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    Meals » Recipes » Desserts

    Mini Cheesecakes Recipe

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please see disclosure for more information. Published: Apr 29, 2022 by Dee

    Mini Cheesecakes with graham cracker crust and creamy filling are a simple bite sized dessert. This cheesecake recipe is easy and delicious. Top with your favorite fresh fruit or pie filling. via @meamel

    Mini Cheesecakes with graham cracker crust and creamy filling are baked in a muffin pan for a simple bite sized dessert. This cheesecake recipe is easy and delicious. Top with your favorite fresh fruit or pie filling for a delicious dessert the whole family will love!

    Jump to Recipe -
    mini cheesecakes with graham cracker crust and fresh strawberry topping

    These baked individual cheesecakes are perfect for holidays and entertaining and easy enough for an everyday dessert! You don't even need a special cheesecake pan -- a regular muffin tin or muffin pan will do!

    My little boy has always been obsessed with cheesecake. It started long ago when we were out for lunch, and I let him talk me into ordering a slice for dessert. Because it was so rich, we were able to divide one slice between four of us, and my son was hooked!

    He pestered me to make homemade cheesecake ever since that day, and I finally gave in  -- sort of. Instead of making a full cake, we made mini cheesecakes in a muffin tin. Even though I love making cheesecake in the Instant Pot, this method is even easier.

    mini cheesecakes with graham cracker crust topped with fresh strawberries on marble cake stand

    Ingredients

    You only need a few basic ingredients, plus a muffin tin and paper or parchment liners to make easy mini cheesecakes:

    • Cream cheese -- at room temperature
    • Sugar
    • Vanilla extract
    • Salt
    • Eggs -- at room temperature
    • Graham crackers
    • Butter -- I prefer salted butter

    Like the Philadelphia mini cheesecakes recipe, my mini cheesecake recipe does not include sour cream. I don't use sour cream in my regular cheesecakes either.

    How to Make Mini Cheesecakes

    First, make the graham cracker crust.Finely crush up graham crackers -- you can do this with a food processor or by putting graham crackers into a freezer bag and smashing them with a meat tenderizer or rolling pin.

    Add the crushed graham crackers to a large bowl and mix them with melted butter and sugar. They should be the consistency of wet sand.

    mix graham crackers, butter and sugar in mixing bowl

    Next, line a muffin tin with paper baking cups or cupcake liners. Spoon the graham crackers into the baking cups, and press to form an even layer.

    Bake the crusts for 5 minutes or until light golden brown. You can start on the cheesecake batter while you wait for them to cool.

    crushed graham crackers in muffin tin baking cups

    Use an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese and sugar until creamy and smooth. Then, add the vanilla and then, the eggs, one at a time. Don't over mix -- otherwise, the cheesecakes may turn lumpy.

    I let my little guy crack the eggs, which was brave of me. He did a good job, but I had to clean up the mess. Still, he's learning, and that's what counts!

    pour cheesecake filling over graham cracker crust in muffin tin

    Next, spoon the batter evenly over the crusts. The muffin cups should be about ¾ full.

    Bake Time

    The nice thing about making individual cheesecakes is that they don't take much time at all! Bake cheesecake minis for only take about 18 to 20 minutes.

    You can tell the cheesecakes are done when they are firm around the edges and slightly golden brown. The centers may be soft, but they shouldn't be super jiggly.

    baked individual mini cheesecakes in a muffin tin

    You'll want to refrigerate the cheesecakes for about 2 hours or until they firm up more. I usually let the muffin tin cool on the counter until it's cool enough to handle. Then, I pop it into the fridge for a couple of hours.

    To serve the cheesecakes, you'll want to carefully peel off the paper liners. Don't worry if they aren't perfect or if the centers of the cheesecakes sink in a little.

    You can fill these delicious mini cheesecakes with toppings, and nobody will care or notice!

    mini cheesecake with strawberries and whipped cream

    Variations

    There is no one way to enjoy these perfect mini cheesecakes -- customize these little guys however you want!

    Instead of the classic cheesecake graham cracker crust, crush vanilla wafers into fine crumbs with the crackers for a little extra sweetness. Or, smash up Oreos for a tasty Oreo crust.

    There's a variety of toppings for these little cheesecakes. Fruits are always a great option -- try sliced strawberries, macerated strawberries, fresh blueberries, lemon curd, kiwi slices, or cherry pie filling.

