Cinnamon Roll Cheesecakes with a buttery crust, creamy cinnamon-sugar filling, and a swirl of cream cheese frosting.
Cinnamon Roll Cheesecakes
A good cinnamon roll is hard to beat, especially with that cinnamon-sugar and cream cheese frosting combo!
I’ve used these flavors in so many treats—cinnamon roll cookies, popcorn, and cake—but it was time to create a cinnamon roll cheesecake!
After lots of testing and tweaking, these mini cheesecakes turned out perfect! They’re creamy, sweet, and packed with delicious cinnamon-sugar flavor.
I can’t wait to hear what you think!
Ingredients
This Cinnamon Roll Cheesecake recipe has a few more ingredients than my regular mini cheesecakes, but the cinnamon roll flavor is worth it! Here’s what you’ll need:
- Crust: graham crackers, brown sugar, and butter come together for a sweet, firm base. Crush the crackers well for the best crust texture.
- Cheesecake Filling: cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, flour, and egg create a smooth, creamy filling. Use room-temperature cream cheese and egg so you don’t end up with a lumpy batter.
- Cinnamon-Sugar Swirl: butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and a little flour make a thick, flavorful swirl. Don’t melt the butter!
- Cream Cheese Topping: powdered sugar, butter, cream cheese, vanilla, and a splash of cream or milk make a rich, sweet frosting. Adjust the cream to get the thickness you want.
Cinnamon Roll Cheesecake Tips
- Line and Spray: Use liners and spray well to stop sticking.
- Room Temp Ingredients: Using room temperature ingredients ensures smooth, even mixing.
- Mix Slowly: Use low speed to stop air bubbles and cracks.
- Swirl Gently: Use a toothpick to lightly swirl the cinnamon mixture.
- Don’t Overbake: Bake until edges are set and centers slightly jiggle.
- Cool Slowly: Cool on the rack, then on the counter, to stop cracking.
More Cinnamon Roll Cheesecake Tips
- Don’t Overfill: Leave room at the top of the liners to stop overflow.
- Loosen with a Knife: Run a knife around the edges to release cheesecakes. The cinnamon-sugar swirl can stick to the pan.
- Serve Cold: Serve right out of the fridge.
- Use a Good Pan: I love this muffin pan!
Storage
Cinnamon Roll Cheesecake Leftovers
- Fridge: Wrap each cheesecake tightly and keep in a sealed container for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: Wrap each cheesecake tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before eating.
- Frosting: Keep in the fridge and add to cheesecakes before serving.
More Delicious Dessert Recipes
- Hawaiian Roll Cinnamon Rolls dessert fast!
- Mini Oreo Cheesecakes with a chocolate crust
- Cheesecake in a Jar no baking needed!
- Lemon Cheesecake Cookies with a lemon glaze
- Berry Cheesecake Salad with strawberries
Cinnamon Roll Cheesecakes
Miniature cinnamon roll cheesecakes with a delicious cinnamon swirl and cream cheese frosting topping
Equipment
- Muffin pan standard-size (not miniature)
- Muffin pan liners
- Food Processor or small blender
Ingredients
Crust
- 4 full graham cracker sheets
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
Cheesecake
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese at room temperature
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 large egg at room temperature
Cinnamon-Sugar Swirl
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter softened, not melted
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar packed
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon flour
Cream Cheese Swirl
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
- 1 up to 1-1/2 tablespoons heavy cream or whole milk, only if needed
Instructions
Crust
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 8 cavities of a 12-cavity muffin pan with liners. Fill empty cavities halfway with water for even baking. Spray liners generously with cooking spray (these are sticky!)
- Pulse graham crackers into crumbs using a food processor. Mix crumbs with brown sugar and melted butter. Divide crust mixture evenly among the liners. Press down firmly with the back of a spoon or milk cap. Set aside.
Cheesecake
- In a medium bowl, combine room-temperature cream cheese and sugar. Use electric hand mixers on the lowest speed to gently mix in one direction until smooth and creamy. Avoid vigorous mixing to prevent air bubbles, which can cause the cheesecakes to rise and fall. Add vanilla extract, flour, and the egg. Mix gently on low speed until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
Cinnamon-Sugar Swirl
- Mix softened butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and flour into a thick paste. Transfer to a piping or plastic bag. Cut off the tip.
- Divide half the cheesecake batter evenly among the 8 liners. Pipe half the cinnamon-sugar mixture on top of the batter and swirl with a toothpick. Add the remaining cheesecake batter evenly on top. Pipe the rest of the cinnamon-sugar mixture and swirl again.
- Bake for 20–27 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden and the centers jiggle slightly. Turn off the oven, open the door, and pull out the rack. Let the cheesecakes cool on the rack for 30 minutes, then transfer them to the top of the oven to cool for another 30 minutes. Chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or ideally overnight.
Cream Cheese Topping
- Using electric hand mixers, beat powdered sugar, butter, vanilla, and cream cheese until smooth. If a thinner topping is desired, add heavy cream, 1 tbsp at a time, to reach your desired consistency.
- Transfer frosting to a piping bag and pipe a swirl on top of each cheesecake.
Video
Recipe Notes
Storage: Store cheesecakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 405kcal | Carbohydrates: 43.8g | Protein: 3.8g | Fat: 24.7g | Cholesterol: 89.6mg | Sodium: 159.9mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 37g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi! I’m so glad that I came across your recipe – it is EXCELLENT! I was looking for something to make for an annual holiday party that requires no silverware/individual servings. I read all of the comments, saw how others were also interested in a smaller version so I wanted to share that I successfully made this recipe into 24 mini cheesecakes (metal pan). I followed your recipe exactly and just figured that it would be a matter of trial and error as I went along…
– I placed a mini paper liner, sprayed it as instructed (really helped) and put a loose 1/2 tablespoon of crust for each – had about a tablespoon left over, which I promptly ate 🙂
– I used a damper to flatten the bottom and it took less than 5 minutes. For those of you that bake tarts or mini crusts, a damper is invaluable – you will love it!
