This Mini Cheesecake Recipe is a top choice for serving the perfect dessert at any gathering. Yielding about 8 individual cheesecakes, it’s ideal for small get-togethers but can easily be scaled up for larger gatherings. This recipe yields the creamiest, most delightful mini treats that are easily customizable, allowing you (or your guests) to top them with an assortment of favorite toppings.
The Best Mini Cheesecake Recipe
This mini cheesecake recipe is the best choice for any event because it effortlessly combines convenience, versatility, and ease of preparation. It yields about 8 portioned cheesecakes, ideal for small gatherings or easily adjustable for larger crowds. This recipe also eliminates the need for a water bath, simplifying the baking process while ensuring smooth, creamy results. Whether you or your guests prefer fresh fruit, chocolate ganache, caramel sauce, or fruit jams, these mini cheesecakes can be customized to suit diverse tastes and preferences, making them a fun, interactive dessert option, which allows for personalization. Additionally, individual servings mean easy cleanup, making this recipe a standout for stress-free hosting.
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Ingredients Needed for this Mini Cheesecake Recipe
Cream Cheese Filling
Cream Cheese: Use room temperature cream cheese
Egg: Use one large at room temperature
Granulated Sugar: Adds sweetness
Yogurt: Use full fat yogurt (or sour cream). I should be at room temperature.
Vanilla Bean Paste: I like to use vanilla bean paste, but you can also use vanilla extract as a substitute.
Lemon Juice and Zest: This is optional, but I highly recommended if you anticipate adding fruit toppings to the cheesecake.
Crust
Graham Crackers: I used about 5 1/2 of full sheets of graham crackers and ground them until crumbs.
Butter: Use melted, unsalted butter.
Granulated Sugar: Adds a bit of sweetness to the crust.
How to Make This Mini Cheesecake Recipe
Make Crust
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 325F. Prepare a 12-count muffin pan and line 8 muffin tins with paper muffin liners. Set aside.
Step 2: Place your cookies in a food processor or blender and grind them until they are fine crumbs. Alternatively, you can put your cookies in a gallon-size plastic bag and crush the cookies with a rolling pin until fine.
Step 3: Place your graham cracker crumbs in a medium bowl. Add your sugar and melted butter. Mix until well combined. Then, evenly scoop the crumbs in each lined cups (about 1.5 tablespoon each) in the pre-lined cups (note, the picture shows 12 cups filled, but only about 8 cups should be filled). Next, bake the cups for about 5-7 minutes. Once done. Remove from the oven and set aside.
Make Cream Cheese Filling
Step 4: In a large bowl, blend your cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar and beat until well incorporated. Add the vanilla, lemon juice and zest, yogurt, and egg. Blend until well combined. Scrap the sides of the mixing bowl with a rubber spatula to ensure all of the filling is incorporated and well mixed.
Step 5: Next, evenly divide the filling into the muffin holes. The batter will not rise much, so you can fill them close to the top. Next, bake the mini cheesecakes in the preheated oven for about 18-20 minutes or until the mini cheesecakes are set on the edges and still a bit wobbly in the middle. Do not over bake.
Step 6: Remove the mini cheesecakes from the oven and let cool on the counter for at least 45 minutes. Then, cool in the refrigerator uncovered for at least 1.5 hours.
Step 7: Once the cheesecakes are cooled, top them with homemade whipped cream and assorted berries or your favorite toppings (e.g., chocolate sauce, caramel, fruits jams, etc.). Then, enjoy!
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Can I use a different pan instead of a muffin tin?
I hope you love this Mini Cheesecake Recipe! It’s versatile, simple, and absolutely delicious! If you do give this recipe a try, I want to know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo & tag @butterloveandsalt on INSTAGRAM. Your reviews help support Butter, Love & Salt and make it possible for me to continue to create delicious recipes.
