These Mini Carrot Cake Cheesecakes with Cream Cheese Icing are topped with marzipan carrots!
Mini-cheesecakes are made the same way as regular cheesecakes. The crust is baked first, then filled and baked again. This crust is made of graham cracker crumbs and toasted pecans. Notes in the recipe below suggest using gingersnap cookies in place of graham crackers, if you’d like.
Since carrot cake most often has a cream cheese frosting, I felt these mini cheesecakes needed some too. It’s completely optional to add the icing, but it’s so good that way that I think you’ll like it!
I top the mini cheesecakes with Petite Marzipan Carrots. Stick a small mint leaf on there if you don’t feel like making the carrots (or leave them plain). The best part about the marzipan carrots though is that you can actually eat them! It’s amazing how much they look like real carrots.
They’re cute little treats, and those marzipan carrots really make them perfect for Easter. If you’re preparing these for Easter, it’s best to make the cheesecakes the day before, then ice and decorate the day you plan to serve them.
The Best Easter Dessert Recipes:
- Lemon Cheesecake Cake
- Carrot Cake
- Easter Bunny Coconut Tails
- Easter Grass Sugar Cookies
- Carrot Cake Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
Mini Carrot Cake Cheesecakes
Ingredients
CRUST:
- 4 whole graham crackers
- ¼ cup toasted pecans
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1½ tablespoons granulated sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
CHEESECAKE:
- ½ tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and finely grated
- ¾ cup granulated white sugar, divided
- Two 8-ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
ICING:
- 3 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- ¼ cup (½ stick) butter, at room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
MAKE THE CRUST:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Pulse the graham crackers and pecans in a food processor until finely ground. Place in a medium bowl and stir in the butter, sugar and salt.
- Press a spoonful of crumb mixture into the bottom of each mini cheesecake tin (the kind with the removable bottoms). Bake until golden brown and slightly firm, 10 to 12 minutes. Don't over-bake or the pecans will begin to burn. Let cool on wire rack. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.
MAKE THE CHEESECAKES:
- Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the carrots and ¼ cup of sugar; cook, stirring often, until the carrots are soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer with the pan juices to a bowl, and let cool.
- In a medium bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese and remaining ½ cup of sugar on medium speed until fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the carrots and pan juices, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, salt and vanilla, and beat until incorporated. Spoon on top of the crusts to about ¾ full.
- Bake until set, about 18 to 22 minutes. Watch closely and pull out of the oven when the cheesecakes are set (touch the tops and make sure they're not jiggly, but firm).
- Transfer the pans to a rack and let cool. Refrigerate until ready to add the icing.
MAKE THE ICING:
- In a medium bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese and butter on medium speed until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar and vanilla, beating until smooth.
- Place a heaping teaspoonful of icing on top of each cheesecake and spread gently to cover the tops.
- If you want to top with the marzipan carrots, see the link in the tips below.
Notes
- If preparing this recipe as GLUTEN FREE, sub GF gingersnaps (crumbled) for the graham crackers.
- You can always make these without the icing, but it adds a fun and delicious element to the dessert that is unexpected on a cheesecake.
- Make marzipan carrots, for garnish (optional)
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I am so going to try this but as one large cheesecake as I do not have any mini pans.Love the little marzipan carrots.By the way just an extra tip for those who wish to make it gluten free, you can purchase gluten free graham cracker crumbs, my mom bought some and I made her some coconut squares out of them and we actually liked them better then regular graham crackers..they have a nice gingery heat to them :o)
Great tip- thank you!