– I filled each half way and then swirled in approximately a 1/4 teaspoon of the cinnamon/sugar mix. I then topped off the remaining cheesecake mixture and swirled in another 1/4 teaspoon. It was a perfect amount – no cheesecake mixture was leftover.
– By the time I did all of this, my cinnamon/sugar mix had set, so I microwaved it for about 20 seconds to make it liquidy again. I did have a lot of the cinnamon/sugar mixture left over, I’d say about half.
– I baked it for 20 minutes – they were great, but next time I think that they’ll be fine at 18. They were still soft, but some crusty cinnamon/sugar edges. You really can’t go wrong. 🙂
– They were amazing on their own! A few didn’t make it to get topped with the frosting… Per my taste, this was the only thing that I changed from the original recipe – I only added one cup of the powdered sugar and after filling the tops, I had to add a little milk (about a tablespoon and a little more) to get it to a drizzle-like consistency.
We all love them and I will definitely be making them for the party in December. I will double everything except the cinnamon/sugar mixture. Thank you so much and I hope that my mini measurements are helpful.
I’m so happy you loved this recipe!!! And thank you so much for taking the time to write up all your notes on making these cheesecakes miniature — SO helpful!! I really appreciate it and I’m sure a lot of others do as well! Thanks Ingrid 🙂
Hi! I’m so glad that I came across your recipe – it is EXCELLENT! I was looking for something to make for an annual holiday party that requires no silverware/individual servings. I read all of the comments, saw how others were also interested in a smaller version so I wanted to share that I successfully made this recipe into 24 mini cheesecakes (metal pan). I followed your recipe exactly and just figured that it would be a matter of trial and error as I went along…
– I placed a mini paper liner, sprayed it as instructed (really helped) and put a loose 1/2 tablespoon of crust for each – had about a tablespoon left over, which I promptly ate 🙂
– I used a damper to flatten the bottom and it took less than 5 minutes. For those of you that bake tarts or mini crusts, a damper is invaluable – you will love it!
– I filled each half way and then swirled in approximately a 1/4 teaspoon of the cinnamon/sugar mix. I then topped off the remaining cheesecake mixture and swirled in another 1/4 teaspoon. It was a perfect amount – no cheesecake mixture was leftover.
– By the time I did all of this, my cinnamon/sugar mix had set, so I microwaved it for about 20 seconds to make it liquidy again. I did have a lot of the cinnamon/sugar mixture left over, I’d say about half.
– I baked it for 20 minutes – they were great, but next time I think that they’ll be fine at 18. They were still soft, but some crusty cinnamon/sugar edges. You really can’t go wrong. 🙂
– They were amazing on their own! A few didn’t make it to get topped with the frosting… Per my taste, this was the only thing that I changed from the original recipe – I only added one cup of the powdered sugar and after filling the tops, I had to add a little milk (about a tablespoon and a little more) to get it to a drizzle-like consistency.
We all love them and I will definitely be making them for the party in December. I will double everything except the cinnamon/sugar mixture. Thank you so much and I hope that my mini measurements are helpful for the holiday season.
Love the cheese cakes. Wondering how many calories in each cup.
How many calories in one cheese cake?
Hi Chelsea! I love everything you post and try to make most of your recipes. I made the cinnamon cheesecakes last night and have a couple of questions: In the pictured description/commentary you say “the swirl gets a little crazy, MELTED butter, etc” but in the recipe itself it says” room temperature” = which is your preferred????? Also, when I made the swirl and mixed 1/2 cup room temp butter with 1/2 cup sugar it made a “paste” and wasn’t easy to swirl. So dear Chelsea where did I go wrong?? Oh – bottom line is that they were still VERY delicious. I would like to make them again but would totally appreciate you clearing up the melted vs. room temp butter. MANY THANKS!!
Hi Rosa! You are so sweet – that really makes my day to hear that! Sorry to have a few mistype on my recipe – hopefully I can clear it up for you 🙂 The butter should be MELTED, not at room temperature for that swirl. That should make it a lot easier to stir together those swirl ingredients. Sorry about that, but thank you so much for checking so I can update my recipe and make it better for other 🙂 Glad you enjoyed these!!
You should have a Facebook tab under your recipe so we can add it to our timeline.
Thanks so much for the feedback Cammie! I will look into getting something with a Facebook tab 🙂
Could you provide the measurement needed if I were to use purchased graham cracker crumbs instead of the sheets? This recipe sounds so delicious!
I’m sorry, I really have no idea since I’ve never used just the crumbs. I found online that 14 crackers equals about 1 cup of crumbs. Maybe this site will help as a reference: https://community.cookinglight.com/showthread.php?42753-Ratio-whole-graham-crackers-to-crumbs
Made these earlier today and they turned out great! Thank you for this wonderful recipe!
So glad to hear! Thanks for the comment! 🙂
I made the mistake of making these without reading the comments. I thought they were cooked in mini muffin tins and they ended up running over and making a bit of a mess but they were the most delicious mess I’ve ever made. The cheesecake filling is soo good and the cinnamon is over the top. Thanks for sharing.
Glad you liked it! Yes definitely use a regular muffin tin and hopefully these will work out better for you next time! 🙂
Would it be possible to make these in mini muffin tins? Would the cooking time need to be adjusted? Thanks! These look amazing!
I wouldn’t recommend making them in miniature muffin tins but I haven’t tried it. If you do, the baking time would need to be adjusted; I’m not sure to what though since I haven’t done it. If you try it out I would love to hear the results!