    Top your creamy mini cheesecakes with whipped cream, melted chocolate chips, chocolate ganache, peanut butter, or caramel sauce.

    individual cheesecake bites topped with strawberries

    How to Store

    Store your mini cheesecakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator, where they'll last for 3 to 4 days.

    I would recommend storing the cakes plain and without their toppings, and just adding toppings where you're ready to serve.

    This will keep things from potentially getting soggy.

    Recipe

    mini cheesecakes with graham cracker crust and fresh strawberry slices on top

    Mini Cheesecakes

    Published by Dee
    Mini Cheesecakes with graham cracker crust and creamy filling are baked in a muffin pan for a simple bite sized dessert. This cheesecake recipe is easy and delicious. Top with your favorite fresh fruit or pie filling.
    5 from 11 votes
    Print Recipe Share by Text Share by Email
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 25 minutes mins
    Total Time 35 minutes mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 12
    Calories 64 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    For the Crust

    • ⅔ cup crushed graham crackers
    • 1 tablespoon white sugar
    • 2 tablespoons melted butter

    For the Filling

    • 1 8-oz package plus 3 ounces softened cream cheese 11 ounces total
    • ¼ cup white sugar
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 2 eggs

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
    • Line a 12-cup muffin tin with parchment or paper baking cups

    For the Crust

    • Mix the melted butter with the crushed graham crackers and 1 tablespoon of sugar
    • Press about 1 tablespoon of the graham cracker crust mixture into each muffin cup, and bake for 5 minutes and set aside

    For the Filling

    • In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat the sugar and cream cheese until smooth and creamy
    • Add the vanilla extract
    • Beat in the eggs, one at a time until blended. Don't over mix
    • Pour the filling over the graham cracker crusts, and fill each muffin cup about ¾ full
    • Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until filling is firm
    • Remove from oven, and let cool, then cool in refrigerator for 2 hours. Top with fresh strawberries and whipped cream or your favorite topping.

    Notes

    Recipe requires about 25 total minutes to cook for crust and filling and 2 hours to chill before serving.
    Use a standard muffin tin for this recipe.

    Nutrition information is estimated. Please do your own calculation to fit special diets.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 64kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 1gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 32mgSodium: 52mgPotassium: 16mgSugar: 6gVitamin A: 100IUCalcium: 7mgIron: 0.3mg
    Tried this recipe? Please comment and rate it! Show me your dish on Instagram!Mention @meatloafandmelodrama or tag #meatloafandmelodrama!

    First published in 2016 and updated in 2022.

    This mini cheesecake recipe is the best way to get big cheesecake flavor in adorable little packaging! I hope you enjoy this fun, simple recipe as much as my family does!

    For more mini desserts, easy recipe ideas, and some of my favorite desserts ever, subscribe to the newsletter and follow me on social media! 

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    Reader Interactions

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Charlana L Brown says

      May 22, 2023 at 1:07 pm

      I have made these twice now, both times they were a big hit, making them for a bridal shower and for the wedding. Could these be made in the mini muffin pans?? Probably just have to adjust cooking time??5 stars

      Reply
      • Dee says

        May 22, 2023 at 8:19 pm

        I haven't tried mini muffin pans, but I am sure those would work with just a little less time in the oven. 🙂

    2. Kathy says

      April 08, 2023 at 9:18 am

      What a neat little dessert! Made these for company last week. Very easy and everyone loved them!5 stars

      Reply
    3. Nadia says

      October 29, 2022 at 5:26 am

      Could I make these in a silicone mould?

      Reply
      • Dee says

        October 29, 2022 at 3:35 pm

        I haven't tried it, but that should work.

    4. Brittany says

      May 10, 2022 at 9:21 pm

      I don’t usually comment on recipes but I just had to for this one! I made these adorable little cheesecakes for Mother’s Day and they were a hit! My mom loved them and they were really easy for me to make, which is good because I never bake. Loved this!5 stars

      Reply
    5. Betty says

      January 06, 2022 at 8:12 pm

      Found this one yesterday and we had all of the ingredients. Actually very simple to make. The grandkids loved the bite sized pieces. Making this often. Can't wait until fresh fruit comes back in season!5 stars

      Reply
    6. Jim says

      March 27, 2021 at 5:16 pm

      Made these yesterday. It was hard to wait for them t set up before eating them. Could eat a hundred!5 stars

      Reply
      • Dee says

        March 28, 2021 at 5:15 pm

        So glad you liked the mini cheesecakes, Jim. Thanks!

