Mini Lemon Cheesecakes

Mini lemon cheesecakes are topped with lemon curd and fresh berries for a bright addition to any summer menu.

I come from a cheesecake obsessed family. Whether it’s mini cheesecakes for a spring birthday party or a pumpkin cheesecake for Thanksgiving, a cheesecake of some variety graces our table for almost any occasion.

It’s one of those desserts that immediately takes me back to being a child and cooking with my grandmother.

Perched on a kitchen stool, I would help her every step of the way. From sifting cups of flour and cutting shapes into pie dough to rolling the perfect pumpkin roll, I have always been her right hand.

Many times we would bake all day and then deliver our baked goods to neighbors, church friends, and family. I loved every minute of it. My love for pastry making was born in that kitchen.

So, of course, every time I make cheesecake, whether it’s Nana’s easy cheesecake or these mini lemon cheesecakes, I always think of her.

My adorable and easy mini lemon cheesecakes

I’ve always been a fan of individual desserts. They’re super cute and come with built-in portion control, which is definitely a good thing for this cheesecake-loving girl!

And as much as I love full-sized cheesecakes, they take a little while to bake and cool. These mini lemon cheesecakes, however, are quite quick to prepare.

You can have these delicious cheesecakes in the oven in 10-15 minutes and they take less than 30 minutes to bake. They also only need to rest in the fridge for 4 hours before serving.

So while I usually have to plan on making a traditional cheesecake the day before serving it, you can make this recipe in the morning and they’ll be ready for dessert that night!

And for a summer party or cookout, you won’t have to worry about people trying to cut a slice of cheesecake themselves. They can easily grab one of these mini lemon cheesecakes and go.

How to prepare mini lemon cheesecakes

If you want to try my cheesecake recipes but are intimidated by the idea of ​​making a big one, this mini lemon cheesecake recipe is the perfect place to start.

Ingredients you will need

One of the things that makes this recipe so quick and easy is that you don’t need to make the graham cracker crust for the cheesecakes. We’ll use vanilla wafers as the crust instead!

To make these mini cheesecakes you will need:

• 2 blocks (8 ounces) cream cheese at room temperature
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• zest of one large lemon
• 2 large eggs at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 12 vanilla wafer biscuits

The eggs and cream cheese should both be at room temperature before you start baking. This will help you get a smoother cheesecake filling.

If you forget to make them ahead of time, I have a few tips for softening the cream cheese and quickly bringing the eggs to room temperature.

Since you only need 12 vanilla wafers for this recipe, you’ll have a lot left over from the box. Try using the rest to make homemade banana pudding!

Preparing this recipe

This recipe makes 12 mini lemon cheesecakes in 12 standard muffin liners. To start, line a standard muffin tin with paper liners. Set the pan aside.

Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a hand-held electric mixer and a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese for about 2 minutes.

In a separate bowl, stir together the sugar and lemon zest until the sugar is moist and fragrant. I use this trick a lot to help infuse the aroma and flavor of lemon zest into every single bite of a recipe.

Add the lemon sugar to the cream cheese. Beat until light and fluffy, then add the eggs, vanilla and lemon juice. Mix until smooth.

To assemble the cheesecakes, place a vanilla wafer, flat side down, in the bottom of each muffin cup. Use a large cookie scoop to divide the cheesecake filling into each cup; they should be about ⅔ full each.

Bake cheesecakes at 350°F for 22-24 minutes or until centers are almost set. Let the cheesecakes cool in the pan, then place them in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours before serving.

As the cheesecakes cool, the centers will deflate slightly. Don’t worry – this is normal and provides us with the perfect place to hold some condiments!

Serving Tips

My favorite way to serve these mini lemon cheesecakes is topping them with homemade lemon curd and fresh raspberries, but the options don’t stop there!

The lemon in these cheesecakes pairs well with many fruits, especially summer berries. Some other toppings to try include:

And of course you can never go wrong with a little whipped cream and fresh berries!

Storage and freezing

Store these mini lemon cheesecakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I recommend waiting to add any toppings until just before serving.

You can also freeze cheesecakes for long-term storage or for whenever you get a craving for lemon cheesecake.

To freeze, wrap the cheesecakes in plastic wrap and place in a zip-top bag or use a vacuum sealer to seal. Freeze for up to one month.

Allow the cheesecakes to thaw in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature for 1-2 hours before enjoying.