Mini Cheesecakes

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These mini cheesecakes have a smooth, creamy filling that sits in a buttery graham cracker crust. Each cheesecake is topped with fresh whipped cream and berries for a classic little treat! Their mini size makes them perfect for transporting and sharing!

Easy Mini Cheesecake Recipe

These easy mini cheesecakes are the perfect sharable dessert. The way the rich, creamy filling combines with the subtle crunch of the buttery graham cracker crust makes them utterly irresistible. The filling has the nicest little tang to it, too, that I just can’t get enough of. They are topped with classic homemade whipped cream and a smattering of fresh berries. The perfect, elegant mini dessert.

If you haven’t made mini desserts in the past, now is a great time to start. They are easily shareable and transportable. Plus, they’re easy to make (usually) and they feel so much more guilt-free than your average, full-sized treat. This classic vanilla mini cheesecake is no exception. You’re going to love it.

Why You’ll Love These Individual Cheesecakes

This might just become your new go-to cheesecake recipe. It’s so quick, easy, and delicious. Here are some of the reasons I love it so much.

• Texture. The filling for these cheesecakes is some of the thickest, creamiest and smoothest I’ve ever tasted. Combine it with a buttery graham cracker crust that has the perfect flavor and you’ve got yourself the perfect bite.
• Tang. The addition of sour cream to the filling breaks up the richness of the cream cheese beautifully and adds a subtle tang that I just love.
• No fuss. Unlike my full-sized vanilla cheesecake, these mini cheesecakes do not require a water bath. Score! You can bake them right in a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
• Quick. Craving cheesecake but short on time? These mini cheesecakes are the perfect solution. They go through the baking and cooling process in just 40 minutes. That’s record time when compared to the 2 hours or so that a standard cheesecake needs.
• Single-serve. These cheesecakes are the perfect sharable dessert to bring to your next gathering. No messy slicing and serving. Each portion is conveniently packaged in its own little wrapper.

What You’ll Need

This mini cheesecake recipe is wonderfully simple. All you need is a handful of ingredients, many of which you are likely to have on hand already. Here they are. Be sure to scroll to the recipe card below for precise measurements.

• Graham cracker crumbs – Vanilla wafer cookie crumbs would work just as well.
• Sugar – To sweeten the crust and filling.
• Unsalted butter – The melted butter is added to the graham cracker crumbs to hold the crust together.
• Cream cheese – The cream cheese should be at room temperature so that it doesn’t get all lumpy in your batter. You also want to be sure to use brick-style full-fat cream cheese. Cream cheese in a tub and reduced fat cream cheese are both softer and will lend a less thick cheesecake.
• All-purpose flour – The starch prevents the egg proteins from over-coagulating, giving you a creamier texture and helping you prevent any cracks. If you are looking for a gluten free alternative, cornstarch will work too. Use half as much cornstarch as you would flour.
• Sour cream – The sour cream softens up the texture of the cheesecake and lends some moisture, while also adding a nice pop of tangy flavor.
• Vanilla extract – For flavor.
• Eggs – To firm up the cheesecake and add richness.
• Heavy whipping cream – For the whipped cream topping. It is best if the heavy whipping cream is cold. It will whip up and hold volume much more effectively.
• Powdered sugar – To sweeten and stabilize the whipped cream. It will keep your whipped cream from wilting – forever.
• Fresh fruit – For topping.

How to Make Mini Cheesecakes

Here’s a quick look at how to make these individual cheesecakes. For more thorough instructions, scroll to the recipe card below.

Crust

• Prep. Preheat oven to 325°F and line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
• Make the crust mixture. Combine the ingredients for the crust and press about 2 tablespoons worth into the bottom of each cupcake liner.
• Bake. Bake the crusts for 5 minutes. Cool on the countertop.

Filling

• Prep. Reduce the oven to 300°F
• Make the batter. Mix together the cream cheese, sugar, and flour. Add in the sour cream and vanilla followed by the eggs, one at a time, mixing until smooth after each addition.

• Bake. Divide the filling between the liners and bake for 15 minutes.
• Cool slowly. Turn the oven off and leave the cheesecakes inside for 10 minutes. Then crack the door and leave the cheesecakes inside for 15-20 minutes. Transfer them to the refrigerator to finish cooling. Remove the cooled cheesecakes from the pan.

