Mini Cheesecakes

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Are you in the mood for a bite-sized treat with all the flavor and decadence of a full-sized cheesecake? Mini cheesecakes are the perfect solution! You’ll love their creamy texture and the sweet, tart flavor of a traditional cheesecake, all in perfectly-sized portions!

More mini desserts? You’ll love these Easy Cherry Cheesecake Cookie Cups and these Vanilla White Bundt Cakes too!

strawberry chocolate ganache topped

These decadent minis will certainly bring cheer to your table for any holiday, party celebration and are perfect when entertaining guests when you want to impress!  Definitely a dessert option people will swoon over!

While baking can be intimidating, these mini cheesecakes are easy to make and they’re packed with flavor. Learn how to make these delicious mini cheesecakes with a few simple steps, plus customize your mini cheesecake recipe to make these treats unique to you with fun topping ideas!

So, if you’re ready to start baking, read on and get ready to satisfy your sweet tooth.  Since Valentine’s Day is coming up, I thought these would be perfect to serve the whole family.

easy mini cheesecakes best recipe

Ingredients You Need for Mini Cheesecake Recipe

Graham Cracker Crust

Cheesecake Filling

  • cream cheese, room temperature & softened
  • granulated sugar
  • all purpose flour
  • eggs
  • vanilla extract
  • sour cream or Greek yogurt
  • heavy whipping cream

Chocolate Ganache

easy mini cheesecakes best recipe

strawberry chocolate ganache topped

How to Make Mini Cheesecakes 

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin pan with 12 paper liners sprayed with nonstick cooking spray, or spray the mini cheesecake pan with non-stick cooking spray.  You can also use a special mini cheesecake pan like I did if you want them to look really professional.

Graham Cracker Crust

  1. In a bowl, mix together the crushed graham crackers, sugar and melted butter.
  2. Divide the mixture into each of the tins, and then press it down into an even layer with some of the graham cracker mixture going up the sides. (I used a shot glass to help press the bottom down, it fits nicely to get the graham cracker to go up the sides.)
  3. Bake for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and start making the filling..

Cheesecake Filling

  1. In a large bowl, using a mixer on low speed, mix the softened cream cheese and sugar until smooth, then mix in the flour until just combined. (make sure cream cheese is softened, so you don’t get lumps)
  2. Add the eggs, one at a time, and mix until just combined. Add the vanilla, sour cream, and heavy cream, and mix until combined. (Don’t over-beat eggs, to avoid cracks and deflation)
  3. To release any air bubbles, tap the bowl on the counter 10-15 times.
  4. If you are using a mini cheesecake pan, fill each one up to the top and bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the centers are slightly jiggly.
  5. If you are using a muffin pan, divide the batter among the cavities to about ⅔ full. You will have extra batter and bake for 20 to 23 minutes.
  6. Remove from the oven and let cool up to an hour. Once cooled, refrigerate, covered loosely with plastic wrap or a sealed container, for at least 2-3 hours and up to 3 days. They can also be frozen after chilling. If you add any toppings, they’re best served within 1 day.
  7. Top with your favorite toppings!

easy mini cheesecakes best recipe

How to Make Chocolate Ganache for Topping and/or Covering Chocolate Covered Strawberries

  1. Place the chocolate chips in a medium heatproof bowl. Heat the heavy cream just until simmering in the microwave for 45 seconds to 1 minute. Make sure to keep an eye on it so it doesn’t bubble over in the microwave. Add the chocolate chips.
  2. Let sit for 3 minutes before stirring. Start whisking slowly in the middle of the bowl, and continue whisking in one direction until the mixture is smooth and well combined. Allow to cool and thicken.
  3. Dip strawberries in chocolate after drizzling ganache over cheesecakes and chill in refrigerator. (May have to double recipe if doing both as a topping and covering strawberries.)

More fun strawberry desserts you’ll love are these Easy Chocolate Covered Strawberry Brownies and these 20 Irresistible Strawberry Desserts That Are Sure To Impress!

easy mini cheesecakes best recipe

easy mini cheesecakes best recipe

Dress These Mini Cheesecakes Up!

