Apple Pie Cheesecake Shooters
If you pop onto to my website from time to time, you may already know that I am a fan of mini desserts. Mini desserts for Thanksgiving, mini desserts for Christmas or mini desserts for many occasion. These Apple Pie Cheesecake Shooters are perfect for fall and holiday gatherings.
My family and I look forward to our Thanksgiving meal all year. Once the big day arrives and we dive in, maybe go a little crazy enjoying Thanksgiving recipes we wait for all year long. Like one of two turkeys we make, a Smoked Turkey with Smoked Gravy and these delicious Sweet Potato Wedges.
After the turkey, stuffing, and all the amazing side dishes I need to wait HOURS before I can even think about dessert. However, many of my relatives are ready for dessert almost as soon as dinner ends. So for me mini desserts are always a part of Thanksgiving. Like these Apple Shooters.
The cheesecake filling is no bake which is fabulous when oven time is at a premium during the holiday season. You can taste lovely notes of apple pie spices!
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- Fresh Ingredients - Apples, cream cheese, sour cream, lemon
- Pantry Staples - Vanilla instant pudding, sugar, brown sugar, butter, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, graham crackers, cornstarch
Variations
- Change up the apple variety for different taste and texture.
- Play around with spices. For example if you have cardamom on-hand, it adds lovley flavor.
- Swap recommended spiced and use apple pie seasoning in their place.
- Add in chopped nuts as shown below. Either plain walnuts or pecans or Candied Nuts (these are amazing)!
- Drizzle with caramel.
- Add a splash of bourbon to your apples when sautéing, yum!
- If you are trying to cut calories, swap cheesecake mixture for vanilla Skyr or Greek yogurt. The sautéed apples will still give it a delicious flavor.
Shortcut - Philadelphia Cream Cheese makes a premade cheesecake filling. I am sure in other parts of the country (outside of the Philly area), another brand or to does as well. You can use that in place of making your own to save time.
Serving Variations
- You can make then tiny as pictured first here or in 4 oz mason jars or 8 oz wine glasses for a full dessert or even in a trifle dish or glass bowl. Any way you dream up to serve these Apple Pie Cheesecake Shooters will fork!
Sautéing apples is quick and makes the whole house smell delicious! You can delegate that task to one of your junior chefs, who I will bet will make a little extra just so he/she can have a taste or two once they are done (at least that's what my kiddos and I do, lol).
For more Thanksgiving Mini Dessert Ideas, check out this post which has 12 delicious mini dessert ideas including these 2 pictured below:
Mini Cheesecakes with Mini Caramel Apples: I mean...two amazing desserts in one? Sign me up!
Mini Apple Raisin Bread Puddings with a Whiskey Sauce I have been making variations of Bread Puddings since I was a teen. They are iconic for a reason.
Hope you enjoy this tasty fall dessert! XO Colleen
Recipe originally published November, 2015. Updated October, 2026.
Fall Favorites To Try
Apple Pie Cheesecake Shooters
Ingredients
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 16 oz sour cream
- 1 small box vanilla instant pudding
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 shakes of nutmeg
- 2 shakes cardamom only if you have it
- For Apples:
- 2 apples small dice
- 2 TBS butter
- 2 TBS brown sugar or more depending on sweetness of apples used
- 2 TBS water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Squeeze of fresh lemon
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon or more
- dash of nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon cornstarch
Instructions
- In your mixing bowl combine the cream cheese and sour cream until blended. Pour in the pudding mix, sugar, vanilla and spices.
- Mix on medium for 3 minutes more. Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes.
- In a saute pan, melt your butter. Add in the apple pieces and toss.
- Add in the sugar, spices, vanilla and lemon, stir to coat. Add in 2 TBS water, stir.
- Once the mixture bubbles, add in the cornstarch and mix until incorporated and mixture begins to thicken.
- Once apples are done to your liking (4-5), remove from heat. Let stand for a few minutes then assemble the shooters while apples are warm or at room temperature.
- In the shooter cups, wine glasses or whatever you may be using, spoon or pipe in some cheesecake mixture, followed by sautéed apples to cover the cheesecake mixture, then spoon or pipe in second layer of cheesecake mixture, then tip with additional sautéed apples. Snap a cinnamon sticks into 3 pieces and garnish with a piece on each shooter if you like.
- Keep cold until ready to serve or transport. Yield depends on size cups used.
Notes
Nutrition
Can you please tell me how you would heat these up? I am planning on making the night before then would like to have them after dinner.
Hi Kathleen. You can make everything the day before and assemble when ready, simply heat the apples through just a bit (not hot...just warm) in a saute pan. You will need to add a splash of water to it most likley. I have not doesn't it this way however I can't see why it wouldn't work out fine.