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Mini Carrot Cake Cheesecakes made in a muffin pan are easy to make and are the perfect Easter cheesecake to serve for a crowd!
These carrot cake cheesecake cupcakes have a graham cracker crust and a creamy carrot and spice cheesecake filling. 30 minutes total to prep and bake, then chill in the fridge until serving.
A few years ago I was on the hunt for a mini cheesecake pan. I thought I HAD to have one. I looked at Meijer, Target and Bed, Bath & Beyond with no luck so I decided to order one from Amazon.
I was so excited when it came!
I’ve only used it twice. In 3 years. Mini cheesecakes made in a muffin pan are so much more practical and easy!
These mini carrot cheesecakes are everything you love about carrot cake but in luscious cheesecake form – because if you could pick between cake and cheesecake, I know which one I would pick!
Tools to Make Mini Cheesecakes in a Cupcake Pan
- standard size muffin pan
- paper muffin / cupcake liners
Making individual cheesecakes in a muffin pan is a great way to scale down a regular cheesecake recipe. Mini cheesecakes don’t require a water bath or any special tools, plus they bake faster than regular cheesecake.
Easy Carrot Cake Cheesecake Ingredients
Our recipe for carrot cake cheesecake factory style cheesecakes only call for 9 ingredients!
- cream cheese: use two 8 oz packages. Be sure to use full fat, not low fat, cream cheese for best results.
- sugar: helps to balance the tanginess of the cream cheese.
- vanilla extract: just a teaspoon, but it enhances the classic cheesecake flavor.
- cinnamon, nutmeg and ground ginger: these spices add that quintessential carrot cake flavor.
- carrots: a crucial ingredient for carrot cake cheesecakes!
- eggs: eggs are the last ingredient that get mixed into the cheesecake batter. Be sure to mix them in, one at a time, just until the yolk breaks. Over beating the eggs is the number one cause of air bubbles and cracking.
How to Make Mini Cheesecakes in a Muffin Pan
- Line the muffin pan with paper liners.
- Place about 2 tbsp of the crust in the bottom of each liner. Use the bottom of a measuring cup to pack the crust down.
- Pre-bake the crust for 5 minutes.
- Mix the cheesecake batter ingredients together.
- Divide the cheesecake batter evenly among the muffin liners.
- Bake until the center of the cheesecake only slightly jiggles when you shake the muffin pan.
Total Time Required
- 5 minutes to prep the crust
- 5 minutes to pre-bake the crust
- 5 minutes to prep the cheesecake
- 20 ish minutes to bake cheesecake
- at least 4 hours to refrigerate the cheesecake before serving. I prefer to refrigerate mine overnight. Waiting is the hardest part, right?!
How to Tell When Mini Cheesecakes are Done Baking
The best way to tell when the mini cheesecakes are done is the jiggle test. The center of the cheesecake should jiggle slightly when you shake the pan and the edges of the cheesecake will be slightly more puffy or airy.
How to Cool Mini Cheesecakes
Once the cheesecakes are done baking, remove the pan from the oven and place it on the counter until the cheesecakes have cooled to room temperature. Then loosely cover the muffin pan with plastic wrap and place in the fridge overnight to chill.
Why Did my Mini Cheesecakes Sink?
Over beating the eggs is the number one cause of air bubbles in cheesecake. Air bubbles cause the cheesecakes to sink in the middle as they cool. Be sure to mix the eggs in, one at a time, just until the yolk breaks. Once all the eggs have been added to the cheesecake batter, beat for only 30-60 seconds, until the eggs are fully incorporated.
Tips for Making Carrot Cake Cheesecakes
- Allow the cream cheese to come to room temperature before beating it. Room temperature cream cheese is easier to whip.
- The eggs are the last ingredient that get mixed into the cheesecake batter. Be sure to mix them in, one at a time, just until the yolk breaks. Over beating the eggs is the number one cause of air bubbles and cracking.
