Description
Delightful mini caramel apple cheesecakes blend creamy richness with sweet autumn charm. Compact individual desserts showcase perfect balance between tangy cream cheese and rich caramel, promising pure indulgence you’ll savor with each delectable bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 8 ounces (226 grams) cream cheese, softened
- 1 large egg
- 1 medium apple, peeled, cored, and diced
- 1/2 cup (120 milliliters) sour cream
Crust Ingredients:
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) graham cracker crumbs
- 4 tablespoons (60 milliliters) unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) granulated sugar
Additional Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 milliliters) ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (120 milliliters) caramel sauce
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325F (160C) and arrange paper liners in a muffin tin, ensuring even spacing.
- Combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter in a mixing bowl, stirring until the mixture becomes cohesive and slightly damp.
- Gently press the crumb mixture into the bottom of each muffin liner, creating a compact and even base layer.
- Using an electric mixer, whip cream cheese and sugar together until the texture becomes smooth and glossy.
- Incorporate egg, vanilla extract, sour cream, and flour into the cream cheese mixture, blending thoroughly until no lumps remain.
- Carefully distribute the cheesecake filling over the prepared crusts, filling each liner approximately 3/4 full.
- Place the muffin tin in the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, watching for a slightly firm and set appearance.
- Remove from oven and allow cheesecakes to cool completely within the tin, preventing potential cracking.
- Meanwhile, sauté diced apples with cinnamon and brown sugar in a saucepan over medium heat until softened and caramelized, approximately 5 minutes.
- Once cooled, embellish each mini cheesecake with a generous drizzle of caramel sauce and top with the spiced apple mixture.
- Chill in the refrigerator for a minimum of 1 hour to enhance flavor and texture before serving.
Notes
- Customize the crust by swapping graham crackers with gluten-free alternatives like almond flour or crushed gluten-free cookies for those with dietary restrictions.
- Reduce sugar content by using natural sweeteners like stevia or monk fruit, ensuring a lighter dessert without compromising flavor.
- Prevent cheesecake cracking by avoiding overmixing the batter and allowing gradual cooling at room temperature before refrigeration.
- Enhance apple topping by adding a splash of bourbon or using different apple varieties like Honeycrisp or Granny Smith for varied texture and taste profiles.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 193 kcal
- Sugar: 16 g
- Sodium: 107 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 21 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg