Go Back
+ servings
salted caramel pumpkin cheesecake bites 2
Print

Salted Caramel Pumpkin Cheesecake Bites

Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 24 bites

Ingredients

Whipped Cream

  • 1 pint heavy whipping cream
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoon real maple syrup

Crust

  • 1 ½ c crushed ginger snap cookies approx. 25 - 30 cookies
  • 2 tablespoon unsalted butter melted

Cheesecake Filling

  • 8 oz cream cheese room temperature
  • 1 c light brown sugar firmly packed
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¾ c canned plain pumpkin *not pie mix
  • 1 tablespoon greek yogurt
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • ½ teaspoon ground cloves

Optional Garnish

Instructions

  • In a large glass bowl, blend 1 pint of heavy whipping cream and vanilla extract with a hand or immersion blender until it doubles in size and changes texture.
  • drizzle maple syrup into the bowl and continue blending until the mixture is light and fluffy.
  • Set aside or place in refrigerator until ready to use.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 24-cup mini muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
  • Put cookies in a large heavy-duty freezer bag and cover with a towel. Pound bag with a meat mallet or rolling pin until cookies are uniformly crushed into very small pieces. (This can also be done in a food processor). 
  • Transfer crushed cookies to a glass bowl and add melted butter. Stir with a fork until thoroughly combined.
  • Note: Add a little more melted butter to hold cookie crumb mixture together, if necessary. However, do not add too much or the butter will compete with the flavor of the gingersnap crust. 
  • 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.
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, brown sugar, and salt with a hand-held mixer. Add pumpkin puree and Greek yogurt to cream cheese mixture and continue beating until combined.
  • Open egg in a separate bowl before adding to the cream cheese mixture. Then blend in vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. Continue blending until all ingredients are thoroughly incorporated into the batter.
  • Evenly divide 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.
  • Place muffin tin on center rack of the oven and bake for 15 - 20 minutes, or until the tops are lightly browned and the pumpkin mixture has set.
  • Remove from oven and cool completely before removing mini-cheesecakes from the tin. 
  • Refrigerate for several hours or overnight before serving. 

Notes

To serve, top with whipped cream and salted-caramel crunch or your favorite caramel sauce.
If using homemade whipped cream, spoon it into a plastic sandwich bag and cut a small corner off one bottom side. Pipe onto individual mini-cheesecakes for greater control.