love This Easy Thanksgiving Dessert Recipe

• Beautiful & Budget-Friendly – At under 50 cents a serving, these show-stopping tiny cheesecakes are ideal for the holidays. After all, making the biggest feast of the year for a party of 10 or more is anything but cheap!
• Simple & Speedy – With just 20 minutes prep, no springform pan, and no fussy waterbath, these easy pumpkin cheesecakes are totally stress-free. Even newbie bakers can nail this foolproof recipe on the first try!
• Perfectly Petite – Whether you’re travelling to a potluck, hosting at home, or participating in a bake sale for the PTA, these pre-portioned muffin tin cheesecakes make life easy. There’s no messy slicing and they’re even wrapped in paper muffin liners, so you can serve them with nothing more than a napkin and a smile!

Ingredients Needed

• Graham Cracker Crumbs – Feel free to use pre-ground graham cracker crumbs, or save a bit of money and grind your own. Either honey or cinnamon grahams work!
• Brown Sugar – Brown sugar adds a caramelly sweetness to the graham cracker crust. You can use either light or dark brown sugar.
• Unsalted Butter – For a delightfully buttery crust, use real butter!
• Cream Cheese – Make sure you’re reaching for full-fat block-style cream cheese.
• Granulated Sugar – Plain white sugar is ideal for the pumpkin cheesecake filling, letting the pumpkin spice goodness shine.
• Pumpkin Purée – Despite being packaged in an annoyingly similar way, remember: pumpkin purée and pumpkin pie filling are not the same. Real pumpkin purée should be made with just one ingredient—pumpkin!
• Large Egg + Egg Yolk – Adding an extra yolk to the filling makes it extra rich and creamy. Note that while you should let your eggs come to room temperature before mixing the cheesecake batter, it’s easier to separate eggs when they’re cold from the fridge—the yolk is less likely to break.
• Pumpkin Pie Spice – My homemade pumpkin pie spice has the perfect balance of flavors, but feel free to swap in store-bought if you prefer.
• Vanilla Extract – Vanilla adds sweetness, aromatic warmth and depth. Make sure you use the real stuff, not artificial vanillin.

Substitutions

• Graham Cracker Crumbs – You’re welcome to make any kind of cookie crust you like. Biscoff cookies, gingersnaps, or vanilla wafers are all great options.
• Brown Sugar – For a less processed alternative, use muscovado or coconut sugar. You can also make your own brown sugar by mixing white sugar with molasses in a 1 cup to 1-2 tablespoon ratio.
• Unsalted Butter – If you only have salted butter (or prefer a salty-sweet balance), feel free to swap it in.
• Cream Cheese – You can use slightly lighter Neufchatel cheese if you’d like to cut the calories and fat a bit—just don’t go for fat-free or low-fat cream cheese. Mascarpone cheese isn’t any lighter for your waistline, but it has a milder, less-tangy flavor.
• Granulated Sugar – Pure cane sugar is a less-processed alternative. You can also use an equal amount of superfine/caster sugar.
• Pumpkin Purée – Canned butternut squash purée works just as well. Nobody will be able to tell the difference!
• Whole Egg + Egg Yolk – I haven’t tried it, but I think you should be able to swap in your favorite vegan liquid eggs (e.g. JUST Eggs). In total, you’ll need about 5 tablespoons.
• Pumpkin Pie Spice – You’re welcome to mix and match different warming spices like cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and allspice to create your own signature pumpkin spice blend.
• Vanilla Extract – Vanilla paste or vanilla powder are 1:1 substitutions.

How To Make Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes In A Muffin Tin

Step 1: Prep. Preheat your oven and line a muffin tin with paper liners. In a small bowl, stir together all of the crust ingredients until well combined.

Step 2: Bake Crusts. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the crust mixture into each muffin liner. Use the back of a spoon or a small flat-bottomed cup to firmly press the crust down. Parbake for 7-8 minutes, then remove and let cool while you prepare the filling.

Step 3: Whisk. In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese and granulated sugar together until smooth and creamy.

Step 4: Mix Cheesecake Filling. Add the pumpkin purée, egg, egg yolk, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla extract. Mix just until everything is fully combined and silky.

Step 5: Divide the batter evenly among the cooled crusts, adding about 3 tablespoons to each cup.

Step 6: Bake for 20 minutes, or until the centers are set and no longer jiggly. Let the cheesecakes cool at room temperature for 30 minutes, then cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before removing them from the pan.

Step 7: Garnish & Serve. Top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice just before serving. Enjoy!

