All the goodness of a creamy slice of cheesecake in mini form! These cute mini cheesecakes are made in a cupcake tin for a much quicker and more forgiving recipe. They bake up and chill in less than half the time it takes to make a full cheesecake, are less prone to cracking, and are just so darn cute. Serve plain or topped with the simple sweet berries!
mini cheesecake ingredients
These mini cheesecakes are based on my classic cheesecake recipe (which is an absolute reader favorite!) The cheesecakes have a sweet and crisp graham cracker crust, perfectly creamy filling, and are finished off with some super easy macerated berries. They look and sound more complicated than they actually are - the reality is, they're so SO easy to make and come together super quickly. Let's take a quick look at the ingredients that make these mini cheesecakes extra special:
- Graham cracker crumbs: These can easily be subbed for GF graham cracker crumbs to make these mini cheesecake gluten free! Everything else in the recipe is naturally gluten free and can remain the same.
- Cinnamon: This is optional, but I love including it in the crust! Graham crackers usually already contain cinnamon, so this helps enhance their flavor and adds a little extra something special to the crust.
- Cream cheese: The star of the show! Make sure you're using cream cheese that's sold in block form and NOT cream cheese spread. The block cream cheese is specifically designed for baking while the spread is designed to be a softer consistency. Cream cheese spread can make the filling looser and more prone to sticking to the wrappers. Additionally, make sure you use full fat cream cheese as lower fat varieties contain more water and (again) will result in a softer filling.
- Cornstarch: Helps with thickening and provides added structure to the cheesecake. This makes for a better set filling and it also helps minimize sinking in the center.
- Lemon juice: Helps thicken the cheesecake filling and also cuts through some of the sweetness. It makes for a perfectly balanced and creamy bite.
- Sour cream: These mini cheesecakes have a slightly higher ratio of sour cream when compared to my full cheesecake recipe. Since they're mini, this helps keep the filling moist and creamy and it also protects them from overbaking!
- Berries: This may just be my new favorite cheesecake topping. It's simply made with some berries tossed in sugar and lemon juice. They add sweetness, freshness, and make the cakes look a little extra fancy!
how to make mini cheesecakes
When compared to larger cheesecakes, mini cheesecakes are so much easier to make and are ready in less than half the time! There's not a whole lot that can go wrong with this recipe (and the cheesecakes will usually still taste incredible no matter what). But that being said, here are a few tips to help ensure your cheesecakes come out as beautiful as they are tasty:
- Room temperature ingredients: Before starting, make sure you give all the fridge ingredients time to come up to room temperature. This is important to ensure the cheesecake filling comes out creamy and smooth. It also helps prevent cracking and reduces sinking. A trick to bring the eggs and cream cheese up to room temperature quickly is to add them all into a large bowl filled with warm water and soak for about 10 minutes. Make sure to keep the eggs in their shells and keep the wrapper on the cream cheese. As for the sour cream, I like to warm it in a mini oven but you could also do it in the microwave. Heat until it until it just barely reaches room temperature. Otherwise, the ingredients need to sit out for about 1 hour to properly reach temperature (but this can change depending on how warm your home is).
- Making the crust: After the crust mixture is combined, it needs to be packed into the individual cups and then partially baked. Packing the crusts is best done with the bottom of a cup to ensure the crust is compressed evenly and tightly. If it's not packed in well, the crust will crumble when you come to serve the cheesecakes. A quick partial bake for the crusts helps set them in place and protects them from softening under the filling.
- Mixing the batter: When making the filling, mix the ingredients together until they're just combined - no more, no less! Undermixing the batter will lead to an uneven, bumpy texture while overmixing will cause the filling to crack and sink. For an even and creamy filling, mix until combined and then stop. If you're making the batter with an electric mixer, do all the steps on LOW speed so you don't incorporate unnecessary air into the filling.
- Portioning the filling: The filling will puff up slightly as the cheesecakes bake but they won't rise a whole lot. So you can fill each cup to the very top (just shy of the rim of the cup). A large scoop makes portioning a breeze, but you can also use 2 spoons or a plastic bag to divide the batter if you prefer.
- Baking and cooling: Mini cheesecakes don't need a water bath because of how small they are, so baking is really easy. Just keep an eye on them to ensure they don't overbake, otherwise the filling will crack and you'll lose that silky, creamy texture!
fruit topping
The macerated berries on top may just be my new favorite way to serve cheesecake. They're so easy to make but will instantly elevate this dessert in terms of looks and flavor!
Macerating fruits is simply the process of mixing them together with sugar and lemon juice and letting them sit together. The sugar will draw out liquid from the fruit and soften them, leaving you with a sweet, syrupy, and SO DELICIOUS mixture of berries. It's great for any berry, but it's especially helpful if you're using underripe fruits that could use some extra sweetness.
To make the topping, you can use virtually any berry you like or use an assortment. I personally included strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries. If you do want to use blueberries, I would recommend always adding another softer skinned berry with it. The hard blueberry skin doesn't release much moisture on its own.
To make the berries, they're simply combined in a bowl with sugar and lemon juice then tossed together. The sugar will be a bit gritty at first but will liquefy as the berries sit and release their water. They're good to use after about 30 minutes but they can also be left at room temperature for up to 2 hours before using. If you want to store them for longer, keep them in the fridge - but keep in mind that they'll continue to soften the longer they sit.
mini cheesecake FAQs
Can you make these mini cheesecakes gluten free?
Yes! All you need to swap out are the graham cracker crumbs and use GF crumbs. The rest of the cheesecake is naturally gluten free.
Can you leave out the cinnamon in the crust?
