Mini Cheesecakes

5 from 5 votes

Mini Cheesecakes start with a graham cracker crust, creamy cheesecake filling, and a strawberry sauce topping. They’re easy to customize with your favorite toppings like fresh berries, caramel, or a chocolate ganache!

Prep Time25

Cook Time18

Chilling Time3 35

Total Time4 18

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: mini cheesecakes

Servings: miniature cheesecakes

Author: Chelsea Lords

Cost: $4.27

Equipment

Ingredients

Graham Cracker Crust

1 cup graham cracker crumbs 7 sheets
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted

Vanilla Bean Cheesecake Filling

12 ounces cream cheese brick-style, full-fat, 1-1/2 packages, at room temperature, see note 1
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup sour cream full-fat, at room temperature
1 vanilla bean or 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1/8 cup
2 large eggs at room temperature

Strawberry Topping

1 cup fresh strawberries stems removed and coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Fresh strawberries optional, to top the cheesecakes

US - Metric

Instructions

Crust

Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a 12-cavity (regular-sized) muffin pan with cupcake liners.
Combine graham cracker crumbs, granulated sugar, and melted (but not hot) butter. Divide the mixture among 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, 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 heat to 300°F.
In a large bowl, combine cream cheese and 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 sour cream, vanilla bean seeds, and salt. Beat on low speed until completely combined.
Scrape down the sides and add flour. Beat on low speed until combined. Add the first egg and beat until the egg is completely incorporated. Add the second egg and again, still beating slowly, beat until combined.
Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners and nearly to the top. Disperse all the batter evenly among 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 and place on the counter at room temperature. This slowly lowers 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 coarsely chopped strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice to a small pot. Simmer on low for 10 minutes, mashing 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.
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

Notes

Note 1: 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, the batter doesn’t mix as nicely, and there is a temptation to overbeat the batter, which will cause it to rise and fall.

Storage: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. I don’t recommend freezing, as it affects the texture and taste.

Nutrition