Carrot Halwa is a delectable Indian dessert made out of shredded carrots, milk, sugar and nuts. Mostly eaten in winter, it is a treat seen often on the streets of northern India, where a warm bite is rather welcome amongst the hustle and bustle of busy market goers. Like most foods, the street version is of course heavier than the one made at home- loaded with ghee (clarified butter), it is welcomed by the waistline and taste-buds alike!
I decided to use the inspiration of those flavors, and combine it into mini cheesecakes. They turned out rather well- if I may say so myself. Holding the flavors that reminded me of home, and lighter than regular cheesecake, these little orange devils were really quite addictive.
How did it impact my waistline? Well, when something reminds you of family and love, the rest of the ingredients don’t impact as much. 
Carrot Halwa Mini Cheesecakes
- Total Time: 60 minutes
- Yield: 12 mini cheesecakes 1x
Description
These mini cheesecakes are inspired by the flavors of Carrot Halwa, a beloved Indian street dessert, combining the sweetness of carrots with creamy cheesecake in a delightful bite-sized treat.
Ingredients
- 1 packet (approx 50 g or 8-10 pieces) chocolate ladyfingers or 6-8 pieces butter shortbreads
- 1/2 tsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 packet (8 oz) (225 g) cream cheese, softened
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) shredded carrots
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) milk
- 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp chopped nuts (such as almonds or pistachios)
Instructions
- Grease well a mini muffin pan with butter or oil and keep aside.
Prepare the crust:
- Crush the ladyfingers/shortbreads in a blender to a fine powder. Add the butter and sugar and mix well. Take 1 tsp of the mixture and press at the bottom of each mould in the muffin pan. Bake for 5-8 minutes in a 325 F pre-heated oven. Keep aside to cool.
Prepare the cheesecake:
- Heat the milk, condensed milk and 2 tbsp of the sugar in a deep pan. Once it comes to boil, add the carrot, cinnamon and cardamom and cook on medium-low flame till the carrot is completely cooked and all the liquid has been absorbed. Approx 25-30 minutes. Discard any pieces of cardamom skin and keep aside to cool. (If the carrot was first sautéed in ghee, and then cooked in this way, it would result in a carrot halwa. I decided to skip the ghee- for obvious reasons!)
- In the meantime, get the cream cheese to room temperate. Beat together with the remaining sugar until its light and fluffy. You can taste it at this point to adjust the sugar as required (I don’t like my desserts overly sweet). However, do remember that we will be adding the carrot mixture to this, which also has some sugar.
- Now add the egg to the cream cheese and beat well for a few minutes. Lastly add the carrot mixture and lightly mix till it forms a homogeneous mixture. Spoon 1 tbsp of the mixture into the muffin pans prepared earlier.
- Heat the oven to 325 F. Prepare a dish with water and place it on the lowest shelf of the oven (a water bath). Bake the cheesecakes for 18-20 minutes. Keep a close eye on them as you want to stop baking as soon as the top is set- it will still be a little jiggly, but not wet.
- Switch off the oven at this point and let the cheesecakes cool slowly in the oven. Once the oven reaches room temperature, remove the muffin pan and slowly take out each mini cheesecake with the help of a knife. They should slide out quite easily if the pan was well greased. Refrigerate and enjoy!
Notes
- For a richer flavor, you can use ghee instead of butter in the crust.
- These cheesecakes can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Feel free to experiment with different nuts for garnishing, such as cashews or walnuts.
- Ensure the carrot mixture is cooled before adding to the cream cheese to prevent curdling.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: Indian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 mini cheesecake
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 8
- Sodium: 100
- Fat: 10
- Carbohydrates: 12
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 3
- Cholesterol: 35
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is carrot halwa, and how does it inspire this recipe?
Carrot halwa is a classic Indian dessert made from shredded carrots, milk, sugar, and nuts — traditionally eaten in winter and often sold as a street food in northern India. Here the same flavor profile (cardamom-spiced carrot cooked in milk) is folded into a cream cheese filling so the halwa taste comes through without the ghee.
Why does the recipe use chocolate ladyfingers for the crust?
The recipe gives you the option of chocolate ladyfingers or butter shortbreads (6–8 pieces). Either is crushed to a fine powder and mixed with 2 tbsp unsalted butter and ½ tsp brown sugar before being pressed into the mini muffin cups and pre-baked for 5–8 minutes at 325°F.
Why must the carrot mixture cool before mixing it with the cream cheese?
The notes specifically warn: “Ensure the carrot mixture is cooled before adding to the cream cheese to prevent curdling.” Adding a hot mixture to beaten cream cheese causes the proteins to seize, resulting in a grainy filling.
How do I know when the cheesecakes are done baking?
Bake at 325°F with a water bath on the lowest oven shelf for 18–20 minutes. Stop as soon as the top is set — the center will still be slightly jiggly but should not look wet. The cheesecakes finish setting as they cool slowly inside the switched-off oven.
How long can these be stored?
The notes say these cheesecakes can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Hello these look delicious! How many carrot halwa cheesecakes does this make?