Desserts ·
Is it silly that I’m posting about Thanksgiving already? I mean, it’s one of the biggest food holidays of the year. And if you’re hosting your first Thanksgiving dinner like me, you’re probably already planning out what to cook. No? Still too soon? Okay maybe I’m a little crazy for already having my entire plan written out already…but I’m okay with that. These mini ramekin pumpkin cheesecakes are on the list.
I have no idea how many people you plan on hosting for your Thanksgiving dinner, but I’m going to assume that in COVID times your Thanksgiving is going to be a lot smaller than usual. Whether you’re hosting for two, four, even six or eight, it’s likely still a smaller crowd than what you’re used to. So mini desserts are a great thing to serve your guests. Because if we can eliminate the number of leftovers and food waste…well, wouldn’t that be ideal?
This mini ramekin pumpkin cheesecake recipe serves four people. So if you plan on serving more, you can double it and make eight. The reason I chose four is because most ramekin sets come in sets of four. So I figured a recipe for four mini pumpkin cheesecakes would be ideal. If you don’t have a ramekin set, you can snag a set right here.
Now, can we talk toppings? Is it weird that I like to pair pumpkin with raspberries? I often enjoy my pumpkin pancakes with raspberries on top, so is it so strange that I like raspberries on my pumpkin cheesecake? My husband thinks it’s super strange…but I really like the combination. What do you think?
Tricks for the perfect mini cheesecakes
First, the cream cheese needs to be at room temperature. A cold cream cheese will get kind of chunky on you and create these weird flecks of cream cheese in your mixture. So make sure to take that block of cream cheese out at least an hour before you mix up the pumpkin cheesecake mixture.
Next, the cheesecake will be slightly jiggly when you take it out. Some people (*cough* me making my first cheesecake) get skeptical when taking cheesecake out that’s still slightly jiggly. Trust me, if you overbake it, that cheesecake will crack on the top and it won’t have that texture you love. The last thing you want is to have an odd-looking, overcooked cheesecake.
Lastly, let it completely cool. You don’t want to place it right in the fridge after it’s so warm, it could still crack. Let it cool on the counter before placing in the fridge. I know this requires a lot of patience before devouring, but you don’t want to ruin the process. I promise, the wait will be worth it!
Here’s the recipe, and if you’re in the market for a Thanksgiving appetizer as well as this dessert, this roasted butternut squash soup will be a crowd-pleaser. Or keep it simple with a large cheese board.
Print Recipe
4.67 from 3 votes
Mini Ramekin Pumpkin Cheesecakes
These mini pumpkin cheesecakes are the perfect recipe if you're hosting a small crowd for Thanksgiving dinner!
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time25 mins
Total Time40 mins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cheesecake, dessert, pumpkin, thanksgiving
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 407kcal
Equipment
6 oz. Ramekins – Set of 4
Ingredients
For the Graham Cracker Crust
- 2 Tbsp butter melted
- 1 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1/3 cup crushed graham cracker crumbs about 2 crackers
For the Pumpkin Cheesecake
- 1 8 oz. block of cream cheese at room temperature
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 3 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp pumpkin spice seasoning
- 1 Tbsp sour cream
- 2/3 cup pumpkin purée
- 1 egg
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
If you need to crush the graham crackers: Place the graham crackers in a large plastic bag. Press all the air out and seal. Crush the crackers with a rolling pin or a wine bottle.
Melt the 2 tablespoons of butter in a small bowl.
Add in the brown sugar and 1/3 cup of the graham cracker crumbs. Mix to combine.
Grease the four ramekins with extra butter.
Evenly distribute the graham cracker mixture into the ramekins and press down to make a firm crust on the bottom of each.
Place on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 5 minutes. Let the crust cool slightly.
While the crust is cooling, beat the cream cheese (at room temperature) in a large stand mixer (or with a hand mixer) until the cream cheese is light and fluffy—about 3 minutes.
Add in the sugar, brown sugar, and pumpkin pie spice. Beat to combine, about 1 minute.
Beat in the sour cream and pumpkin purée next—about 1 minute.
Add the egg and beat on low until the egg is incporated—about 30 seconds.
Pour the mixture evenly into the four ramekins with the crusts—still on the baking sheet.
Place the baking sheet with the ramekins back in the oven for 20 minutes.
Let the cheesecake cool completely, then refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.
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