For your next festive fall occasion, everyone will love this tasty twist on traditional cheesecake. These creamy pumpkin cheesecakes with spiced gingersnap cookie crusts are to die for!
If my posts lately are any indication, my oven’s been churning out a lot of baked goodies recently. Thanks to my low carb livin’, avoidance and self control is easier said than done! But, my friends who love sampling my sweet treats (and taking them off my hands) are more than happy to oblige. After all, once one gooey apple pie, batch of cookies, or creamy cheesecake is out of the oven, another one’s not far behind!
Maybe “The Comfort of Baking” would be more fitting?
Using my favorite pumpkin-perfect spices from McCormick – ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg – these little cheesecakes pack major fall flavor! It’s impossible to stop at one, and after sampling one myself, I definitely didn’t!
The gingersnap-pecan crust is buttery and slightly salty, which compliments the soft, sweet spiced pumpkin cheesecake so nicely. Topped with a swirl of whipped cream, each one is a little bite of heaven! Perfect for parties, festive fall celebrating, and any occasion that calls for something delicious and a little different. I guarantee everyone will love this fun, addictive twist on a traditional cheesecake!
Looking ahead to Thanksgiving, I’m definitely getting inspired and excited to try new flavor combinations and bust out some well-loved, longtime favorite recipes for family! But, fall spices like cinnamon, sage and ginger don’t have to be reserved just for special occasions. Sprinkle a little pumpkin pie spice in your coffee or some sage into your usual mashed potatoes, or maybe mix cream cheese with cinnamon and nutmeg for a scrumptious bagel spread! Check out all the delicious ways McCormick has incorporated pumpkin spice into breakfast, beverages, desserts, and even dips!
I know you’ll love these pumpkin cheesecakes just as much as my friends and I did. They’re easy to make and so darn cute for Thanksgiving, or even just a casual girls’ night in between the holiday craze. I hope you let me know how they turn out if you try ‘em!
Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes with Gingersnap Crusts
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 8 gingersnap cookies
- 1 graham cracker rectangle
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans
- 1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons melted butter
For the cheesecakes:
- 1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons heavy cream
- 1/4 teaspoon McCormick Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1/4 teaspoon McCormick Ground Cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon McCormick Ground Nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon McCormick Ground Ginger
For whipped cream topping:
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 Tablespoon powdered sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Arrange oven rack in the lower third of your oven. Lightly grease a 12-cup mini cheesecake pan or mini muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- In the bowl of a food processor, grind all ingredients for crust (except for melted butter) until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add melted butter and process until crumbs resemble wet sand. Press mixture by the tablespoon (1/2 Tbsp. if using a mini muffin pan) into each cheesecake/muffin pan cup*. Bake for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare cheesecake. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and pumpkin puree with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Mix in egg, heavy cream, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger until just combined. Evenly pour filling over each crust. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and cool in pan for 20 minutes. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before removing cheesecakes from pan.
- Remove cheesecakes from pan by gently running a blunt knife around the edges of each cheesecake and popping out.
- Before serving, prepare whipped cream. Beat heavy cream, sugar and vanilla in a medium bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed, until stiff peaks form. Refrigerate until ready to dollop on top of cheesecakes. I used a Wilton 1M tip to pipe on my whipped cream.
- To store, refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days.
- Enjoy!
These sound and look delicious! Fall is my favourite time of year to bake and I’m sure these will go down a treat in my house :)
I’m going to restrain myself and not make these until Thanksgiving. Then I’ll have to restrain myself again and not eat the whole batch. These are great Georgia, thanks so much!
So cute! I love that crust especially :)
These are so cute Georgia! Just love them. And great idea to use a gingersnap crust. Pretty sure I could down a few of these in one sitting :)
Honestly Georgia, these would be extremely dangerous for me to have on hand in my house. I just know it would take every ounce of self-restraint I had to stay out of these. They are beautiful. And what a perfect dessert for turkey day!
Beautiful! Loving these little cheesecakes, Georgia!
Whether you’re baking or cooking, I love what comes out of your kitchen, Georgia. These mini cheesecakes look so creamy an delicious, and I’m a huge lover of the pumpkin-gingersnap combination! I need a mini cheesecake pan — these are just adorable!
These look heavenly Georgia! And I love both when you bake and cook :)
These are gorgeous! I really need to invest in a mini cheesecake pan!
These mini cheesecakes look heavenly!
These little guys are so flippin’ cute!! Love!
Wow these are perfect. There is nothing better than little mini cheesecakes. I will be sharing this one very soon :-) I wish I was near by to taste a few!!
I wouldn’t be able to control myself when it comes to these cheesecakes. Oh, darn, they don’t only look delicious, but are also super adorable. I want them all, please!
Sweet! Love these mini pumpkin cheesecakes, Georgia! I hear ya on the low carb thing…so difficult this time of year. Beautiful photography, as always. Thanks for sharing, girl. Will be pinning tonight!
I was sold at the gingersnap pecan crust. :) I love mini food!
And I’m not complaining about all of the baked goodies you have been posting. :) You’ve got yourself a BIG fan right here!
