Creamy, sweet and lightly spiced….this Mini Carrot Cheesecake recipe is a pleasant surprise at any gathering. All the flavors of a classic carrot cake whipped into a ethereally smooth cheesecake filling nestled in a pecan graham cracker crust. Heaven on your fork!

 

Mini Carrot Cheesecakes with chocolate carrots on white plates on a blue background from TheSuburbanSoapbox.com

Easter is right around the corner and I’m on dessert duty, as usual. We always trek to Lancaster, PA to spend the holiday with my family for a huge feast of pierogies, kielbasa and fried cabbage….this year will be no different. But since the menu is pretty much the same every year, I always try to mix things up just a bit.

Last year, I took this rich and chocolate Banana Pudding…it was a hit as I knew it would be but it wasn’t very Easter-y. So, this year…I wanted to bring back one of my favorites that I made well over 7 years ago…..a simple Carrot Cheesecake recipe I found in Martha Stewart’s magazine.

For that version, I made a large 9 inch cheesecake and topped it with her tiny Marzipan carrots completed with fresh parsley as the carrot greens. It was super cute but those carrots took fooooorrreeeeeevvvvver.

And since I made that first cheesecake that one Easter…I’ve made a few tweaks to improve on it just a bit…and totally ditched the marzipan carrots because…besides being cute….they just don’t taste very good. Unless you like marzipan….which I definitely do not.

Assortment of Carrot Cheesecakes on a cake plate and mini plates on a blue background from TheSuburbanSoapbox.com

For this Mini Carrot Cheesecake Recipe, I decided to…well, make them mini as the name suggests but I also added brown sugar to the graham cracker crust along with the crushed pecans. I liked the richer, molasses-y flavor of the brown sugar and love that it adds an extra depth against the creaminess of the filling.

And speaking of the filling…I added a secret ingredient that was kind of just a spur of the moment addition but it totally worked out just amazingling. Orange extract! Holy cow was that a great idea if I do say so myself. The citrus along with the fresh ginger and the sweetness of the carrots just sing together in that filling.

It’s flipping fantastic. Don’t skip it! I love Nielsen-Massey Orange Extract because it doesn’t taste artificial or have an alcohol after taste like many other extracts I’ve tried. I shared that little tidbit over on my Instagram stories in the middle of our Nor’easter the other day. If you want to see all the behind the scenes (or what’s going on in the kitchen) be sure to follow along over there.

Mini Carrot Cheesecake on a white plate on a blue background from TheSuburbanSoapbox.com

This Mini Carrot Cheesecake recipe is absolutely the best option for your spring and summer parties. If you prefer, you can make this easy Carrot Cheesecake in a standard 9 inch springform pan instead of the mini cheesecakes but I absolutely LOVE the portion control of the mini cheesecakes plus the fact that slicing a cake stresses me out in the most absurd way.

Like seriously, does anyone else start to sweat when they have to slice a cake??? That first slice just NEVER works the way you want it too….ever. But you do you.

Assortment of different size Carrot Cheesecakes on white platters and a cake plate with a blue background from TheSuburbanSoapbox.com

And if you doing you means you totally would rather not have a Carrot Cheesecake…mini or not, and you want an entirely different flavor you have to try these Salted Caramel Mocha Cheesecakes….they are seriously amazing. And sooooo incredibly easy. Or another great spring treat is this Strawberry Pretzel Cheesecake….like a Strawberry Pretzel Salad but waaaaay better!

And if it’s fall and you’re hankering a pumpkin something….you definitely want to make this easy Pumpkin Cheesecake or these Bourbon Pumpkin Praline Cheesecakes.

 

OR you can try this easy Gingerbread Cheesecake recipe for the holidays, it’s so festively spiced and fun for Christmas dinner!

Mini Carrot Cheesecake on a white plate with a bite taken from TheSuburbansoapbox.com

And if you want just something simple….this New York Style Cheesecake is as basic as it gets. Just five simple ingredients and you have decadent, rich, BEST EVER cheesecake that you didn’t have to work very hard for. I also share ALL the MUST HAVE PRO TIPS for cheesecake perfection over there so go check it out….now! 🙂

Feeling a little chocolatey? Try this AHHHHHMAZING Chocolate Cheesecake…you won’t want to share.

Get the Recipe: Mini Carrot Cheesecake Recipe

Yield: 24
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Rich, creamy and sweetly spiced...these Mini Carrot Cheesecakes are the best addition to any party or gathering.
5 from 6 votes
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Ingredients

  • 1 cup pecans
  • 1/4 cup salted butter, melted
  • 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs, about 8-9 graham crackers
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and finely grated
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 4 8- ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
  • 1 teaspoon orange extract
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • Whipped cream, if desired

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pulse pecans in a food processor until finely ground. Place in a medium bowl with graham crackers, butter and brown sugar. Stir to combine. 
  • Press crumb mixture firmly into the bottom of each well in a mini cheesecake pan. Bake until golden brown around edges and firm, about 10 minutes. (If baking a 9 inch cheesecake, press the crumbs into the bottom and up the sides. Bake for 15 minutes.) Transfer to a wire rack and  cool to room temperature. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees. 
  • For the filling: Melt the butter in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add the carrots and 1/2 cup of sugar. Cook, stirring often, until carrots are soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer the carrots and juices to a bowl, and cool to room temperature. 
  • Beat the cream cheese and remaining sugar with a mixer on medium speed until fluffy, approximately 4 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, scraping down sides of bowl after each addition. Add the carrots and pan juices, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, orange extract, salt, and vanilla. Beat until thoroughly combined. Divide the mixture evenly among the cheesecake wells filling about 1/4 inch from the top of the pan. (Alternatively, if making in a standard springform pan, pour all the batter into the pan until 1/4 inch from the top.) 
  • Fill a small roasting pan with enough boiling water to reach halfway up the sides of the pan and place on the bottom rack of the oven. Transfer the cheesecake pan to the middle rack and bake the cheesecake until set but slightly wobbly in center, approximately 15-20 minutes. (For a 9 inch cheesecake, bake for approximately 80 minutes.)
  • Transfer cheesecake  pan to a rack, and allow to cool. Then refrigerate, uncovered, for 6 hours or overnight. (Cheesecake will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to 3 days).
  • Run a hot knife around edges of cheesecake to loosen, then remove sides of pan. 
  • Top with whipped cream and chopped pecans, if desired, right before serving.

Notes

Cheesecake can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored uncovered in the refrigerator.
Calories: 191kcal, Carbohydrates: 20g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 49mg, Sodium: 140mg, Potassium: 75mg, Fiber: 0g, Sugar: 16g, Vitamin A: 1155IU, Vitamin C: 0.3mg, Calcium: 29mg, Iron: 0.5mg
Author: Kellie Hemmerly from The Suburban Soapbox
Course: Baking
Cuisine: American