Easy Mini Cheesecake Recipe
Ingredients
Cream Cheese Filling
- 8 oz cream cheese 1 block, room temperature
- 1 large eggs room temperature
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup full fat yogurt room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 1 tsp lemon juice optional (recommended if adding fruit toppings)
- 1/2 tsp lemon zest optional (recommend if adding fruit toppings)
Crust
- 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs about 4-5 full sheets of crackers
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter melted
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
Instructions
Make your Crust
- Preheat the oven to 325F. Prepare a 12-count muffin pan and line with paper muffin liners. Set aside.
- Place your cookies in a food processor or blender and grind them until they are fine crumbs. Alternatively, you can put your cookies in a gallon-size plastic bag and crush the cookies with a rolling pin until fine.
- Place your graham cracker crumbs in a medium bowl. Add your sugar and melted butter. Mix until well combined. Then, evenly scoop the crumbs in each lined cups (about 1.5 tablespoon each). Note, only about 8 cups will be filled. Next, bake the cups for about 5-7 minutes. Once done. Remove from the oven and set aside.
Make Cream Cheese Filling
- In a large bowl, blend your cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar and beat until well incorporated. Add the vanilla, lemon juice and zest, yogurt, and egg. Blend until well combined. Scrap the sides of the mixing bowl with a rubber spatula to ensure all of the filling is incorporated and well mixed.
- Next, evenly divide the filling into the muffin holes. The batter will not rise much, so you can fill them close to the top. Next, bake the mini cheesecakes in the preheated oven for about 18-20 minutes or until the mini cheesecakes are set on the edges and still a bit wobbly in the middle. Do not over bake.
- Remove the mini cheesecakes from the oven and let cool on the counter for about 45 minutes. Then, place the mini cheesecakes in the refrigerator and let them and cool for at least 1.5 hours.
- Once the cheesecakes are cooled, top them with homemade whipped cream and assorted berries or your favorite toppings. Then, enjoy!
Notes
- Use room temperature ingredients to ensure you don’t have cracks.
- Don’t overcook your mini cheesecakes — they should still have a slight jiggle in the center when you take them out to cool.
- I prefer use lemon juice and zest when I intend to eat the cheesecake plain or with fruit-based toppings. If using caramel or chocolate, I tend to not use lemon juice or zest.
Nutritional Information
Recipe by: Chavez Adams / Butter, Love & Salt | Photography by: Jess Gaertner
If you are looking for a dessert that is indulgent, a crowd pleaser, and has perfectly written instructions, look no further. These mini cheesecakes are divine and so easy to make! We first made them for a Mother’s Day dinner but have made multiple batches now as they were such a hit. They’re very versatile with seemingly limitless options for toppings, easy to store, and no cheesecake cutting is involved. I’m a cheesecake novice and not one of mine cracked. Hot tip-if you want them to be gluten free, use the simple mill GF cinnamon cookies as the base. They are delicious. The only thing I would say, is go ahead and double the batch from the start! Everyone will want more than one. ☺️
Thank you so much for the review! And I agree — you definitely need to make twice the amount lol! So glad these were a hit! 🙂
If you are looking for a dessert recipe that is decadent, delicious, and super simple but will impress a crowd, look no further! I made these mini cheesecakes for Mother’s Day and they were to die for. People loved them so much that my aunt made the recipe just 2 days later for a birthday dessert! The recipe is super simple and spot on with measurements. They’re incredibly versatile with all the toppings that could go on them, easy to make GF if you use the right base, (I recommend the simple mill cinnamon cookies,) and are guaranteed to please any crowd. The only suggestion I have is to double the batch because everyone will want more than one!
These mini cheesecakes are easy and delicious!! I’ve made them twice and both times they’ve stolen the show. I like to add the passion fruit glaze from the passion fruit cheesecake on the site. Chef’s kiss!
So glad you love this recipe! Pro tip, you can also add a bit of passionfruit juice in the actual cheesecake filling to replicate the passionfruit cheesecake on my site. Thanks for the comment!