Topping

• Make the whipped cream. Whip the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract on high speed until stiff peaks form.
• Decorate. Pipe the whipped cream onto the tops of the cheesecakes and top with fresh fruit.
• Chill. Keep the cheesecakes in the fridge until you are ready to serve.

Tips for Success

Go into making this mini cheesecake recipe prepared with these helpful tips and tricks and you’ll be on your way to making the best mini desserts you’ve ever tasted.

• Room temperature cream cheese. Take the cream cheese out of the fridge an hour or so before beginning. You want it to be at room temperature. Otherwise, you will likely find yourself with a lumpy filling. To speed up the process, cut it into cubes or slices.
• Mix slowly and not too much. When making the cheesecake filling, mix on low speed and just until everything is incorporated. Mixing at too high of a speed will introduce air into the batter. So will mixing for too long. Excess air in the batter can cause the cheesecakes to crack.
• Scrape the bowl. As you add and mix ingredients into the cheesecake batter, use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl intermittently. This will help ensure that all of the ingredients make it into the batter and are well incorporated.
• Cool gradually. Allowing the individual cheesecakes to cool in the closed oven and then in the ajar oven helps to ensure that their tops do not crack. The cheesecakes will also continue to cook and firm up during this cooling process. So don’t skip it unless you want cracked and/or underdone cheesecakes.
• No peeking. As the cheesecakes bake and then cool gradually in the oven, resist the temptation to open the oven and peek. This will disrupt the baking process and can lead to sunken, cracked cheesecakes.
• Cold heavy whipping cream. The whipping cream should be cold. Otherwise, it will not hold volume properly and you’ll find yourself with a flat whipped cream topping.

How Do You Know When Mini Cheesecakes Are Done?

You will know your mini cheesecakes are done when they look firm around the edges but still jiggle ever so slightly in the center. If you open the oven to check for doneness, give it just a minute to heat back up before you turn the oven off and start the cooling process. Opening the oven door releases the heat that you need for the beginning of the cooling process.

Cheesecake Topping Ideas

I chose fresh whipped cream and berries here but feel free to play with any of the following fun topping ideas.

• Add a sauce. Drizzle a fruity sauce over the tops of these individual cheesecakes. Raspberry Sauce, Blueberry Sauce, Strawberry Sauce, or even this Easy Lemon Curd would be perfect. Not in a fruity mood? Try my Hot Fudge Sauce or this Salted Caramel Sauce.
• Flavored whipped cream. I love the classic whipped cream on these cheesecakes but you could just as easily use Strawberry Whipped Cream, Mascarpone Whipped Cream or even the chocolate whipped cream from this Chocolate Mousse Cake recipe.
• Frosting. Swap out the whipped cream for a swirl of Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting, Vanilla Buttercream Frosting, Chocolate Buttercream Frosting, or this Strawberry Frosting.
• Candy. Exchange the fruit for chopped-up Snickers or Heath Bar.
• Cookie crumbles. Crumble up your favorite cookie and sprinkle it over the top of these mini cheesecakes in place of fresh fruit. These Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies or my Lemon Sugar Cookies would be great. Crumbled graham crackers would work too.

Proper Storage

Arrange the cooled and topped cheesecakes in a single layer in an airtight container. Close the container and store them in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can take the wrappers off of the cheesecakes or leave them on. It won’t make a difference.

Can I Freeze These Individual Cheesecakes?

You can! Top the cheesecakes with the whipped cream (leave off the fresh fruit) and arrange them in a single layer in an airtight container. Seal the container and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Allow the desserts to thaw in the refrigerator before topping them with fresh fruit and serving.

More Mini Cheesecake Recipes

When life gets busy, mini cheesecakes are a great alternative to full-sized renditions. They are quicker, less fussy, and they satisfy that cheesecake craving equally well. Here are some of my other favorite individual cheesecake recipes for you to try.

• Mini Chocolate Cheesecakes
• Mini Rainbow Cheesecakes
• Mini Banana Pudding Cheesecakes
• Mini Reeses Peanut Butter Cheesecakes
• Mini Strawberry Cheesecakes
• Mini S’mores Cheesecakes
• Mini Cherry Almond Cheesecakes
• Mini Cinnamon Roll Cheesecakes
• Mini Mint Chocolate Oreo Cheesecakes
• Mini Strawberry Champagne Cheesecakes
• Mini Blackberry Lavender Cheesecake
• Mini Lemon Cheesecakes

Watch How to Make Mini Cheesecakes

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