Pumpkin Cheesecake Bites
Pumpkin Cheesecake Bites are the perfect fall treat, consisting of a graham cracker crust with a pumpkin cream cheese filling. These delicious mini cheesecakes are light and fluffy and are a nice replacement for pumpkin pie!
For other pumpkin desserts, try a Pumpkin Streusel Cake, Pumpkin Spice Sugar Cookies, or Chocolate Pumpkin Bread!
Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes
Pumpkin Season is one of my favorites. It’s that special time of year here in Texas when the weather starts cooling off and we’re finally able to enjoy the outdoors without sweating.
My very first pumpkin recipe was my Iced Pumpkin Cookies. Since then, I’ve made so many other delicious things including the best Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins and Pumpkin Oatmeal Muffins. I suggest making one of these sweet treats along with a Pumpkin Foam Cold Brew!
So how about these pumpkin cheesecakes? Well, they are delicious and you’re going to love the flavor of these mini desserts. See below for all of the reasons to love them!
Why We Love Pumpkin Cheesecakes Bites
- SIMPLE – While a whole cheesecake normally requires a water bath, these do not. They consist of simple ingredients and can be made fairly quickly (outside of the required chilling time).
- MAKE AHEAD – You can most definitely make these desserts a day ahead of time. Keep them chilled in the refrigerator and add the whipped cream when you are ready to serve them. BTW, they are good with or without the topping!
- FULL OF FLAVOR – These are packed with pumpkin and warm fall spices. The combination of textures is incredible – a crunchy graham cracker crust with a sweet creamy filling.
Freaky Friday Blog Hop
Why is today so special you ask? Well, that is because today is Freaky Friday, hosted by Michaela at An Affair from the Heart! No, not the movie where the mom and daughter switch places, but a good old fashioned blog hop with some of my favorite food blogger friends!
We secretly get assigned a blogger from our group, and then we all reveal who we had and what we made on the same Friday, and that is today! See below for ALL the fun Freaky Friday recipes created by my blog hop pals!
Kathryn’s Kitchen Blog
Kathryn is from Monterey, California and is married with a one-year old little girl. She focuses on simple recipes with a healthy twist and believes in creating recipes that anyone can make.
I’ve enjoyed browsing Kathryn’s website and have my eye on a few recipes to try next – specifically her Taco Stuffed Zucchini Boats, Spicy Honey Garlic Shrimp, and her Gingerbread Cookie Bars! I chose her Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes to try because ummmm PUMPKIN! We enjoyed these SO much and I gave them to neighbors and family – who also loved them.
Ingredient Notes:
- Graham Crackers – You’ll just need one sleeve of graham crackers for the crust.
- Cream Cheese – Use full fat cream cheese for best results.
- Sugars – A combo of light brown sugar and granulated sugar adds sweetness.
- Eggs – You’ll ned two large eggs.
- Pumpkin – Make sure you use pumpkin puree instead of pumpkin pie filling.
How to make Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes:
Step 1
Prep. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Add muffin liners to the pan.
Step 2
Make the crust. Add the graham crackers to a food processor. Pulse until the crackers are crumb-like. Add to a small bowl and add the sugar and melted butter. Mix well with a spoon.
Step 3
Add crust to liners. Divide the graham cracker mixture to 18 muffin liners. Use a small jar to press the crust down firmly into the liners.
NOTE: If you don’t have enough muffin pans (for 18 cheesecakes), just add the ingredients to the liners. Bake one batch, remove to a wire rack, and then gently add the remaining liners (with layers) to the muffin pan, and bake again. You’ll be removing the liners so need to worry that they look crisp.
Step 4
Make filling. In a medium bowl, add the cream cheese, brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla extract. Use a hand mixer (you can use a large standing mixer as well) to cream the ingredients together until smooth. Then add the pumpkin puree and use a spatula to full combine.
Step 5
Add filling to crust. Spoon the filling into the liners over the graham cracker crust.
Step 6
Bake cheesecakes. Bake cheesecakes for 15-18 minutes or until cheesecakes are set. They shouldn’t be jiggly when you shake the pan.
Step 7
Let cool. Transfer cheesecake bites to a wire rack to fully cool. Remove liners.
Step 8
Chill. Chill pumpkin cheesecake bites for at least three hours before serving.
Step 9
Serve. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
To make homemade whipped cream, combine about a cup of heavy cream, a couple of teaspoons of powdered sugar, and a dash of vanilla extract – and then use a hand mixer to whip ingredients. When the mixture becomes creamy and a little bit thick, it’s ready to go. Be careful to avoid over-mixing or you will have butter instead of a soft and creamy topping!
Storing and Freezing
- STORE the leftover cheesecakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
- To FREEZE these mini cheesecake bites, place them in an airtight container and freeze up to three months. You may want to place on a baking sheet and quick freeze, then stack and freeze.
Recipe Tips:
- Use pumpkin puree in the recipe instead of pumpkin pie filling. These are two different items.
- Be careful to avoid over-mixing the filling for best results.
- Allow the cheesecakes to fully cool before refrigerating.
- These can be made one day ahead of your event and stored in the refrigerator.
- Add a dollop of whipped cream to the tops of these for serving. I also recommend adding Pumpkin Ice Cream or Homemade Vanilla Bean Ice Cream to serve. So good!
