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An aerial image of a Basque style mini pumpkin cheesecake on browned baking paper atop a steel backdrop

Mini pumpkin cheesecakes

Gluten free, nut free, lactose free option, low FODMAP option
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Course Dessert, Sweet
Cuisine American
Servings 2 X 11cm mini cheesecakes

Ingredients
  

  • 250 g cream cheese softened
  • 75-100 g caster sugar or brown sugar see notes
  • 5 g (2 teaspoons) cornstarch or glutinous rice flour
  • 3 g (1 teaspoon) pumpkin spice see notes
  • Pinch fine salt
  • 20 g full fat sour cream
  • 100 g pumpkin puree homemade or canned (see notes)
  • 1 extra large egg 50-60g weighed out of shell

Instructions
 

  • Make sure your cream cheese is truly soft before you start. I put mine in a sunny spot 1-2 hours before I start.
  • Preheat the oven to 250C/482F. If your oven doesn’t go that high, preheat it to the highest temperature your oven will go. You can bake the cheesecakes on the grill/broil setting or the oven setting.
  • Line two 11cm mini cake tins with overhanging baking paper as per the photos. Be generous with the baking paper so that it fully lines all sides of the tin – you can trim it after.
  • Place your soft cream cheese in the bowl of your stand mixer or in a mixing bowl. I personally think using hand beaters is quicker and easier with this small quantity of cream cheese, but use what you have. If you are using a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment.
  • Process the cream cheese on a low-medium speed until smooth. Scrape down the bowl and beaters or paddle regularly to ensure all the cream cheese lumps are gone.
  • Combine your sugar, starch or flour, pumpkin spice and salt. Turn off the mixers to add them to the bowl, then continue processing on low-medium.
  • Again, scrape down the bowl and beater regularly to ensure a smooth cheesecake mix. Once they have been incorporated, repeat the process with the pumpkin puree and sour cream. Process again and scrape down again until smooth.
  • Finally, add the egg. When I am using my stand mixer, I like to whisk the egg and add it in 3 batches. Otherwise it runs the risk of creating globs of cream cheese mixture which can turn into the lumps in the batter. If you are using a hand beater, this shouldn’t be an issue.
  • When you have a lovely smooth batter, pour it into your 11cm mini cake tins. Place them on a baking tray and bake for 15-17 minutes. The top should be light to medium golden brown and the centre wobbly but the sides baked.
  • Remove the tins from the baking tray and place them on a rack to cool. Once the cheesecakes are cool, you can transfer them to an airtight container in the fridge (in the cake tins or out of the cake tins).
  • Once thoroughly chilled, they are ready to enjoy!
  • Leftovers keep well for 3-4 days. I find homemade pumpkin puree tends to have a shorter shelf life so I am erring on the side of caution with the 2-3 day timeframe. Leftover cheesecake can also be frozen and defrosted. Personally I don't think the texture is quite as good but it is an option.

Notes

  • See ingredient notes and substitution options in the body of the post.
  • See tips in the body of the post.
  • For best results, use Philadelphia cream cheese. I have not had success with generic brands but feel free to use one if there is a brand you know and trust.
  • When using homemade pumpkin puree from a sweet pumpkin, I preferred 75g sugar. When using Libby’s canned pumpkin (which is not sweet to me) I preferred 100g sugar.
  • When using canned pumpkin, I also preferred 1 ¼ teaspoons pumpkin spice. I use Sally's Baking Addiction pumpkin spice recipe. 
  • Salt rounds everything out and makes the cheesecake flavour more complex. I do not recommend omitting it, even though cream cheese contains salt.
  • For a lactose free and/or low FODMAP option, use lactose free Philadelphia. 
  • As of November 2026, Monash says that canned pumpkin puree is low FODMAP in serves of up to 105g. In larger serves, it contains moderate fructan.
  • I like to use homemade pumpkin puree made from Japanese or Kent pumpkin. As of November 2026, Japanese/Kent pumpkin is low FODMAP in serves of up to 162g. In larger serves, it contains moderate amounts of fructans. So, either way the pumpkin in this recipe constitutes a low FODMAP serve. You could eat both cheesecakes, in fact (if you use lactose free cream cheese). 
Keyword Mini cheesecake, Pumpkin Basque cheesecake, Small batch cheesecake, Small batch pumpkin cheesecake
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