  • Add blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, cherries or any fruit pie filling will do! Chocolate covered strawberries on top of chocolate ganache is the perfect compliment if you ask me! They look so classy!
  • Also drizzle chocolate syrup, salted caramel sauce or some chocolate ganache.
  • Sprinkle some mini chocolate chips, chopped nuts, candy bar bits or fun sprinkles on top.  They all sound good to me!  What are your ideas? 
  • Whatever you top them with, (or don’t top them with) the cheesecake is the star of the show being all rich, delicious and luxurious.  Look at you, you lovely cheesecakes!

easy mini cheesecakes best recipe

Tips for Best Mini Cheesecakes

  • Make sure cream cheese is softened for this mini cheesecake recipe, that way you don’t get lumps and do not over-beat the eggs.
  • Over-beating cheesecake mixture can cause the cheesecakes to crack or deflate.  
  • I used a mini cheesecake pan to make these which has little removable round bottoms to the pan that you can push the little cheesecakes up from the bottom.  It has 12 tins to it and are super easy to get cheesecakes out of, so they look really professional. If you don’t have this pan, you can use paper-lined muffin tins, because who wants to miss out on cheesecake?
  • They bake anywhere from 15 to 18 minutes, until the centers are slightly jiggly. They will continue baking after you have pulled them from the oven.
  • Let them cool down for an hour, then refrigerate for up to 2 hours and refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze up to 2 weeks.  The sour cream allows you to freeze them quite nicely.

easy mini cheesecakes best recipeWho’s ready for some mini cheesecakes? Me, of course!  You’ll love how easy this mini cheesecake recipe is, so let’s do this!  

Cheesecake Lovers Want More Cheesecake!

Mini Cheesecakes for Any Occasion!

Mini Cheesecakes

Kim Lange
These minis are creamy, dense and have a lovely firm New York cheesecake texture that is to die for. It sits on a thick, buttery graham cracker crust and add whatever toppings you want for your special occasion! Oh my!
4.53 from 17 votes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 14 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 12 Individual Servings
Calories

Ingredients
 
 

Graham Cracker Crust:

  • 1 sleeve or 9 sheets of Graham crackers crushed
  • 1 ½ tablespoons sugar
  • 3 ½ tablespoons salted butter melted

Cheesecake Filling:

  • 16 ounces cream cheese room temperature & softened
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
  • cup heavy whipping cream

Chocolate Ganache:

  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin pan with 12 paper liners sprayed with nonstick cooking spray, or spray the mini cheesecake pan with non-stick cooking spray. You can also use a cheesecake pan with removable bottoms (see post for link)

Graham Cracker Crust

  • In a bowl, mix together the crushed graham crackers, sugar and melted butter.
  • Divide the mixture into each of the tins, and then press it down into an even layer with some of the graham cracker mixture going up the sides. (I used a shot glass to help press the bottom down, it fits nicely to get the graham cracker to go up the sides.)
  • Bake for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and start making the filling..

Cheesecake Filling

  • In a large bowl, using a mixer on low speed, mix the softened cream cheese and sugar until smooth, then mix in the flour until just combined. (make sure cream cheese is softened, so you don't get lumps)
  • Add the eggs, one at a time, and mix until just combined. Add the vanilla, sour cream/Greek yogurt, and heavy cream, and mix until combined. (Don't over-beat eggs, to avoid cracks and deflation)
  • To release any air bubbles, tap the bowl on the counter 10-15 times.
  • If you are using a mini cheesecake pan, fill each one up to the top and bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the centers are slightly jiggly. Cheesecakes will firm up as they cool.
  • If you are using a muffin pan, divide the batter among the cavities to about 2/3 full. You will have extra batter and bake for 20 to 23 minutes.
  • Remove from the oven and let cool up to an hour. Once cooled, refrigerate, covered loosely with plastic wrap or a sealed container, for at least 2-3 hours and up to 3 days. They can also be frozen after chilling. If you add any toppings, they’re best served within 1 day.
  • Top with your favorite toppings!

Chocolate Ganache for topping and/or chocolate covered strawberries:

  • Heat the heavy cream just until simmering in the microwave for 45 seconds to 1 minute. Make sure to keep an eye on it so it doesn't bubble over in the microwave. You can also do this on the stovetop.
  • Add the chocolate chips. Let sit for 3 minutes before stirring. Start whisking slowly in the middle of the bowl, and continue whisking in one direction until the mixture is smooth and well combined. Allow to cool and thicken.
  • Dip strawberries in chocolate after drizzling ganache over cheesecakes and chill in refrigerator. (May have to double recipe if doing both as a topping and covering strawberries.)
Keyword cheesecake, mini desserts
Tried This Recipe?Let us know how it was by commenting below!

 

 

14 Comments

  1. Hey Mimi! Thank for your question! Here’s my cheat sheet:
    So, for Honey Maid Crackers:
    4 crackers = 1/2 cup
    8 crackers = 1 cup
    12 crackers = 1.5 cups

    So maybe close to 1 1/4 cups but not over. Hope that helps!

  2. Kim, I’m always ready for cheesecake! And, fortunately, my family supports this problem I have. Ha! These look and sound gorgeous, and I agree, NY cheesecake is the best of the best,! Thanks for the recipe! Valentine’s Day will never be the same if I make these! Thanks!

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