Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners; set aside.

In a mixing bowl, stir together graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar and melted butter until well combined.

Divide crust mixture evenly into paper liners. Use the bottom of a glass or back of a spoon to tightly pack down the crust mixture.

Bake for 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.

Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, egg, sugar and vanilla extract together. Mixture should be smooth and creamy without lumps.

Scoop the cheesecake filling evenly on top of the graham cracker crusts. Use the back of a spoon to spread filling evenly across the top before baking.

Bake mini cheesecakes for 14-16 minutes. The tops of the cheesecakes should be set and just slightly golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 30 minutes. Chill in the refrigerator or freezer (at least 4 hours).

Remove chilled cheesecakes and unwrap the liners. Place cheesecakes on a heat-safe surface and cover the top of each cheesecake with a layer of granulated sugar.

Carefully torch until caramelized on top. You can also use your oven broiler, just leave door cracked open and watch very carefully so you can pull them out when amber in color and not too dark.