Mini Cheesecakes

Indulge in our Mini Cheesecakes with a crisp graham crust, creamy filling, and a glossy strawberry topping. Easy to make and perfect for customizing with your favorite garnishes, from berries to chocolate.

We love mini desserts! Next, try these: Mini Fruit Tarts, Brownie Bites, or Mini Cookie Dough Cups. Try these next: Mini Fruit Tart, Brownie Bites, or Cookie Dough Cups.

Mini Cheesecakes

I’m a huge fan of various flavored cheesecakes, but sometimes a perfectly simple vanilla one is just what you need. These Mini Cheesecakes embody everything a great cheesecake should be: smooth, creamy, sweet with that classic hint of tartness. A perfect cheesecake requires a crust that complements without overshadowing, adding the right texture and flavor. The cheesecake itself must be rich and velvety, yet not overly thick or heavy.

I can assure you, these Mini Cheesecakes tick all those boxes; they’re one of our all-time favorite desserts!

Ingredients In Mini Cheesecakes

Graham Cracker Crust

• Graham cracker crumbs create a sweet, crunchy base.
• Sugar enhances the sweetness.
• Melted butter solidifies the crust.

Vanilla Bean Cheesecake Filling

• Cream cheese offers richness and tang.
• Sugar sweetens and balances the tang.
• Sour cream adds smoothness and a hint of tang.
• Vanilla adds warm flavor.
• Flour ensures a dense, smooth texture.
• Eggs provide structure and creaminess.

How To Make Mini Cheesecakes

QUICK TIP

Be sure to take the cheesecakes out of the muffin tins before adding the topping. Gooey toppings can slip and slide as you lift the cakes out after you’re done. Take them out of the pan when cool, and top while they’re on a platter or counter.

FAQs

How Do You Know When Mini Cheesecakes Are Done?

When cheesecakes are cooked through, they are firm with a very slight jiggle in the center. This recipe contains a special method for baking the cheesecakes to be perfectly cooked through.

We bake the cheesecakes for 13 minutes, turn off the oven, and let them stand for 10 more minutes. The oven door is then cracked open while the cheesecakes cool for 25 minutes. Finally, they stand at room temperature until completely cooled. Using this method, you can rest assured these miniature cheesecakes will be cooked through. 

How Do You Keep Mini Cheesecakes From Sinking?

Sinking happens when there are rapid changes in cheesecake temperature, resulting in a hollow spot, right in the center of the cake. Keep the sinking at bay by very slowly cooling these cheesecakes to room temperature and then chilling for a few hours before eating.

The flour in this recipe also helps to keep the cheesecakes from sinking.

How Long Do Mini Cheesecakes Stay Fresh?

These cheesecakes will stay good for up to 5 days, covered tightly, in the fridge.

How Do You Use A Mini Cheesecake Pan?

While mini cheesecake pans are great, I recommend using a regular-sized muffin tin instead. It’s more likely that you’ll already have a muffin tin than a mini cheesecake pan, and that way you aren’t having to buy and store additional pans. A muffin tin (lined with muffin liners) works exceptionally well when making Mini Cheesecakes!

Mini Cheesecake Tips

• Start with room-temperature cream cheese for a smoother, lump-free batter and avoid overbeating.
• Use room-temperature sour cream and eggs to ensure even mixing with minimal effort.
• Mix the batter gently to prevent excess air, which can cause the cheesecakes to crack.
• Cool the cheesecakes at room temperature to prevent cracking or condensation from rapid temperature changes.

More Delicious Cheesecake Recipes

• The best Chocolate Cheesecake with a chocolate ganache
• Mini Oreo Cheesecakes with an Oreo crust
• Mini Cinnamon Roll Cheesecakes reader favorite recipe!
• Caramel Apple Cheesecake with caramel
• Mini Blueberry Cheesecakes with a hint of lemon

FOLLOW ALONG! Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates, recipes and content.

Mini Cheesecakes

5 from 5 votes

- Review this recipe

The best Mini Cheesecakes start with a sweet graham cracker crust, then thick cheesecake filling, and a delicious strawberry sauce topping. These cheesecakes are easy to make with detailed step-by-step instructions. Top these cheesecakes however you'd like -- with fresh berries, crushed Oreo cookies or candies, salted caramel sauce, or a chocolate ganache.

SAVE TO RECIPE BOX

Print Recipe

Mini Cheesecakes

5 from 5 votes

- Review this recipe

SAVE TO RECIPE BOX

Print Recipe

The best Mini Cheesecakes start with a sweet graham cracker crust, then thick cheesecake filling, and a delicious strawberry sauce topping. These cheesecakes are easy to make with detailed step-by-step instructions. Top these cheesecakes however you'd like -- with fresh berries, crushed Oreo cookies or candies, salted caramel sauce, or a chocolate ganache.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword mini cheesecakes

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 18 minutes minutes

Chilling Time 3 hours hours 35 minutes minutes

Total Time 4 hours hours 18 minutes minutes

Servings 12 miniature cheesecakes

Chelsea Lords

Calories 225kcal

Author Chelsea Lords

Cost $4.27

Ingredients

Graham Cracker Crust

• ▢ 1 cup graham cracker crumbs (7 sheets)
• ▢ 1 tablespoon white granulated sugar
• ▢ 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Vanilla Bean Cheesecake Filling

• ▢ 1 ½ packages (12 ounces total) brick-style full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature (See Note 1)
• ▢ ½ cup white granulated sugar
• ▢ ½ cup full fat sour cream, at room temperature
• ▢ 1 vanilla bean (OR 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste, or 1/2 tablespoon pure vanilla extract)
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
• ▢ ⅛ cup (2 tablespoons) white flour
• ▢ 2 large eggs, at room temperature

Strawberry Topping

• ▢ 1 cup fresh strawberries, stems removed and coarsely chopped
• ▢ 2 teaspoons white granulated sugar
• ▢ 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• ▢ Optional: fresh strawberries to top the cheesecakes with

US - Metric

USMetric

Instructions

CRUST

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line a 12-cavity (regular-size) muffin/cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
• Combine the graham cracker crumbs, white sugar, and melted (but not hot) butter. Divide the mixture between 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 and 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 the heat to 300 degrees F.
• In a large bowl, combine the 12 ounces cream cheese and ½ cup white 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 ½ cup sour cream, vanilla bean seeds (or paste or extract), and ⅛ teaspoon sea salt. Beat on low speed until completely combined.
• Scrape down the sides and add in the 2 tablespoons white flour. Beat on low speed until combined. Add the first egg and make sure to beat until the egg is completely incorporated. Add the second egg and again, still beating slowly, beat until combined.
• Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake liners and nearly to the top. Disperse all of the batter evenly between 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 an place on the counter at room temperature. We are slowly lowering 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 1 cup coarsely chopped strawberries, 2 tablespoons white sugar, and 1 teaspoon lemon juice to a small saucepan. Simmer on low for 10 minutes, mashing up 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.
• SERVE: 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

Recipe Notes

Note 1: Cream cheese: 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 and the batter doesn’t mix as nicely. With cold cream cheese, there is also a temptation to over-beat the batter which will cause it to rise and fall

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 12g | Calories: 225kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 175mg | Potassium: 94mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 545IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 1mg

We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed.

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?

I love hearing from you when you've made one of my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @ChelseasMessyApron or leave me a comment below.