Halloween Candy Corn Mini Cheesecakes
Halloween Candy Corn Mini Cheesecakes are one of my favorite Halloween treats. With their colorful layers of creamy cheesecake and a buttery graham cracker crust, each bite is smooth, creamy, and not too sweet. Topped with orange frosting and sugar paste ghosts, they’re fun to decorate and easy to serve.
This recipe is great for parties since each cheesecake is individually portioned. You can make them ahead, chill overnight, and decorate just before serving. They’re fun, cute, and delicious! Whether you’re making these for a Halloween party, with the kids for a fun festive snack, or just having fun with seasonal treats, these Candy Corn Mini Cheesecakes are going to disappear quickly!
Ingredients
For the Crust
- Graham cracker crumbs – Buy them already crushed or whiz the crackers in the food processor until they’re fine crumbs.
- Granulated sugar – I”ve reduced the sugar in the crust. It doesn’t need to be super sweet, but you can increase the sugar to 2 tablespoons to make it a touch sweaters.
- Unsalted butter – Butter, sugar, and graham cracker crumbs are the classic combination to making a good cheesecake crust. And it’s so tasty!
For the Cheesecake Filling
- Cream cheese – I prefer using name brand cream cheese for cheesecakes. I like the texture of the full fat cream cheese.
- Granulated sugar – You can reduce the sugar by a bit if you like, and the recipe will still turn out fine.
- Eggs – You can use large or extra large eggs.
- Vanilla extract – Pure or artificial vanilla works just fine in this recipe. You won’t taste the difference.
- Sour cream – Use full-fat sour cream to reduce the chance of it splitting when baking.
- Yellow and orange food coloring – For the candy corn layers. I like working with gel food color because the colors hold much better and are more vibrant.
For the Frosting
- Unsalted butter – To make the best frosting, your butter should be quite soft.
- Powdered sugar – No need to sift the sugar, the lumps will workin out as you whip the frosting.
- Heavy cream – Milk will also work. Adjust as needed to get your desired consistency.
- Vanilla extract – A touch of vanilla will really perk up the frosting, and there’s no need to use the expensive stuff.
- Orange food coloring – Again, use gel coloring if you can find it. You can usually order this from Amazon or check your closest hobby store.
For the Decorations
- White sprinkles – Mimic the candy corn’s white tip
- White fondant or sugar paste – Rolled and shaped into ghosts
- Black edible marker or food coloring – Adds eyes and detail
How To Make Halloween Candy Corn Mini Cheesecakes
Preheat your oven to 325°F and line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper cupcake liners. In a small bowl, mix together the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter. Use a mini tart tamper to press the mixture firmly into each liner so the crust holds its shape. Bake for 5 minutes and set aside to cool.
In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth using a handheld mixer. Add the sugar and mix until combined. Add eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla and sour cream. Divide the batter evenly among three bowls. Tint one bowl yellow, one orange, and leave the third plain. A tri-level prep bowl set helps keep things organized and easy to pour.
Spoon the yellow batter into each crust, then orange, then plain, smoothing each layer gently. A cookie scoop makes it easy to portion the batter without disturbing the layers. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until the centers are just set. Cool in the pan for 30 minutes, then chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight.
To make the frosting, beat the butter in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually add the powdered sugar, then vanilla and cream or milk, spoonful by spoonful. Tint with orange food coloring and beat until fluffy. Once the cheesecakes are chilled, remove the liners and frost the tops using a precision piping bottle for neater decorating. Sprinkle with white sprinkles.
Roll out the fondant and cut small ghost shapes. Use an edible marker or brush on black food coloring to create the faces. Place one ghost on top of each frosted cheesecake.
Chef Jenn’s Tips
- Use gel food coloring to keep the batter thick and prevent streaks.
- Let the cheesecakes chill fully before frosting for best results.
- A piping bottle creates a clean, professional frosting finish without needing piping bags.
- Store the ghost decorations separately and add just before serving to keep them from softening.
Recommended
Serving Suggestions
Pair with a Halloween punch, themed cupcakes, or a tray of chocolate bark for a complete dessert spread.
Storage
Keep the cheesecakes covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. For longer storage, freeze unfrosted, then thaw and decorate before serving.
Halloween Candy Corn Mini Cheesecakes
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter melted
For the Cheesecake Filling:
- 16 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 medium eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- orange food coloring
- yellow food coloring
For the Orange Frosting:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- orange food coloring
For the Decorations:
- White sprinkles
- White sugar paste or fondant
- Black fondant or food coloring or edible marker
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325°F and line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.
- Mix the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter in a small bowl. Press the crumb mixture into the prepared muffin pan and bake for 5 minutes.
- Beat the cream cheese until smooth with your stand or hand mixer on medium-high. Add the sugar, then eggs, vanilla, and sour cream.
- Divide the batter into 3 bowls and tint one bowl yellow, one bowl orange, and leave one plain.
- Layer the cake batter into the muffin tin on top of the graham cracker base. Start with yellow, orange, then plain batter.
- Bake for 18 to 20 minutes then remove from the oven and cool for 20 minutes. Remove the cheesecakes from the tin and chill for at least 4 hours.
- Beat the butter and powdered sugar with your stand or hand mixer on high until it’s light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the milk, a spoonful by spoonful until your frosting is the consistency you want, then add the vanilla. Tint the frosting orange and mix to combine. Frost each cheesecake and top with white sprinkles.
- Cut ghost shapes from the fondant and add black eyes and mouths. Place one on each cheesecake before serving.
Notes
Chef Jenn’s Tips
- Use gel food coloring to keep the batter thick and prevent streaks.
- Let the cheesecakes chill fully before frosting for best results.
- A piping bottle creates a clean, professional frosting finish without needing piping bags.
- Store the ghost decorations separately and add just before serving to keep them from softening.