- Thoroughly chill the individual easter cheesecakes in the fridge before serving.
How to Top Mini Cheesecakes
You can top these carrot cake cheesecakes with a swirl of whipped cream then draw a carrot on top of the whipped cream with orange and green frosting!
How to Freeze Mini Cheesecakes
- Cool the cheesecakes completely before freezing.
- Place the mini cheesecakes, without any garnishes, on a baking sheet, uncovered, and place in the freezer until frozen.
- Once frozen, wrap each cheesecake in aluminum foil and place them inside a ziplock bag in the freezer. They can be frozen for 4 months. To thaw, place them in the refrigerator overnight. Before serving add your desired toppings.
More Easter Desserts
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Mini Carrot Cheesecakes
Ingredients
Crust
- 10 graham crackers, 1 & 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
Cheesecake
- 2 packages full fat cream cheese, 8 oz each, room temperature
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup finely shredded carrots
- 2 large eggs
Optional garnish
- whipped cream
- orange and green frosting for carrot
Instructions
Crust
- Preheat the oven to 350º F.
- Line a regular sized muffin pan with 12 muffin liners.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs and melted butter until it resembles coarse sand.
- Put 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp of graham cracker crumbs in each muffin cup.
- Use a 1/3 cup (or similar) to press the crumbs down firmly into the pan.
- Bake the crust for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and allow it to cool while prepping the cheesecake.
Cheesecake
- In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar with an electric mixer until smooth, 2 minutes.
- Beat in the vanilla extract, spices and shredded carrots.
- Beat in the eggs, one at a time.
- Place a little more than 2 tbsp of cheesecake batter in each muffin cup.
- Bake for 18-21 minutes or until the center of the cheesecake is only slightly jiggly.
- Allow the cheesecakes to cool to room temperature then place them in the fridge for at least 4 hours to chill before serving. If refrigerating overnight, loosely cover the cheesecakes in plastic wrap.
- To garnish: Place whipped cream in a piping bag fit with a wilton 1M piping tip, pipe whipped cream swirls on each of each cheesecake. Use a small amount of frosting (colored with orange and green food coloring) to draw mini carrots on top of the whipped cream.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclosure
All nutritional values are approximate and provided to the reader as a courtesy. Changing ingredients and/or quantities will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.
I think I am going to try and make these, they look awesome! And delicious!
Thanks Ginny!
Hi, if I use only 1 pack of 8oz cream cheese for this recipe, will it only yield to 6pcs cupcakes?
Hello. Can I freeze these? Without the toppings. Just the base? I made three dozen and it’s going to be way too many. 🤦♀️
Yes you can freeze them!
Cool the cheesecakes completely before freezing.Place the mini cheesecakes, without any garnishes, on a baking sheet, uncovered, and place in the freezer until frozen.Once frozen, wrap each cheesecake in aluminum foil and place them inside a ziplock bag in the freezer. They can be frozen for 4 months. To thaw, place them in the refrigerator overnight. Before serving add your desired toppings.
Would you please explain what Full Cat Cream Cheese is?? I can’t find it any where!!
LOL! Definitely suppose to be full fat cream cheese, fixing that now!
Hello, just wondering what kind of frosting you used to make the little carrots? Going to try and make these this year and love the little carrot on top!
It’s buttercream frosting that I dyed orange and green! Cut this recipe into 1/3: https://thefirstyearblog.com/vanilla-frosting/
Can you make this as a whole cake and not cupcakes
Hi Melissa! Follow this recipe for our plain cheesecake, but add in 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/2 tsp ground ginger, 1 cup finely grated carrots when adding in the vanilla extract. Then add in the eggs and follow the recipe as written.
https://thefirstyearblog.com/classic-cheesecake/
I want to make these for a wedding reception in the fall. we are making the cheesecakes in 4oz mini mason jars. can I just follow the recipe as is, or should i do a water bath for the jars? thanks for any advice!
I would recommend putting the jars in a water bath still!