Melt the butter in a small bowl and let it cool slightly for about a minute. In another bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs with 1 tablespoon of sugar, then pour the melted butter over and stir until the mixture resembles wet sand with a texture that holds together when pressed. Set aside—this is your crust base that will provide a nice textural contrast to the creamy filling.

In a medium bowl, combine the room-temperature cream cheese, pumpkin puree, Greek yogurt, 1/3 cup sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for about 2 minutes until the mixture is smooth and well combined with no lumps. I like using freshly ground cinnamon here—it makes a noticeable difference in the flavor depth compared to pre-ground. Once the mixture is smooth, gently fold in the egg just until incorporated, being careful not to overmix.

Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a muffin tin with paper liners. Spoon approximately 1 tablespoon of the crust mixture from Step 1 into the bottom of each liner, pressing it down gently with the back of a spoon to create an even base. Top each crust with 1.5 to 2 tablespoons of the pumpkin cheesecake filling from Step 2, filling each liner about three-quarters full. I find that slightly overfilling gives you a more generous treat, and the filling doesn't overflow during baking.

Place the muffin tin in the preheated 350°F oven and bake for 25 minutes. The cheesecakes are done when the tops are set but the centers still have a slight jiggle when you gently shake the pan—this ensures they stay creamy rather than becoming dry. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool in the tin for about 1 hour at room temperature.

Once the cheesecakes have cooled to room temperature, transfer the muffin tin to the refrigerator and chill for at least 2 hours. This resting time allows the flavors to meld and the texture to set properly. You can make these up to 2 days ahead—store them in an airtight container in the fridge and they'll actually taste even better as the flavors develop.