Yes, but I'd recommend trying it because it really enhances the graham cracker flavor!
Can you use cream cheese spread instead of blocks?
Blocks are best for baking because they contain less moisture and will allow the filling to set much better. If you live in an area that doesn't have blocks, you can try using the spread and adding 2 extra teaspoons of cornstarch to help it thicken - although I haven't tried this myself.
Why did my cheesecakes sink?
Mini cheesecakes will always have a little bit of sinking - as they cool, the filling will shrink and lose its puffiness. That being said, you shouldn't have any HUGE dips in the centers of the cakes. If you do, it's usually a result of using cold ingredients, overmixed batter, overbaked cakes, or if the pan was bumped when the cheesecakes were fresh from the oven and fragile.
Can you make these cheesecakes in advance?
Yes! Cheesecake is a fantastic make ahead dessert because it needs some time to chill in the fridge anyway. You can make the cheesecakes up to 3-4 days in advance before serving. As for the fruits...
Can you make the fruit topping in advance?
Yes, but it will continue to soften the longer it sits. For more bite to the berries, make them the day you plan on serving them. If you don't mind a softer texture, they can be made up to 3 days ahead and kept in the fridge. They'll also release more juice as they sit, so I wouldn't spoon the fruits on top of the cheesecakes until right before serving to ensure the juice doesn't seep down and soften the crusts.
check out these other recipes!
• Mini No Bake Cinnamon Roll Cheesecakes
• Mini Cranberry Mousse Cakes
• Cheesecake Bars
• Oreo Cheesecake
• Caramel Cheesecake
Lastly, if you made this or any of my recipes, be sure to leave a comment and review below! I love hearing your thoughts! Also tag me on Instagram @eatsdelightfulblog so I can see what you're making.
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Mini Cheesecakes
- Total Time: 3 hours 40 minutes
- Yield: 12 mini cheesecakes
Description
All the goodness of a creamy slice of cheesecake in mini form! These cute mini cheesecakes are made in a cupcake tin for a much quicker and more forgiving recipe. They bake up and chill in less than half the time it takes to make a full cheesecake, are less prone to cracking, and are just so darn cute. Serve plain or topped with the simple sweet berries!
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust:
- 1 cup (125g) graham cracker crumbs (regular or GF)
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
- pinch of salt
- ¼ cup (60g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
Cheesecake Filling
- (2) 8oz blocks full fat cream cheese, room temperature
- ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (120g) sour cream or Greek yogurt, room temperature
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
Fruit Topping (Optional)
- 3 cups (400g) fresh berries, washed and drained
- 2-3 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2 tsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
Instructions
Graham Cracker Crust:
- Preheat your oven to 325F. Line a muffin tin with 12 paper liners and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, mix together graham cracker crumbs, sugar, cinnamon, and salt to combine.
- Add in the melted butter and mix together until the cookie crumbs are moistened.
- Divide the graham cracker crust mixture into the 12 cupcake cups, dropping about 2 tablespoons into each one. Use the bottom of a cup or a spoon to firmly pack the crust into the bottom of each cup.
- Bake the crusts in the center of your preheated oven for 7 minutes to lightly toast - they won't look very different.
- Set the crusts aside to cool slightly while you prep the filling. Keep the oven set to 325F.
Cheesecake Filling:
- In a large bowl, combine cream cheese and sugar.
- Use an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a wooden spoon by hand to cream together the cheese and sugar until lump free. If using an electric mixer, do every step on LOW speed to ensure nothing gets overmixed.
- Add in the sour cream, cornstarch, lemon juice, and vanilla and mix to combine.
- Whisk the eggs in, one at a time, stopping as soon as the egg disappears into the batter. Be careful not to overmix or the cheesecakes can crack and sink.
- Evenly divide the filling into the cupcake cups on top of the slightly cooled crusts (it's OK if they're still a little warm). You can fill each cup just shy of the top - these don't rise much but they will puff up slightly as they bake.
- Give the pan a few firm taps on your counter to release any air bubbles and even out the tops.
- Bake the mini cheesecakes in the center of your preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until puffed and the cheesecake filling jiggles like Jell-O if you gently shake the pan.
- Cool the cheesecakes for about 1 hour at room temperature or until no longer hot. They will sink slightly as they cool.
- Once cooled, gently lift the cakes out of the pan and onto a wire rack or plate. Refrigerate the mini cheesecakes for at least 2 hours or until fully chilled and the filling has firmed up.
(Optional) Berry topping:
- While the cheesecakes chill in the fridge, prep the berry topping. Wash and drain the fruits you want to use (I used a mix of strawberries, blackberries, and blueberries). If using a larger fruit like strawberries, cut them into slices beforehand. Blueberries have a tougher skin and won't soften as much as other berries - so I would always use them in a mix with a softer flesh berry for best results.
- In a medium bowl, drop in all the berry topping ingredients and toss to combine. If you're using more ripe / sweeter berries, use 2 tablespoons of sugar. For less ripe, use 3 tablespoons.
- Set the berries aside for 30 minutes or up to 2 hours at room temperature to allow the sugar to draw out moisture and soften the berries. The longer the fruits sit, the softer they'll get. The sugar should fully dissolve and you should be left with a sweet berry syrup at the bottom of your bowl and slightly softened fruits.
- Spoon a generous scoop of the sweet berries and some of the syrup on top of each cheesecake then serve!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Cheesecakes
Enjoy!
Elizabeth says
This recipes is so easy and the result is delicious mini cheesecakes, my family loves them 😋
Mimi says
Hey Elizabeth! I'm so happy everyone liked the recipe! ❤️🤗