This perfectly creamy, homemade Mini Cheesecake Recipe It has a buttery graham cracker crust! Great for entertaining, parties, or when you just need a few bites of cheesecake! Made in a muffin tin, these cheesecake bites are absolutely irresistible.
Looking for a regular-sized classic cheesecake? Try my perfect cheesecake recipe!
This is an easy mini cheesecake recipe!
Isn’t the first bite of cheesecake always the best? I mean, I always enjoy the whole slice, but my husband and I always fight over the first forkful. That’s why I love this mini cheesecake recipe so much: each little dessert will give you the joy of that first taste again and again! Also, forks are an option here, which is always a plus!
Unlike a classic cheesecake, this mini cheesecake recipe doesn’t require much fuss. No double boiler needed, no guesswork as to when it will actually be cooked, no need to let it sit in the oven after it’s cooked… there really isn’t a lot of margin for error on this one, which makes it a great recipe to give it a try if you’ve been nervous about baking an entire cheesecake!
Because these are the best
This Mini Cheesecake recipe is amazing for so many reasons!
- Just 7 simple ingredients!
- Totally open to adaptation! This is a great basic cheesecake recipe, perfect for those who like to keep things traditional or simple. But you can top these minis with fruit, candy, caramel, whipped cream… the list goes on and on!
- Perfect for parties. This is a great dessert recipe for a crowd. They are easy to eat and everyone loves cheesecake. Using different toppings on cheesecakes makes for an amazing dessert dish!
- They can be prepared in advance! This cheesecake recipe takes time to unwind, which is great when you want to prepare ahead of time and not worry about dessert on the day you’re entertaining.
But can’t you just turn any cheesecake recipe into minis?
Yes, you absolutely can, BUT I’ve done the work here for you, adapting the recipe perfectly to make 12 mini cheesecakes. It would take a little more guesswork to take a full-sized cheesecake recipe and modify it for minis. I want to make your life easier!
Ingredients for the mini cheesecake recipe
This is a pretty simple cheesecake recipe, so you’ll only need 7 ingredients total. Read this short list before you get started, and don’t forget to scroll to the bottom of this post for the full recipe and instructions.
For the dough
- Graham Cracker: To prepare the crumbs, use a food processor or simply crush them by hand in a Ziploc bag with a rolling pin. You can use honey graham, cinnamon graham or even chocolate graham. It’s totally up to you!
- Granular sugar: This will add a touch of sweetness to your crust.
- Melted butter: I like to use salted butter in my recipe because I find it balances the sweetness perfectly. Plus, you’re not adding additional salt to the crust.
For the creamy cheesecake filling
- Cheese cream: I used 2 blocks (8 ounces) of cream cheese for a total of 16 ounces. Make sure the cream cheese is softened to room temperature. This ensures that the cheesecake has no lumps and that everything mixes together smoothly.
- Sour cream: Make sure it is also at room temperature. Once all the ingredients are at room temperature, the recipe will cook evenly.
- Granular sugar. In the classic cheesecake I prefer granulated sugar to brown sugar.
- Vanilla extract: Vanilla extract pairs perfectly with cream cheese, adding richness and depth of flavor. Vanilla beans are also great in cheesecake!
- Egg: Use large eggs when cooking, unless otherwise specified. Different egg sizes can add too much (or too little) moisture to your recipe. Also make sure they are at room temperature!
How to prepare mini cheesecakes
Enough arguing, let’s get started with these delicious cheesecakes! If you don’t intend to surprise your family or your sweetheart with this dessert, getting help from little hands is not a bad idea. Especially if you need help deciding on toppings!
Prepare the Graham Cracker crust
Preparation work: Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a standard-sized muffin tin with liners and set aside. I highly recommend using coatings in this recipe instead of lining the pan and cooking without them. The coatings don’t make a mess, while being MUCH easier to remove from the pan and keep them intact.
Simply mix the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and butter in a bowl to combine, then press the mixture firmly into the coatings. Bake the crusts for 5 minutes until lightly browned.
