Mini Cheesecakes

Have you ever craved cheesecake, but didn’t feel like baking an entire full size cheesecake from scratch? Sometimes you just don’t have the time or patience it takes to bake and chill a cheesecake. This is where these simple (and, so cute!) mini cheesecakes come to the rescue! They are a great option for those cheesecake cravings, but also provide a very fun way to fancy up any occasion.

These bite-sized versions give you a great way to get your cheesecake fix at any time of the day! Just pull one out for easy cheesecake for one (or two, or three)… 🙂

Things to Know Upfront/Quick Tips

• You will need paper cupcake liners and a cupcake pan.
• Be prepared to allow yourself a few hours after baking for the cheesecakes to cool and refrigerate before serving.

What You Need

Crust Ingredients:

• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted)
• 2 tablespoons sugar

Cheesecake Ingredients:

• 16 ounces cream cheese, softened
• ½ cup sour cream
• ¼ cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Strawberry Topping Ingredients:

• 1 cup strawberries, halved
• ½ teaspoon lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons granulated sugar

Step By Step

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Crust:

1. Grab your muffin/cupcake pan and line it with paper liners.
2. Combine the graham cracker crumbs, butter and sugar. Divide mixture into each cupcake liner evenly.
3. Bake the crust for 5-8 minutes. Crust should be nice and golden in color.
4. Take crust out of the oven and allow to cool completely.

Cheesecake:

1. Beat the cream cheese alone with a hand mixer or in a stand mixer.
2. Add the sour cream, eggs, sugar and vanilla extract. Mix until everything is combined. I made sure to do this for awhile (approx. 5 minutes) to make sure my filling was nice and smooth/fluffy.
3. Pour the mixture into muffin tin on top of the crust. Fill almost all the way to the top.
4. Bake for 20 minutes or until they are set. They will still jiggle a little bit. Makes sure they do not crack or they are overcooked.
5. After baking allow to cool in the pan completely on the counter. After place in the refrigerator to chill for a couple hours or until firm.

Serve deliciously plain or with your favorite topping or sauce. Either way is delicious! Below is a quick recipe for a delicious strawberry sauce that is always my go-to topping for these. It never disappoints.

Strawberry Sauce:

1. Combine your strawberries, sugar, and lemon (if you prefer) in a sauce pan.
2. Heat/simmer for about 15-20 minutes until you are able to mash the strawberries.
3. Place in a food processor and chop/pulse until it mixed together and smooth.
4. Allow to cool in the refrigerator.

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