Mini Caramel Apple Cheesecakes with Brown Butter Butter Graham Cracker Crust
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Serves: 12 mini cheesecakes
 
These mini cheesecakes have a brown butter graham cracker crust, caramel apple bottom and luscious cheesecake filling -- the perfect one bite dessert!
Ingredients
  • 4 tablespoons butter, divided
  • 5 graham crackers
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • ¾ cup finely diced apples (about ½ a large apple)
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoons vanilla
  • ½ egg (whisk egg and measure half out)
Carmel Sauce (Optional)
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 7 tablespoons heavy cream
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease a mini muffin pan.
  2. In a small sauté pan, add 3 tablespoons butter. Turn the heat on medium-high. Let the butter melt and once it starts to brown, use your hand to swirl the pan until the butter turns a deep brown and smells nutty. Pour into another small bowl and let cool slightly.
  3. In a food processor, add graham crackers and sugar. Pulse until crushed. Slowly drizzle in butter. Add a pinch of salt. Use a tablespoon to measure crust into muffin tins. Use the back of the spoon to push the crust together. Bake until golden brown, about 7-8 minutes. Cool.
  4. While the crust bakes, cook the apples. Add the remaining butter to the same pan you browned the butter in. urn the heat on medium-high. Let the butter melt and once it starts to brown, use your hand to swirl the pan until the butter turns a deep brown and smells nutty. Add apples and brown sugar. Cook until apples are slightly softened, about 2-3 minutes. Set aside.
  5. For the filling: In the food processor, add softened cream cheese, sugar, egg and vanilla. Turn on and mix until smooth, scrape down the sides and bottom as needed with a spatula.
  6. Fill the crust with the apple, followed with the cheesecake filling.
  7. Place back in the oven and bake just until the cheesecakes are set, about 10-12 minutes. Let cool, run a knife along the edge to loosed them up and then place in the fridge until completely chilled. Use a butter knife to pop the cheesecakes out.
  8. Serve with caramel and flaked sea salt.
For the caramel sauce: In a medium sauce pan, add sugar. Turn the heat on medium. Let the sugar cook, once you see the edges start to brown, give it a stir. Let the sugar continue to caramelize and melt, stirring every couple of minutes. Make sure to carefully watch as sugar can burn easily, if needed turn the heat down to a medium-low. Once the sugar is completely melted and caramelized, remove from the heat and add the cream. It will spatter and harden up. Place back on a medium-low heat and continue to stir until it melts again. Pour into a jar or bowl and let cool to room temperature. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
Recipe by Cooking for Keeps at https://www.cookingforkeeps.com/mini-caramel-apple-cheesecakes-with-brown-butter-butter-graham-cracker-crust/