LOVE these! Just made a pumpkin cheesecake this past weekend and I love the idea of making them minis!
I love little adorable desserts too. Like you, I try to give away my baked goods to willing friends immediately, but I do save a piece or two for myself :)
I love mini cheesecakes! There’s something about them that I love so much more than a big one! I love the fall spin you gave these – with the pumpkin and all those great spices! Happy Monday Georgia!
these are so cute!!! i love the gingersnap crust idea. :)
Mini food is the best and so is that gingersnap crust!! GENIUS!!
These are so cute, Georgia!
Eeeeep! Not only are these adorable, but they look SO perfect for Thanksgiving as an alternative to your standard pumpkin pie. I can only imagine how heavenly that spicy gingersnap cookie crust is with the luscious, smooth pumpkin filling!!
Oh Georgia – these look absolutely perfect! And that crust – GENIUS!
I have half a package of these in the pantry – I’m making this!
Georgia, stunning! Love these so much.
I have been craving ginger everything!! these are right up my alley
this could not be cuter if you tried! Seriously hands down for the creativity and the beauty of it
I love mini cheesecakes! These look like the perfect addition to the Thanksgiving dessert table!
What a pretty little dessert this would make for the holidays. Love the idea.
I can never resist mini desserts, these are too cute!
I am SO Pinning this one. These are just perfect little bites of heaven. Love tiny desserts!
These cheesecakes are adorable Georgi! I love that they’re small yet very decadent! Your photos are amazing and very enticing!
I would skip the thanksgiving meal and just have these little pumpkin cheesecakes instead.
SO CUTE!!!
they look yummy and cute!
Perfect little bite of sweetness!! Love these. :)
Could this be made in to a cake,8×8 or 9×13?
You could always try it in an 8×8 pan! Just keep an eye on the cheesecake as it bakes and increase the time if necessary.
Your friends are so lucky! I’m sure they are waiting in line when you start baking! ;) These mini pumpkin cheesecakes sound and look so good! As always I enjoy seeing everything you make!
Can you see mini cupcake papers instead of greasing the tin?
made these tonight and can’t wait to try them! a couple notes:
– a tablespoon is WAY too much crust – this filled the cavities about 2/3 full before any batter was even added. 1-1.25 tsp is about right.
– 10 minutes is too long to bake the crusts. even 7 (what I did for the second batch) seemed a little burnt. 5 is probably sufficient.
You can, but I’d recommend greasing the tin and serving in mini cupcake liners instead.
Did you use a mini muffin tin? If so, yes, a tablespoon is probably too much for the crust. I’ve clarified that in the recipe. If using less than a tablespoon, then baking time will be affected, but 10 minutes is just right for the full tablespoon.
Did you grease your muffin tin before adding the gingersnap and cheesecake mixtures? I used a mini cheesecake pan, so yes, mine came out easily,.
Yes. The first time I used nonstick spray and the second time I greased it with butter to see if that would make a difference. It must’ve been the crust consistency I guess. They tasted delicious but were not presentable for Thanksgiving, so my husband and I are eating them!
Hmm, the only thing I can think of then is that your crumbs might have had too “coarse” of a consistency. Glad they still tasted great!
These were awesome and a hit on Thanksgiving. I also may bake my next batch of crust for only 7 minutes and I used a regular cupcake pan size, just filled them up with the cream cheese mixture. Thanks!
I can hardly wait to try these. When I make my lemony mini chess cakes, I used an empty water bottle with the lid ON. Washed clean, of course, It presses the crumb/crust mixture down perfectly in the mini miffin pan, easy peasy.
Excited to make these… What do you mean by a rectangle of graham cracker– 1 full graham cracker ? (Or 1/4 of the graham cracker which looks like a rectangle too?) thanks!! :-)
One full graham cracker. Sorry for the confusion!
How many calories do you think 1 one of these adorable cheesecakes are?
Georgia I have a few questions
I have pumpkin pie mix instead do you think I could use that and just leave out the spices you call for?
Also I have Graham cracker crumbs so would you say one square equals 1/4 cup?
And if I’m using a regular muffin pan I just follow temp and time the same?
Pumpkin pie mix also affects the sugar content, so I’d stick with pumpkin puree. One graham cracker square (finely ground) would be a little less than 1/4 cup. And for baking time in a regular muffin pan, I’ve only ever made these mini so I’m not sure, but start with the times listed and increase if necessary. Just keep an eye on them.
I just wanted to comment that the cream cheese should be beaten first until fluffy, before the pumpkin puree and sugar are added. Otherwise, the mixture will have lumps of cream cheese in it. I was able to get them out, but had to beat the mixture about 4 min. on high to get it that way. Much easier to beat the cream cheese first. These taste great, though!
The addition of sugar and pumpkin puree do not affect how smooth your cream cheese becomes when beaten. The smoothness depends on the softness of your cream cheese. Glad you enjoyed, though!
i’ve made these before, they are amazing!! any input into how to convert this to a full-size cheesecake recipe? I’m hesitant to just double the ingredients…but maybe that’s the solution?