Optional Variations & Dietary Adjustments

• Dairy-Free – Swap in your favorite vegan butter and plant-based cream cheese. (Remember that the cream cheese needs to be block-style!) Double-check that your graham crackers are dairy-free.
• Egg-Free – Use plant-based liquid “eggs” to help set the cheesecake filling.
• Vegan – Follow the instructions above for making the pumpkin cheesecake both dairy-free and egg-free.
• Gluten-Free – Use your favorite gluten-free graham crackers or crunchy cookies to make the crust.
• Reduced-Sugar – Since most graham crackers are made with some kind of sugar and pumpkin and dairy both have naturally occurring sugars, you can’t make completely sugar-free cheesecakes. That said, you can cut back. Swap in your favorite cup-for-cup brown sugar and granulated sugar alternatives (e.g. monkfruit) for some or all of the sugar in the recipe.

Serving Suggestions

These mini pumpkin cheesecakes are perfect for fall gatherings, holiday dessert tables, or whenever you want a sweet and spicy treat that feels special. I like to serve them chilled (the texture is extra dreamy that way!) and garnished with whipped cream and a light dusting of pumpkin pie spice for visual appeal.

Because they’re individually portioned, they also make a great dessert-for-a-crowd option. Arrange them on a pretty cake stand or holiday platter, with cinnamon sticks and a few scattered cranberries or mini pumpkins for instant autumnal vibes. Cozy, cute, and always a hit!

For a fun twist, add a topping bar: offer salted caramel sauce, candied pecans, or crushed gingersnaps so guests can customize their cheesecake to their mood. And I feel like dessert is always tastier with a warm drink, so try serving them alongside your favorite Starbucks fall drinks like a homemade pumpkin spice latte, a pecan oatmilk cortado, or a dirty chai latte.

Recipe Success Tips

• Use room temperature ingredients. Softened cream cheese and room-temp eggs blend more smoothly, giving you that silky, lump-free cheesecake texture. That said, eggs are easier to separate when they’re cold since the yolks are less likely to break, so do that at the start of your prep.
• Don’t toss your egg white! Add it to your scrambled eggs for extra protein or use it to make fun desserts like homemade marshmallows or meringues. Note that they freeze beautifully if needed.
• Don’t overmix the filling. Whisk just until everything is combined. Overmixing can incorporate too much air, causing cracks.
• Press the crust firmly. A tightly packed crust ensures it holds together when you remove the cheesecakes from the liners.
• Parbake the crust. This step helps the crust stay crisp instead of getting soggy under the creamy filling.
• Bake just until set. The centers should be slightly puffed and no longer jiggly. Overbaking can make them dry.
• Cool gradually. Letting them cool at room temperature before chilling helps prevent cracking and keeps the texture luxuriously smooth
• Chill fully before serving. At least 2 hours in the fridge allows the cheesecake to firm up for clean edges when you peel off the wrappers.

Storage Instructions

• Refrigeration. Store the fully cooled mini pumpkin cheesecakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Keep them in the liners until ready to serve for the prettiest results.
• Freezing. These freeze beautifully. Place the cooled cheesecakes (without whipped cream) on a baking sheet and freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 3 months.
• Thawing. Let frozen cheesecakes thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then add whipped cream just before serving.

Mini Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake Nutrition

Each mini pumpkin cheesecake is about 187 calories, making it a lighter dessert option that still delivers the joy of dessert without going overboard. With 3 grams of protein and 12 grams of fat, each bite tastes as rich, indulgent, and satisfying as a slice of traditional cheesecake but in a smaller package.

The 18 grams of carbohydrates mostly come from the graham cracker crust, pumpkin, and added sugar, offering just enough sweetness and structure without being cloying. While the fiber content is modest at just 1 gram, pumpkin does contribute some vitamins and antioxidants like beta-carotene.

At 114 mg of sodium, these mini cheesecakes are also lower in salt than most store-bought or bakery versions. Overall, this dessert strikes a comfortable balance: it’s creamy, flavorful, and festive, while still being portion-controlled and mindful. They’re the ideal sweet treat for fitting into a balanced lifestyle!

Total nutritional content per serving is:

• Calories: 187 calories
• Carbohydrates: 18 grams
• Protein: 3 grams
• Total Fat: 12 grams
• Sodium: 114 mg
• Fiber: 1 gram

*This nutritional information is an estimate and calculated based on the ingredients used to create the recipe. The nutritional value of your ingredients may differ slightly. Furthermore, this food is not intended to prevent, diagnose, cure, or treat any disease.

Pricing Info

This is what I personally paid to make this recipe:

• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs: $0.94
• 2 tbsp brown sugar: $0.06
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter: $0.53
• 8 oz cream cheese: $1.96
• ½ cup granulated sugar: $0.07
• 1 cup pumpkin puree: $0.95
• 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk: $0.90
• 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice: $0.14
• 1 tsp vanilla extract: $0.04

The total comes out to be around $5.59 or roughly $0.47 per cheesecake!

FAQs

Other Pumpkin Recipes

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Recipe

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xoxo Megan