    7. Erin says

      April 03, 2020 at 3:03 pm

      I just made these and they were absolutely delicious! I didn’t have graham crackers, so I substituted them with Oreos and loved it! I definitely recommend making this recipe!5 stars

      Reply
      • Dee says

        April 04, 2020 at 3:55 pm

        Thank you so much, Erin. I'm glad you liked them -- I need to try Oreos next time!

    8. Kimberly swanson says

      August 22, 2018 at 12:51 pm

      These were perfect portion.... I made a cheesecake bar of options (cut up Reese’s,kit Kat’, strawberries, hot fudge and strawberry purée) was a hit!5 stars

      Reply
      • Dee says

        August 23, 2018 at 8:18 am

        That sounds wonderful, Kimberly! I need to try that next time. 🙂

    9. Kelly Y says

      April 07, 2018 at 2:37 pm

      A Delicious little recipe. I used light cream cheese and a strawberry puree to top it off and it was great!5 stars

      Reply
      • Dee says

        April 08, 2018 at 5:59 pm

        That sounds amazing! Thanks for letting me know. 🙂

    10. Tania says

      September 13, 2017 at 9:30 pm

      There's 1 tablespoon of white sugar mentioned but not where to put it? Is it supposed to go in the crust? Too late for that so hopefully they're sweet enough!

      Reply
      • Dee says

        September 14, 2017 at 9:17 am

        So sorry about that, Tania. I had some trouble when I changed recipe platforms, but I've updated the instructions. The tablespoon of sugar goes into the crust.

    11. Walking on Sunshine Recipes says

      April 29, 2016 at 8:01 am

      Thanks for joining our Delicious Dishes Recipe Party this week! Hope to see you again next Tuesday! Loved all the recipes you shared this week, but these cheesecakes look delicious!5 stars

      Reply
      • Dee says

        April 29, 2016 at 2:32 pm

        Thanks so much! I know I need to make these again. 🙂

    12. michelle @ blackberry babe says

      April 16, 2016 at 11:15 am

      These would be perfect for Mother's Day or a wedding shower! Love them!

      Reply
      • Dee says

        April 16, 2016 at 11:57 am

        Thanks, Michelle. I'm hoping my kids might make them for Mother's Day! 😉

    13. Deb @ Cooking on the Front Burner says

      April 16, 2016 at 6:14 am

      That's so sweet your little guy helped! These mini cakes look great!

      Reply
      • Dee says

        April 16, 2016 at 10:29 am

        Thanks, Deb. I'm trying to get the kids to help out in the kitchen more, and I guess my evil plan is working! 😉

    14. Miz Helen says

      April 15, 2016 at 4:58 pm

      I just love your yummy Mini Cheesecakes! Thanks so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday. Have a great weekend and come back soon!
      Miz Helen5 stars

      Reply
    15. Sandi (@fearless_dining) says

      April 15, 2016 at 4:49 pm

      I love these little cheesecake bites....these are perfect for a party.

      Reply
    16. Matthew From Nomageddon says

      April 15, 2016 at 3:00 pm

      Perfect for strawberry season!

      Reply
      • Dee says

        April 15, 2016 at 4:09 pm

        Strawberry season is probably my favorite! 🙂

    17. Katerina @ Diethood says

      April 15, 2016 at 2:44 pm

      I agree - it's all in the crust!! I love a good cheesecake bite. 😀

      Reply
      • Dee says

        April 15, 2016 at 4:07 pm

        Definitely! Soggy crusts just aren't good! 🙂

    18. Justine | Cooking and Beer says

      April 15, 2016 at 9:31 am

      These little cheesecakes are too cute, and love how simple they are!

      Reply
      • Dee says

        April 15, 2016 at 1:09 pm

        Thanks! They really are super simple. 🙂

    19. Lora @savoringitaly says

      April 15, 2016 at 9:28 am

      My son does that to me too with some desserts...if he saw these, this would be the one he wanted right away! These are so cute and look fantastic!

      Reply
      • Dee says

        April 15, 2016 at 1:11 pm

        My son loved them, and I'm happy he's satisfied for now! 🙂

    20. Morgan @ Morgan Manages Mommyhood says

      April 12, 2016 at 5:44 pm

      Cheesecake is my faaavorite - I love that this is portion controlled!

      Reply
      • Dee says

        April 13, 2016 at 12:26 pm

        We've been having them for dessert, and the kids can't complain about sizes not being equal! 🙂

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