Decadent Mini Caramel Apple Cheesecakes are layers of deliciousness and proof that amazing things really do come in small packages!
Rich and comforting, Mini Caramel Apple Cheesecakes are full of the best dessert flavors! While they may be mini, each one has a layer of graham crackers, luscious cream cheese, sweet apple filling and a topping of delicious streusel with a caramel drizzle for one knock out dessert.
Love My Layers
Every layer of Mini Caramel Apple Cheesecake is just amazing. Seriously, I can’t pick my favorite part of this decadent cheesecake! It feels like these ingredients were made just for this dessert. I can’t be the only one who gets a little intimidated by making a cheesecake, right? Well, this recipe makes me feel like a cheesecake pro and I most certainly reward all of my hard work with a few of these mini cheesecakes! Mini Caramel Apple Cheesecake is the best part of fall, even in April, because no matter when you make them, they are bliss to eat.
Other Recipes to Serve with Mini Caramel Apple Cheesecakes
- Nothing keeps you in a baking mood better than a really good cocktail, so whip up a Caramel Appletini to keep the good times going!
- Sometimes dessert is so good you want to have it for breakfast and there’s no reason not to when you’re making Caramel Apple and Pecan Pancakes! It’s the best of both meals!
Ingredients
Crust: For the crust you will need graham crackers, butter, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Cheesecake Filling: You will need softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, sour cream and an egg.
Apple Filling: You will need two apples and brown sugar.
Streusel Topping: To make the topping you will need flour, unsalted butter, granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and a little salt.
Caramel Sauce: Pick up a jar or bottle of caramel sauce to drizzle over the cheesecakes.
Extra: You will need to line the muffin tin with cupcake liners, for easy removal of the cheesecakes.
How to Make Mini Caramel Apple Cheesecakes
STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F and line a muffin tin with cupcake liners. In a medium bowl, mix together the crushed graham crackers, melted butter, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg until well combined. Add some of the mix to each muffin cup and press down with the back of a spoon or a glass.
STEP TWO: For the streusel, combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in a medium bowl and whisk together. Cube the cold butter and add the cubes to the dry ingredients. Cut the butter and dry ingredients together with your fingertips or a fork until the butter is well mixed and everything looks like a crumble. Pop this in the fridge while you work on the next layer.
STEP THREE: Chop the apples and mix them with the brown sugar. Set them aside. Using a whisk or mixer, cream the cream cheese, sour cream, vanilla extract and powdered sugar until smooth, and then add the egg.
STEP FOUR: To assemble the cheesecakes, add 1.5 Tablespoons of the cream cheese mix on top of the graham cracker crusts in the muffin tin. Spoon an equal amount of the apples over each cheesecake, making sure to spread the sugary liquid too, then top each cheesecake with the streusel. Bake for 23-25 minutes.
STEP FIVE: When the cheesecakes are done, let them cool to room temperature before placing them in the refrigerator to chill for an hour. When you’re ready to serve, drizzle each cheesecake with the caramel sauce.
Tips for Success
- If you love more streusel, feel free to add oats and/or chopped nuts, like pecans! A heartier texture would be amazing with the cheesecake and caramel sauce. Also, cardamom goes really well with the other spices and would make a wonderful addition.
- The sugary syrup that develops from mixing the brown sugar with apples adds even more deliciousness from the caramelizing that happens during baking, so it’s well worth adding it!
- These cheesecakes will store well in an airtight container for four days, so you can make them ahead of time or enjoy them a few days after making them. These cheesecakes freeze well and can be frozen for up to 6 months and then thawed in the refrigerator. You can also double the recipe to make more and simply cook the cheesecakes in batches or use two muffin tins.
What can I use instead of graham crackers for the crust?
There are a lot of good substitutes you can use for these mini cheesecakes, such as ginger snaps, for a “spiced up” crust or vanilla wafers, for a sweeter option. You can also use cinnamon graham crackers for the extra punch of fall flavors, and don’t forget about gluten-free options! You can find GF graham crackers and wafers at most grocery stores or online, so there’s no reason to go without this super delicious cheesecake!
What variety of apples should I use?
Just about any type of apple will be tasty in this recipe, so go with whatever is available or seasonal. Apples like Granny Smith, Pink Lady, Honeycrisp, Jazz or Gala are all good apples to use. The main thing you want in your apple is that it is firm and crisp and not soft and mealy, which makes the apple just fall apart and turn to mush. Also, why not try a mix of apples? A red and a green would make for some great sweet-tart flavors!
Head over heels for everything cheesecake!
- Raspberry Cheesecake Bites
- Pecan Pie Cheesecake
- Strawberry Cheesecake
- Sopapilla Cheesecake
- Strawberry Cheesecake Bites
Ingredients
Crust
- 9 graham crackers finely crushed (1 envelope)
- 3 tablespoons butter melted
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Cheesecake Filling
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 1 large egg
Apple Filling
- 2 medium apples peeled cored & finely diced
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
Streusel Topping
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter diced into 1/2-inch cubes
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Caramel sauce for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F and line the cups of a muffin tin ith cupcake liners. Set aside.
- Whisk together the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a medium mixing bowl until crumbs are evenly moistened.
- Add around 1 1/2 tablespoons of graham cracker crumbs to each of the muffin cups. Press down on the crumbs with a spoon or use a glass to form the crusts. Set aside.
- To make the streusel: Whisk together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a mixing bowl. Add the cold butter and work it into the dry ingredients with your fingertips or a fork until it comes together to form little crumbles and the butter chunks are no longer visible. Refrigerate while you prepare the apples and filling.
- To make the apple layer: Combine the chopped apples with brown sugar in a bowl and put aside to macerate.
- To make the cheesecake filling: Beat together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and sour cream in a medium medium bowl with a whisk or hand mixer until smooth. Mix in the egg until incorporated. Set aside.
- To assemble the cheesecakes: Add 1 1/2 tablespoons of cheesecake filling to each muffin tin cup. Divide the apples evenly over the cheesecake layer (be sure to get some of the liquid from the apple bowl on each one too!) and then top with a heaping tablespoon of the streusel.
- Bake the cheesecakes for 23 to 25 minutes until the filling is almost set and the topping is turning golden brown.
- Let cheesecakes cool down at room temperature before transferring them to the fridge to chill for at least 1 hour. Use a spoon to drizzle some caramel sauce over the cheesecakes and enjoy!
Jamie says
Delish smell while cooking. The only down side I found was the streusel topping is too dry, and didn’t brown in the oven like I was expecting. I think next time, I’ll melt the butter and mix it in instead of crumbling it in. 🩷
Melanie says
The recipe is inaccurate, pretty annoying first time making it. Disregard how much it says to put in each muffin tin of graham crumbs, cheesecake, apples & topping. Determine even amounts yourself by eyeball. The cheesecake filling is not enough for 12. I doubled only the cheesecake filling & made 19 with a little over 2 tablespoons of the cheesecakes mix. Wicked good, didn’t try caramel sauce or add pre made caramel. Would be awesome if you would edit your recipe. For some reason the comments are turned off on Pinterest so I can’t warn anyone in the comments section.
Danielle says
These are awesome and delicious. I’ve made them several times and followed the recipe exactly each time. I’ve noticed a couple of things that happened each time. First, there wasn’t enough to make a full batch. I even doubled the recipe. There is plenty of crust, streusel, and apples, but not enough cheesecake filling. Also, the paper always sticks to the crust. I’ve made other cheesecake recipes using the same wrappers and it hasn’t been an issue, so I’m not sure what may be causing this.