These Mini cheesecakes are smooth and tangy and the perfect dessert for any gathering! Top them with a variety of toppings and you will have a decadent treat everyone will love!
The tangy flavor of the cheesecake, paired with the buttery crust and sweet topping, make this one of my all-time favorite mini confection! They are great on your dessert platter alongside salted caramel peanut clusters, homemade fudge, and salted caramel cookie dough cups!
Delish Cheesecake Cupcakes
My kids love cupcakes, and while I enjoy a good cupcake, I prefer a little more grownup cupcake like these cheesecake cupcakes!
Cheesecake in any form is AMAZING! I especially love it when they are in mini or bite-size form! They are perfectly portioned and easy to freeze/ make ahead for any party or gathering!
I also love that I can make my basic cheesecake recipe and change it up in so many different ways! I can change the crust, the filling, and toppings without really changing the basic recipe!
How to Make Mini Cheesecakes
- Line a standard-size muffin tin with 12 paper liners, set aside and preheat your oven to 325 degrees.
- Then combine the melted butter, graham cracker crumbs, granulated sugar, and salt in a small mixing bowl. Mix until the crumbs are moist.
- Scoop 1 ½ tablespoons of the graham mixture into the bottom of each liner and press to create a firm, even crust. Bake for 6-8 minutes, then remove and allow to cool.
The Filling:
-
In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer), add the cream cheese, sugar and flour. Beat on medium speed for 3 minutes until smooth.
-
With mixing speed on low, gradually add the sour cream, heavy cream, and vanilla, Beat for 2 minutes on medium speed.
-
Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Beat for an additional minute on medium speed.
-
Divide the batter between the 12 muffin liners. They will be full, just make sure they have at least ⅛ inch of liner showing. Tap the pan on the counter 3 times. Place into the oven and bake for 24-26 minutes.
-
They will still look moist in the center but will set as they cool. Crack the door to the oven and allow the cheesecakes to rest for 10 minutes before transferring the pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
-
Chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving.
Pro Cheesecake Tips:
- Make sure the cream cheese and sour cream are at ROOM TEMPERATURE before adding them!! If they are not, you’ll end up with a chunky batter. (This usually takes about 2 hours).
- Make sure the eggs are room temperature as well. This also takes about 2 hours OR you can fill a small bowl with hot water (somewhere between lukewarm and hot from the tap) and allow the eggs to sit for 6-8 minutes
Cheesecake Filling + Flavor Variations
I love that I can make one recipe but have 3-4 different kinds of cheesecake cupcakes! All you have to do is take your basic cheesecake recipe and add different flavors to the crust, batter or topping! Here are some variation ideas:
Crust variations:
- Graham cracker
- vanilla wafers
- Oreos- chocolate or golden
- Gingersnap cookies
- Chocolate chip cookie dough
- Brownie batter
- Cupcake batter-if you would like to upgrade your cupcakes you can add a cheesecake layer. To do this: pour half of your batter in the liner, scoop your cheesecake batter, and then top with the remaining cupcake batter.
Filling variations:
- Oreo-Add crushed Oreos to the batter before baking
- Berries-Add diced berries to the batter before baking
- Red Velvet
- Pumpkin
- Chocolate
- Lemon
- No-Bake filling
Toppings:
- Whipped Cream
- Cream Cheese frosting
- Butter Cream Frosting
- Chocolate Sauce
- Salted Caramel Sauce
- Berries-blueberries, cherries, strawberries
- Nuts
- Sprinkles
- Crushed up candy bars
- Peanut Butter Sauce
- Nutella
Mini Cheesecake Recipe Storing Tips
Store cheesecake cupcakes the same way you store cheesecake. Keep them in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
Or freeze for 2-3 months in a freezer-safe container!
These are the perfect dessert for your next party or gathering! So simple to make and so versatile! I can’t wait to hear what variation you chose to do!
Other cheesecake recipes:
- Mini Mint Oreo Cheesecakes
- Mini Lemon Cheesecakes
- Mini Carrot Cake Cheesecakes
- Pecan Pie Cheesecake
- Mini Cranberry Orange Cheesecake
- No-Bake Strawberry Topped Cheesecake
Easy Mini Cheesecakes with Graham Cracker Crust Recipe
Recommended Products
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 5 tbsp unsalted butter - melted
- 1 c graham cracker crumbs
- 2 tbsp. granulated sugar
- pinch salt
For the Filling
- 12 oz. cream cheese - (1 ½ blocks) room temperature
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup sour cream - room temperature
- 1/4 cup heavy cream - room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract - or vanilla bean paste
- 2 eggs - room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (163 degrees Celsius). Line a standard-size muffin tin with 12 paper liners, and set aside.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the melted butter, graham cracker crumbs, granulated sugar, and salt. Mix until the crumbs are moist.
- Scoop 1 ½ tablespoons of the graham mixture into the bottom of each liner. Press to create a firm, even crust. Bake for 6-8 minutes, then remove and allow to cool.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer), add the cream cheese, sugar, and flour. Beat on medium speed for 3 minutes until smooth.
- With the mixing speed on low, gradually add the sour cream, heavy cream, and vanilla. Beat for 2 minutes on medium speed.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Beat for an additional minute on medium speed.
- Divide the cheesecake batter between the 12 muffin liners. They will be full, but make sure at least ⅛ inch of the liner is showing. Tap the pan on the counter 3 times. Place the pan into the oven and bake for 24-26 minutes. They will still look moist in the center but will set as they cool. Crack the oven door and allow the cheesecakes to rest for 10 minutes before transferring the pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving.
- Top with homemade whipped cream and a cherry or fresh fruit.
I just made this mini cheesecake recipe for the first time and it was a great success!! Thanks for the delicious
recipe!
These are so cute and bite sized! Perfect treat for the holidays!
Your tip about leaving the cream cheese out to soften is so helpful! Oh my goodness…I’ve made a number of dips where I don’t let the cream cheese soften and a number where it happens to soften as a consequence of the other stuff I’m doing. I never made the connection before! What a game changer! You better believe I’m going to be following this advice from now on! The cheesecakes are delightful by the way! Yummy little things!
One of our all time favorite desserts to make! We love adding strawberries to the top!
these are the best little treat!