Kitchen Tools Used: (affiliate links)
xoxo ~Sue
Pumpkin Cheesecake Bites
Ingredients
For the graham cracker crust:
- 1 sleeve graham crackers
- 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter – melted
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
For the cheesecake filling:
- 16 oz. cream cheese – softened
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs – at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- whipped cream – to serve
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cupcake pan with parchment paper liners.
For the crust:
- In a food processor, add graham crackers and pulse until crackers are a crumb-like consistency. Transfer crumbs to a small bowl and add the melted butter and sugar.
- Divide the graham crackers evenly to 18 liners. Use a rounded jar to firmly press the crackers down to form the crust. Set aside.
For the filling.
- In a medium bowl, add the cream cheese, brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla extract. Use a hand mixer (you can use a large standing mixer as well) to cream the ingredients together until smooth.
- Then add the pumpkin puree and stir with a spatula until fully combined.
- Use a tablespoon to spoon the pumpkin mixture evenly on top of the graham cracker crusts.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes or until the middles are set and not jiggly.
- Transfer the cheesecakes to a wire rack. Remove the paper liners and refrigerate for three hours prior to eating.
- Add some whipped cream to the cheesecakes to serve.
Notes
- STORE the leftover cheesecakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
- To FREEZE these mini cheesecake bites, place them in an airtight container and freeze up to three months. You may want to place on a baking sheet and quick freeze, then stack and freeze.
Nutrition
See all of our 2022 Freaky Friday Fall Edition Recipes
Hosted by – An Affair from the Heart
- An Affair from the Heart – Pepperoni Pizza Bread
- Aunt Bee’s Recipes – Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup
- The Culinary Compass – Butternut Squash Soup with Coconut Milk
- Devour Dinner – Instant Pot Chicken and Wild Rice
- Family Around the Table – White Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Martini
- Feast + West – Bourbon Caramel Sauce
- Fresh April Flours – Butterfinger Poke Cake
- Home Cooked Harvest – Cinnamon Swirl Pancakes
- Hostess at Heart – The BEST Pumpkin Pie Recipe
- Kathryn’s Kitchen Blog – Soft Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Life Currents – French Onion Bruschetta
- Off the Eaten Path – Jalapeño Cream Cheese Dip
- The Speckled Palate – German Pancake
- Sue Bee Homemaker – Pumpkin Cheesecake Bites
- Take Two Tapas – Crockpot Pizza Dip
- The Wimpy Vegetarian – Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts
These were surprisingly easy to make and got lots of compliments from my friends! The cheesecake was very moist and creamy while also holding its shape quite well! And the pumpkin flavor was very tasty, especially with a quick homemade pumpkin spice blend. Definitely saving this one.
I’m thrilled to hear this, Beatrix!
Yay! I love easy – and these are soooo easy and tasty. I made these several times over the holiday season and they were a hit each time. They are just right for you to grab and go. Each little bite gives you a mild taste of pumpkin, not too sweet and not overpowering – just right!
Thanks Lisa!
Do I have to remove the liners? I want to bring these to a party and it seems more, sanitary and appealing to let people remove the liners themselves, but also unsure if leaving them on during the “chill” phase will make them stick and essentially destroy the cheesecake when people try to remove. Just curious why you instruct the liners be removed.
No, you don’t have to remove them. They just look better. 🙂
Can’t wait to try your recipe for a party tonight. I’m using already crushed graham cracker crumbs. Do you know how many cups is equal to a full sleeve of graham crackers? Thank you!
I think it’s about 1 1/4 cups.
These are wonderful! For some reason, though, they took much longer to cook than intended.
I’m guessing that your oven runs a little cool. Thanks for your feedback!
It’s the MINI muffin pan–correct? Also, can these be made a day or two ahead (maybe without the whipped cream)?
No, it’s regular sized muffin pans! And yes, you can make them a day or two ahead of time!
Can you do a mini muffin tin with a shorter baking time? I’m making a dessert for a group and would like to make something bite-sized. Thanks.
Yes, I’m sure you could try it in a mini muffin tin. Please stop back and let me know how it turns out for you!
If I use pumpkin pie filling will it affect it?
I recommend using pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
These are delicious! Love the bite size. The crust was perfect!! These are absolutely going on the desert table at Thanksgiving!
These really do make a simple holiday dessert. Enjoy!
These are so delicious, a new fall favorite!
Thanks Danielle!
Literally obsessed! These are so cute and delicious!
These turned out so perfectly! I can’t wait to make them again and again.
I love these little bite sized treats! This means we get to eat four or five at a time right?
So good!! I love making individual cheesecakes so much and these were a hit during our rainy weekend!
Oh yay! I’m so happy to hear this, Lynn!
I made this recipe tonight to take to work tomorrow and glad that I saved a few back. They’re so good and the people at work are going to flip!
I love hearing that, Julie!
These are great. Nice little desserts that have all the flavors of the season. Can I make them now and freeze them for Thanksgiving?
You can make them ahead and freeze. I recommend doing a quick freeze, wrapping them individually in Saran Wrap, and place in freezer bag to freeze.
Gosh, these bites are just PERFECTION! The combination of cheesecake with pumpkin and all those fall spices is my favorite. Will be baking these many times over this season!
Yay! Thanks for letting me know, Erin!
These are incredible and I enjoy eating more than one!
These are the most darling little cheesecake bites! I could pop about 5 of them and not think twice! 😉 Thank you for sharing another amazing recipe with us. This one is PERFECT for every fall event I have coming up!
Thanks Michaela!