Prepare the cheesecake filling and bake
The cheesecake filling mixes together very easily. As I said above, make sure all the ingredients are at room temperature and everything is ready! Simply mix together the cream cheese and sour cream in your kitchen robot with the paddle attachment. Once smooth, add the sugar and vanilla. Finally, add the eggs one at a time until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. That’s all!
Cook them until the tops are firm, about 20 minutes, and let them cool for about an hour in the pan. Then remove them from the pan and place them in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours, but overnight is great too!
But why don’t you need a double boiler?
The easy answer is size! When you cook a regular-sized cheesecake, you want to bake it evenly. The steam that the double boiler emits in the oven helps cook evenly and prevents cracks. The great thing about mini cheesecakes is that they bake much faster and the edges and center don’t take as long to set as with a traditional cheesecake recipe.
Tips for the best mini cheesecakes
Mini cheesecakes are the best because they look super fancy, but are so simple to make relatively quickly! Here are some additional tips for orientation:
- Do not overmix the batter: Overmixing can cause too much air to enter the batter, causing additional air bubbles to form. This may cause the cheesecakes to crack or puff up too much during baking.
- How to know if they are finished: As mentioned above, the tops should appear set, but it’s okay if the center is still a little wobbly. The cheesecakes will continue to firm up a bit as they cool.
- Press crust firmly into liners: you can help yourself with a smaller measuring cup or simply with your hand, but make sure that the graham cracker crust is well compacted inside so that it does not crumble.
Topping Ideas/Variations
Keep these bite-sized cheesecakes as simple as you’d like, or get creative and spice them up. Here are some ideas:
- Whipped Cream It’s ALWAYS an easy and delicious cheesecake topping!
- fresh fruit – Strawberries, blueberries and raspberries are delicious on top of cheesecake and make a really cute presentation too!
- Pie fillingthe cherry pie filling in particular is a cheesecake classic!
- Make them citrus – a spoonful of lemon zest in the cheesecake filling and lemon curd spread on top after they’re baked is so good!
- Chocolate or caramel sauce. Both are delicious!
- Caramel sauce and chopped pecans make them Turtle cheesecake!
- Anyone Chopped nuts that would work, ice cream with soaked nuts is delicious too!
- Mix some mini chocolate chips in the cheesecake dough. a 1/2 cup should be enough!
How to store mini cheesecakes
Store this cheesecake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days (if you need it that long!). TIP: Save them before covering them. Whipped cream doesn’t hold up well!
Can I freeze mini cheesecakes?
YES! Freeze these bite-sized cheesecakes in an airtight container or tightly closed freezer bag for up to 3 months. Let them thaw overnight in the refrigerator when you’re ready to eat them again.
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Description
These perfectly creamy, homemade Mini cheesecakes they’re perfectly creamy on top of a buttery graham cracker crust. Absolutely perfect for any occasion!
Crust:
- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar
- 3 and 1/2 tablespoon butter, melted
Cheesecake Filling:
- 2 (8 ounce) blocks cream cheese, room temperature (16 oz total)
- 1/3 cup sour cream room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
For the dough:
- Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a standard sized muffin tin with liners and set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix together the graham cracker crumbs and sugar.
- Add the butter and mix until smooth.
- Divide the mixture evenly between all 12 baking cups and press it firmly into an even layer to form the crust.
- Bake in the oven at 180°C for 5 minutes until lightly golden. Remove from the oven and set aside.
For the stuffing:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the cream cheese and sour cream on medium speed until smooth.
- Add the sugar and vanilla and mix until fully combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- Turn the mixer to low and add the eggs, one at a time, and mix until well combined.
- Distribute the batter evenly among all 12 baking cups, filling them almost to the top.
- Bake at 180°C for 17-20 minutes or until the surface of the cheesecakes has set.
- Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the pan for 1 hour.
- Carefully remove the cheesecakes from the pan and let them cool in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight.
- Top with whipped cream, fruit, chocolate sauce or caramel.
Notes
Store airtight in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
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