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Stacked Mini Cheesecakes with berries and whipped cream.

Mini Cheesecakes

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Irresistibly creamy individual cheesecakes baked right in a muffin pan — perfectly portioned, endlessly toppable, and impossible to stop at just one.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Chill Time 2 hours 45 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 25 minutes
Servings: 12
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 265
Ingredients Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

Crust
  • 1 cup 120g graham cracker crumbs (from about 8 full graham cracker sheets crushed fine)
  • 2 tablespoons 25g granulated white sugar (adds just enough sweetness to balance the buttery crumbs)
  • 3 tablespoons 43g unsalted butter melted (binds the crust together; make sure it's fully melted not just softened)
Filling
  • 16 ounces 452g full-fat brick-style cream cheese softened to room temperature (must be brick-style not spreadable tub cream cheese — room temperature is critical for a lump-free batter)
  • ½ cup 100g granulated white sugar (sweetens the filling without making it cloying)
  • ¼ cup 60g full-fat sour cream, at room temperature (adds a subtle tang and keeps the texture ultra-creamy)
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract use pure not imitation for the cleanest flavor
  • 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice brightens the flavor and balances the richness of the cream cheese
  • 2 large eggs at room temperature adds structure to the filling; cold eggs can cause the batter to seize and curdle

Method
 

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C) and line a standard 12-count muffin pan with paper cupcake liners.
  2. In a medium bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter until the mixture resembles damp sand.
  3. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of the crumb mixture into each lined cup and press it down firmly using the back of a spoon or the flat bottom of a glass.
  4. Slide the pan into the preheated oven and bake the crusts for 6 minutes, then set aside while you prepare the filling.
  5. In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and sugar together on medium-high speed until completely smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes.
  6. Add the sour cream, vanilla extract, and lemon juice to the cream cheese mixture and beat until fully incorporated.
  7. Reduce mixer speed to medium and add the eggs one at a time, beating just until each egg disappears into the batter before adding the next do not overmix.
  8. Divide the batter evenly among the 12 lined cups, filling each one all the way to the top.
  9. Optional steam bath: Place a large metal roasting pan on the bottom oven rack and carefully pour about 1 inch of boiling water into it, then immediately place the muffin pan on the center rack and close the oven door to trap the steam.
  10. Bake the cheesecakes for 20 minutes, until the edges look set and the centers still have a slight jiggle when the pan is gently tapped.
  11. Remove the pan from the oven and set it on a wire rack to cool at room temperature for 45 minutes.
  12. Transfer the pan to the refrigerator and chill the cheesecakes for at least 2 hours, or up to 24 hours before serving loosely cover if chilling longer than 2 hours.
  13. When ready to serve, add your choice of toppings such as whipped cream, fresh berries, caramel sauce, or lemon curd, then plate and enjoy.

Nutrition

Serving: 95gCalories: 265kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 5gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 78mgSodium: 185mgPotassium: 95mgSugar: 16gVitamin A: 620IUCalcium: 65mgIron: 1mg

Notes

These little cheesecakes are the kind of thing you make for a party and somehow eat two before the guests arrive. The graham cracker base stays perfectly crisp, the filling is silky and just tart enough, and every topping you pile on top feels like a good decision. Make them a day ahead — they only get better.

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