Mini Cheesecake

Need a finger food-style dessert for a party? This recipe bakes up nine silky-smooth, decadent mini cheesecakes, each topped with a swirl of jam. The individual servings let guests grab and nosh on cheesecake as they please, without having to make messy cuts from one huge cheesecake all night. Feel free to omit the jam to swap in any of your favorite toppings, extracts or mix-ins if you want to go in a different flavor direction. Let your creativity shine—this easy mini cheesecake recipe is the perfect canvas!

Mini Cheesecake Ingredients

• Graham cracker crumbs: The easiest way to make graham cracker crumbs is by pulsing graham crackers in a food processor. Another trick is to tightly close them in a resealable bag and whack them with a rolling pin.
• Butter: A little bit of melted butter adheres the graham cracker crumbs together.
• Cream cheese: One of the most important cheesecake tips to remember is to use room-temperature ingredients. The cream cheese must be softened so it whips up and doesn’t leave any lingering lumps in the batter.
• Sugar: You’ll need only 1/3 cup granulated sugar. Do not substitute brown sugar or you’ll discolor the cheesecake filling.
• Vanilla extract: Feel free to use either vanilla extract or vanilla paste for this easy mini cheesecake recipe. I personally love using vanilla paste for custardy desserts!
• Egg: You’ll need one room-temperature egg to bind the cheesecake ingredients.
• Jams: Top these mini cheesecakes with your favorite jams. From the classics like strawberry and blueberry to specialty jam recipes like cherry rhubarb jam or carrot cake jam, these mini cheesecakes can handle them all.

Directions

Step 1: Mix the graham cracker crust

Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a small bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs and melted butter.

Step 2: Spoon into nine muffin tins

Place paper liners in nine muffin cups. Divide the mixture evenly among the nine cups and gently press the crumbs down.

Editor’s Tip: I like to use my smallest measuring cup for this step. Don’t press the crumbs in too much though or it will be too difficult to bite into later.

Step 3: Whip up the cheesecake filling

In another small bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Add the egg, and beat on low speed just until combined.

Step 4: Pour over the graham cracker crusts

Divide the mixture evenly over the graham cracker crusts.

Step 5: Bake and chill

Bake the cheesecakes until the centers are set, 15 to 16 minutes. Cool the cheesecakes at room temperature for 10 minutes. Remove them from the pan and place them on a wire rack to cool completely to room temp. Refrigerate the cheesecakes for at least one hour.

Step 6: Top with jam

Remove the paper liners from the easy mini cheesecakes. Top each cheesecake with 1 teaspoon of your preferred jam.

Recipe Variations

• Try another crumb crust: We opt for a classic cheesecake graham cracker crust here, but you can use almost any other crumb crust ingredients. Try traditional Nilla wafers or shortbread, or something crazier like chopped pretzels or even ice cream cone pieces. The vanilla and jam flavors of this mini cheesecake dessert recipe pair with almost anything.
• Swirl the jam into the cheesecakes: Once the cheesecake batter is portioned out, feel free to scoop the jam on top and swirl it into the batter so the jam bakes right in.
• Flavor with extracts and mix-ins: Without the jam, this mini cheesecake dessert recipe is the perfect blank canvas for your favorite flavorings. Slip in extract flavors like coffee, coconut, rum, lemon, orange, amaretto, butter or peppermint. Include mix-ins like fresh raspberries, chopped Reese’s or Oreos, mini M&Ms, mini chocolate chips or toffee pieces.
• Finish with your favorite toppings: No need to stick with jam here. Nutella or Biscoff spread, canned fruit pie filling, lemon curd, passionfruit curd or homemade whipped cream with a cherry on top are all perfect mini cheesecake toppings.

How to Store Mini Cheesecake

Store leftover mini cheesecakes in an airtight container. Try to avoid stacking them so you don’t smudge the toppings. The cheesecakes can be kept in the fridge for up to four days. A quick food safety reminder: Do not leave these mini cheesecakes out at room temperature for more than two hours.

Can you freeze mini cheesecake?

Yes, you can freeze mini cheesecakes. Once the cheesecakes have cooled completely to room temperature, place them in an airtight, freezer-safe container. They can be frozen for up to two months. Let them thaw overnight in the fridge or at room temperature for one hour.

Mini Cheesecake Tips

How do you make sure the mini cheesecakes do not sink in the middle after baking?

As with all cheesecake recipes, there are a few tricks to ensure your cheesecake doesn’t fall after baking. First, do not overmix the egg in the cheesecake batter. Doing so can introduce too much air into the batter, which will make the cheesecakes rise and fall when baked.

Second, practice patience and allow the cheesecakes to cool to room temperature once they’re out of the oven. They will sink in the middle if you immediately stash them in the refrigerator after baking.

Do you have to use paper liners?

You don’t have to use paper liners, but we highly recommend doing so. The cheesecakes are much easier to remove from the tins individually with liners on them. If you forgo the liners and grease the muffin tins instead, use a mini offset spatula to fish them out of the muffin cups. Otherwise, you’ll have to turn the mini cheesecakes out all at once, which may break them.

Can you make these mini cheesecakes in a mini cupcake pan?

Yes, which will turn them into mini mini cheesecakes! Line a 24-cup mini muffin pan with mini liners and disperse the crust and filling among them evenly. Start with a bake time of nine minutes and increase as needed.