Indulge in our Mini Cheesecakes with a crisp graham crust, creamy filling, and a glossy strawberry topping. Easy to make and perfect for customizing with your favorite garnishes, from berries to chocolate.
We love mini desserts! Try these next: Mini Fruit Tart, Brownie Bites, or Cookie Dough Cups.
Why We Love These Mini Cheesecakes
- Balanced Flavor: Crisp crust and creamy filling.
- Versatile Toppings: Easy to customize.
- Consistent Quality: Foolproof recipe.
- Simple Preparation: Easy and straightforward.
- Stays Fresh: Good for up to five days.
Ingredients In Mini Cheesecakes
- Graham cracker crumbs create a sweet, crunchy base.
- Sugar enhances the sweetness.
- Melted butter solidifies the crust.
Cheesecake Filling
- Cream cheese offers richness and tang.
- Sugar sweetens and balances the tang.
- Sour cream adds smoothness and a hint of tang.
- Vanilla adds warm flavor.
- Flour ensures a dense, smooth texture.
- Eggs provide structure and creaminess.
How To Make Mini Cheesecakes
- Crust: Mix graham crumbs, melted butter, sugar.
- Filling: Beat cream cheese and sugar.
- Bake: Avoid cracks with careful baking.
- Chill: Solidify and enhance flavors.
- Top: Add toppings during chilling.
Quick Tip
Be sure to take the cheesecakes out of the muffin tins before adding the topping. Gooey toppings can slip and slide as you lift the cakes out after you’re done. Take them out of the pan when cool, and top while they’re on a platter or counter.
Mini Cheesecake Tips
- Start with room-temperature cream cheese for a smoother, lump-free batter and avoid overbeating.
- Use room-temperature sour cream and eggs to ensure even mixing with minimal effort.
- Mix the batter gently to prevent excess air, which can cause the cheesecakes to crack.
- Cool the cheesecakes at room temperature to prevent cracking or condensation from rapid temperature changes.
Storage
- Refrigerate: Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freezing Not Recommended: May affect texture and taste.
More Delicious Cheesecake Recipes
- Chocolate Cheesecake
- Mini Oreo Cheesecakes
- Mini Cinnamon Roll Cheesecakes
- Caramel Apple Cheesecake
- Mini Blueberry Cheesecakes
Mini Cheesecakes
The best Mini Cheesecakes start with a sweet graham cracker crust, then thick cheesecake filling, and a delicious strawberry sauce topping. These cheesecakes are easy to make with detailed step-by-step instructions. Top these cheesecakes however you'd like -- with fresh berries, crushed Oreo cookies or candies, salted caramel sauce, or a chocolate ganache.
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs (7 sheets)
- 1 tablespoon white granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Vanilla Bean Cheesecake Filling
- 1 ½ packages (12 ounces total) brick-style full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature (See Note 1)
- ½ cup white granulated sugar
- ½ cup full fat sour cream, at room temperature
- 1 vanilla bean (OR 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste, or 1/2 tablespoon pure vanilla extract)
- ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ⅛ cup (2 tablespoons) white flour
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
Strawberry Topping
- 1 cup fresh strawberries, stems removed and coarsely chopped
- 2 teaspoons white granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- Optional: fresh strawberries to top the cheesecakes with
Instructions
CRUST
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line a 12-cavity (regular-size) muffin/cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
- Combine the graham cracker crumbs, white sugar, and melted (but not hot) butter. Divide the mixture between the cupcake liners (about 1 tablespoon per cup) and press into the bottoms. I like to use the lid of a milk container to press the crust into the bottoms evenly.
- Bake crusts for 5 minutes and then remove from oven. Set aside to cool.
CHEESECAKE FILLING
- Make sure your cream cheese, sour cream, and eggs are all at room temperature. Reduce the heat to 300 degrees F.
- In a large bowl, combine the 12 ounces cream cheese and ½ cup white sugar using a hand mixer. Beat at low speeds and in the same direction to reduce beating air into the mixture (which will result in cracks later on). Add the ½ cup sour cream, vanilla bean seeds (or paste or extract), and ⅛ teaspoon sea salt. Beat on low speed until completely combined.
- Scrape down the sides and add in the 2 tablespoons white flour. Beat on low speed until combined. Add the first egg and make sure to beat until the egg is completely incorporated. Add the second egg and again, still beating slowly, beat until combined.
- Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake liners and nearly to the top. Disperse all of the batter evenly between the 12 cupcake liners.
- Bake cheesecakes for 13 minutes, then turn off oven and leave the door closed for another 10 minutes. Crack the oven door open and allow cheesecakes to cool for 25 minutes; then pull out an place on the counter at room temperature. We are slowly lowering the temperature of the cheesecakes to keep the rising and falling (and resulting cracks) to a minimum.
- Once the cheesecakes are at room temperature, transfer to the fridge to chill for 2-3 hours.
- STRAWBERRY SAUCE: Add the 1 cup coarsely chopped strawberries, 2 tablespoons white sugar, and 1 teaspoon lemon juice to a small saucepan. Simmer on low for 10 minutes, mashing up strawberries with the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and allow to come to room temperature. Transfer the mixture to a food processor and blend until smooth. (If strawberry seeds bother you, strain the sauce here by pressing the mixture through a fine mesh sieve.) Place in the fridge to chill before topping cheesecakes.
- SERVE: When ready to serve, add a spoonful of the strawberry sauce and a fresh strawberry (if desired) to the tops of the mini cheesecakes. Store any leftovers (sauce separate from the cheesecakes) in the fridge.
Video
Recipe Notes
Note 1: Cream cheese: Room-temperature cream cheese becomes creamier when it is mixed and it incorporates much better with the other ingredients. If your cream cheese is too cold, it tends to stay lumpy and the batter doesn’t mix as nicely. With cold cream cheese, there is also a temptation to over-beat the batter which will cause it to rise and fall
Nutrition
Serving: 12g | Calories: 225kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 175mg | Potassium: 94mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 545IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi! I was hoping to make these this weekend, but wanted to adapt them to make them in a mini muffin pan (i.e.- making 24 mini cheesecakes as opposed to 12). Any recommendations on how to adjust the cooking time and/or temperature?! Thank you in advance! These look delicious!
Hello, hoping to make this gluten free. Do you know if I can use “Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour” in place of the AP flour and gluten free graham cracker crumbs in place of regular?
I’ve come to love this recipe – I’ve made it multiple times with lots of success. But now I’ve invested in a full cheesecake pan and I want to use this same recipe for it. Do you have an adapted form of the recipe to make a full cheesecake?
So glad to hear that! Thank you Amanda! I don’t have a vanilla full cheesecake just yet, but I will certainly add that to my list of recipes to create! This chocolate cheesecake is our favorite if you’re a chocolate fan!
Can I substitute greek yogurt instead of sour cream ?
You could try it! I think it would work, but haven’t actually ever tried that so can’t say for sure!
Hi, the ingredients say 12 oz cream cheese but the method has 8oz. Please can you let me know which to use. Thanks 🙂
Sorry about that! It is 12 🙂
Can these be frozen
I ran across a recipe of yours on Pinterest and had to come visit your site! Your pictures are amazing and so are your recipes. I have followed you and will be returning often!
I love when desserts get mini so I don’t feel guilty when I eat too many!! These look so pretty and love your pictures!
These cheesecakes are so adorable, Chelsea!
These are gorgeous and I am ALL ABOUT mini desserts…I can eat more that way 😉