Mini Cheesecakes

4.15 from 35 votes

Bite-sized cheesecakes are the perfect size to add to a dessert table or for a small sweet treat at the end of a meal. Make them up to 4 days ahead.

For the smoothest cheesecakes, be sure to let the cream cheese soften and the sour cream come to room temperature before starting the recipe.

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Total Time30

Course: Dessert

Keyword: bite sized desserts, cheesecake, dessert, mini dessert

Servings:

Author: Jess Smith via Inquiring Chef

Cost: $4.00

Equipment

Mini Muffin Tin
Food Processor

Ingredients

Graham Cracker Crust

4 ounces Graham Crackers (about 8 graham crackers)
3 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon Granulated Sugar

Cheesecake Filling

1 8-ounce package Cream Cheese, softened
1/4 cup Sour Cream, room temperature
1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
1 large Egg
1/2 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract

Instructions

Before getting started, be sure that the cream cheese is very soft and the sour cream is room temperature. That’s the best way to insure that you get a smooth, even cheesecake with no cracks or lumps.
Preheat oven to 325F degrees.
Line a mini muffin tin with liners. (Note: You can use nonstick cooking spray instead of muffin liners, but the muffin liners make these much easier to remove from the pan.)
In the bowl of a food processor, pulse together the graham crackers, melted butter, and ½ tsp sugar until the mixture resembles wet sand. Divide crust between spaces in the mini muffin tin and gently press it down using the back of a spoon or your fingers. You should just have a thin layer of crust in each tin.
Wipe out the bowl of the food processor and then combine cream cheese, sour cream, and ½ cup sugar in the food processor. Blend until very smooth. Add egg and vanilla and blend just until the egg is fully incorporated (don’t overmix once the egg has been added or you will get light and fluffy, rather than creamy cheesecakes).
Spoon cheesecake filling over the crusts, filling each space to just below the top.
Bake until the cheesecakes are set and the edges are just barely beginning to brown, 15 to 18 minutes.
Allow cheesecakes to cool completely in the pan.
Refrigerate cheesecakes before serving. (They can be made up to 4 days ahead and stored in an airtight container in the fridge.)

Notes

Cream cheese - Be sure to use the regular (not low-fat) cream cheese sold in a block, not in a tub. If your cream cheese is cold, slice it into quarters and use the defrost setting on the microwave until it is soft.

Decorating Cheesecakes - If you’d like to decorate the cheesecakes, try topping them with a bit of whipped cream and a cherry, raspberry, sprinkles, or grated chocolate.

Nutrition