These Caramel Apple Mini Cheesecakes feature an apple pie filling that's placed over the top of the creamy cheesecake layer, a buttery graham cracker crust, and salted caramel drizzle over the top. They'd be perfect for any fall day!
These mini apple cheesecakes are a delicious treat that reminds you of your favorite caramel apples. The homemade caramel sauce ties the whole dessert together, making each bite irrisistable!
The cheesecakes themselves are super smooth and creamy and are baked in a muffin tin. So no water bath or springform pan are needed. You'll defiitely love these individual cheesecakes!
Looking for more apple desserts? Then check out these: easy apple crisp, apple struesel muffins, and apple cider cupcakes.
Why You'll Love These Cheesecakes
- They're made in a muffin pan.
- The apple mixture tastes like apple pie.
- Each cheesecake has a caramel topping drizzled over the top.
- The graham cracker crust is both buttery and salty.
- They'd be perfect at Thanksgiving dinner and Christmas!
I recently developed the easiest salted caramel sauce and knew I needed to make some mini cheesecakes with it. This recipe screams fall and I'm so excited for you to try it!
Expert Baking Tips
- Muffin Pan: This recipe can easily be made in a 12-count muffin pan. I recommend lining your pan with cupcake liners, but if you don’t have any, use non-stick spray to generously grease the muffin cups.
- Cream Cheese: Always use the block-style cream cheese when making any cheesecake.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Remove the cream cheese, yogurt, and eggs from the refrigerator 1 hour before you want to start baking.
Ingredients Needed
Here are some notes on the ingredients we'll be using. For the full ingredients list, look at the recipe card below.
- Graham Crackers: I used orginal, but you could also use cinnamon graham crackers or even gingersnap cookies. Place the crackers into a food processor to get very fine crumbs.
- Cream Cheese: Brick-style, NOT the spreadable kind.
- Yogurt: I always add a little bit of yogurt to my cheesecakes. It adds even more creaminess and I love the flavor. If you don't have yogurt, you could substitute it for sour cream.
- Apple: One large apple is all you need. I used honeycrisp, but feel free to use your favorite, such as red delicious or even granny smith apples.
- Salted Caramel: I made my own using this recipe, but you could also use storebought.
Instructions
Here are the step by step instructions on how to make these mini caramel apple cheesecakes.
Step 1: Make the crust. In a medium or large bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, sugar, and salt.
Step 2: Bake the crust. Disperse the graham cracker crumbs into each cupcake liner, pressing down firmly. Bake for 5 minutes in a 325 degree oven and set aside to cool.
Step 3: Beat the cream cheese. Using an electric mixer, beat together the cream cheese and white sugar on high speed until smooth.
Step 4: Add the wet ingredients. Add the yogurt and vanilla extract on medium speed and mix until combined. Then mix in the eggs, one at a time, on low speed just until combined.
Step 5: Bake. Evenly distribute the cheesecake filling over the crust and bake for 15-17 minutes, or until the tops of the cheesecakes are set. Chill for 45 minutes on the counter and then for 3 hours in the refrigerator.
Step 6: Apple topping. In a saucepan over medium heat, mix together the chopped apples, sugar, butter, cinnamon, and vanilla extract. Stir occasionally until the apples start to soften. Then, chill in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Step 7: Assemble. Top the chilled cheesecakes with the apples and caramel sauce.
Storing Tips
Keep any leftover cheesecakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
The cheesecakes are done baking when they barely jiggle when moving the pan.
If desired, you could always add a ½ teaspoon of apple pie spice to the cream cheese mixture. Also, when assembling, you can add whipped cream too.
Yes you can!
If you made this recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below. I love hearing from you! Also, please tag me on Instagram and check out my Pinterest for even more recipe ideas.
It brings me so much joy to see you make my recipes. 🙂
Happy Baking!
More Cheesecake Recipes
📖 Recipe
Caramel Apple Mini Cheesecakes
Equipment
- 12-count muffin pan
- Electric Stand Mixer
- Saucepan
Ingredients:
Graham Cracker Crust
- 7 graham cracker sheets, crumbs (about 1 cup)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Cheesecake
- 12 ounces block-style cream cheese, room temperature
- ⅓ cup sugar
- ¼ cup yogurt (plain or vanilla), room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
Apple Topping
- 1 large apple, peeled & diced finely
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Salted Caramel Sauce
- 1 cup sugar (make sure it's labeled "pure cane")
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven 325 degrees and line a 12-count muffin pan with cupcake liners. Set aside.
Graham Cracker Crust
- Place the graham crackers into a food processor or blender and pulse until fine crumbs. Pour the crumbs into a medium-sized mixing bowl and add the melted butter, sugar, and salt. Mix together.
- Evenly disperse the crumbs into the cupcake liners, pressing down firmly (use your fingers or a ¼ measuring cup). Bake for 5 minutes and set aside to cool while making the cheesecake filling.
Cheesecake
- In the bowl of an electric stand mixer using the paddle attachment, cream together the cream cheese and sugar on medium-high speed until smooth (about 1-2 minutes). Scrape the sides of the bowl a few times during this process.
- Add the yogurt and vanilla extract and mix on medium speed until combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl again. Add your eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed just until incorporated.
- Evenly distribute the cheesecake filling into the cupcake liners, covering the crust (I used my #24 cookie scoop). Place the muffin pan into the oven and bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the tops of the cheesecakes are set (if the cheesecakes jiggle when shaken, they're not done yet).
- Allow the cheesecakes to cool for 45 minutes on the counter and then cover the entire muffin pan with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill for 3 hours.
Apple Topping
- In a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat, add the diced apple, sugar, butter, cinnamon, and vanilla extract. Mix until combined. Occasionally stir the mixture with a silicone spatula until the apples start to soften (about 10 minutes).
- Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the topping to a heat-safe bowl and place it into the refrigerator to cool.
Salted Caramel Sauce
- In a medium saucepan over medium-heat, add the sugar. Once the sugar starts to melt and clump together, continuously whisk it until completely melted. Allow the melted sugar to sit until it starts to turn amber in color (about 10-15 seconds). Then remove it from the heat.
- Add the cubed butter and constantly whisk it until melted. Be careful, as the mixture will start to bubble once the butter comes into contact with the melted sugar. Then add the heavy whipping cream, whisking constantly until incorporated. Then whisk in the salt and vanilla extract.
- Pour the hot caramel into a glass bowl, jar, or container and cool completely before using. The caramel will thicken up as it cools down.
Assemble
- Top the chilled cheesecakes with the apple topping and then drizzle the salted caramel sauce over that. Keep any leftover cheesecakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
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