A simple recipe for the best-tasting Mini Cheesecakes you’ve ever tried! This easy recipe can be thrown together in under 30 minutes and is less fussy than making a traditional full-sized cheesecake! Recipe includes a how-to video!
Mini Cheesecakes: An Easy and Foolproof Recipe
While most of us love a great classic cheesecake recipe, making one does have some drawbacks. Traditional, non-mini versions can be a little fussy. They take a long time to bake (over an hour), some of them require a messy water bath (mine does not!) and they take a long time to cool (at least 6 hours!). You have to worry about cracks and your springform pan leaking and while I’d never say that it isn’t worth the effort, sometimes you just want something easier.
Mini cheesecakes are much simpler. Baked into cupcake or muffin tins (as opposed to a springform pan), they need less than 20 minutes in the oven and require less than half the time of their full-sized counterparts to cool. This recipe is based off of my beloved cheesecake recipe but it takes less than half the time to make.
Quick and easy, creamy, sweet with a subtle tang, and just all around delicious, these mini cheesecakes are every bit as satisfying as a full-sized one.
A Few Tips For Making Mini Cheesecakes
- I used my graham cracker crust for this recipe, but you can change things up and use an Oreo crust instead. Just cut the recipe in half for 12 mini cheesecakes.
- Want even more chocolate? Toss a few mini chocolate chips or broken Oreo pieces into the batter for chocolate chip or Oreo versions!
- This recipe makes 12 mini cheesecakes, but it can certainly be doubled to make 24.
- Do NOT over-bake your mini cheesecakes! This is the easiest way to ruin any cheesecake, if it spends too much time in the oven the texture will be dry, mealy and even crumbly. We want smooth and creamy! Watch your cheesecake carefully, make sure your oven temperature is accurate (I keep two inexpensive oven thermometers in my oven at all times) and check your cheesecakes early. I usually check mine at 17 minutes. They’re done baking when the centers bounce back to the touch and the edges may be a light golden brown.
How to Store Mini Cheesecakes
You’ll want to store these mini desserts in the refrigerator, preferably in an airtight container (so they don’t absorb any odors from your fridge). They’ll keep in the refrigerator for up to a week.
If you’d like you can freeze them! Follow the instructions for cooling the cheesecake and chilling in the refrigerator (as instructed in the recipe) first, and then freeze (wrap them up or keep them in an airtight container). Mini cheesecakes will keep in the freezer for several months.
Easy Topping Options
Here are a few of my favorite toppings for mini cheesecake (and for regular cheesecakes, now that I think of it).
- Homemade whipped cream and fresh fruit
- Chocolate Ganache (with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt for good measure!)
- Blueberry Sauce (or just about any fruit sauce)
- Homemade Caramel Sauce
Or you can just enjoy them plain! I love a good topping, but these mini cheesecakes are perfectly fine served as-is, no topping necessary.
Enjoy!
Other Recipes You Might Like:
Mini Cheesecakes
Ingredients
Graham cracker crust:
- ¾ cup graham cracker crumbs (85g)
- 1 ½ Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 4 Tablespoons salted butter melted
Mini Cheesecakes:
- 16 oz softened cream cheese (455g)
- ½ cup sugar (100g)
- ½ cup sour cream (80g)
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten, room temperature preferred
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325F (160C) and line a 12-count muffin tin with paper liners. Set aside.
- In a medium-sized bowl stir together graham cracker crumbs and 1 ½ Tablespoons sugar. Add melted butter and stir again until ingredients are moistened and completely combined.
- Portion about 2-3 teaspoons of the crust mixture into each liner in your prepared muffin tin. Use a spoon or the (clean) bottom of a ¼ cup measuring cup to tamp down crumbs so they are evenly packed into the bottom of each liner. Set aside while you prepare your mini cheesecake filling.
Cheesecake
- Place cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large bowl and use an electric mixer) and stir on low speed until smooth and creamy (don’t whip the cream cheese or excessively beat it, you don’t want to incorporate too much air into the batter).
- Add sugar and stir again until well-combined.
- Add sour cream, vanilla extract, and salt. Stir until ingredients are well-combined, pausing occasionally to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl so there are no lumps.
- Gradually add eggs, one at a time, until just incorporated. Keep the mixer on low-speed and do not over-beat. Once again scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and stir on low-speed once more to ensure ingredients are completely combined.
- Evenly divide batter into muffin tin liners (I like to use an ice cream scoop with a lever release to do this, just makes it easy!).
- Transfer to 325F (160C) oven and bake for 17-20 minutes or until edges are just beginning to turn a very light golden brown and centers are set. Do not over-bake or the texture will be dry and mealy.
- Allow cheesecakes to cool completely to room temperature and then gently remove each mini cheesecake from muffin tin. Transfer to refrigerator and chill completely (about 2-3 hours) before serving.
- If desired, top with whipped cream, strawberry sauce, blueberry sauce, or chocolate ganache!
Notes
Nutrition
Treat yourself to a FREE E-BOOK!
Carolynn Beatty
Hi Sam, I followed the recipe and they sank in the middle, I didnt bear them hard as you stated. What did I do wrong
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Carolynn! We’re so sorry your cheesecakes sank 🙁 It sounds like the batter may have been overmixed. Next time, you want to make sure you mix the ingredients only as much as it takes to make the batter smooth. Over-mixing incorporates too much air, which makes the cheesecake rise during baking, then collapse as it cools. Another cause could be taking them out of the oven before they’re fully done. Make sure the centers are fully set before you take them out. We hope they still tasted good regardless of the sunken middles! ❤️
Brenda
Hi Sam do you think there would be a way to make these into miniature pumpkin cheesecakes?
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Brenda! We suggest trying our Mini Pumpkin Pie Cheesecakes instead. We hope you love them! 😊
Madeleine
Hi!! i made these last night and a couple months ago and i really like the recipe!! my only concern/comment is that both times i made it, it took a lot longer than 17-22 minutes to make. like 35-40 at the least. i’ve only made cheesecake twice (using this recipe both times) and i’ve just been saying that it’s done when i stick a toothpick in it and it comes out clean. is that still the ‘rule’ when making cheesecake? or is it supposed to be like that? anyway, great recipe!!
Sam
Hi Madeleine! You don’t want to use a toothpick test. I would try baking them the recommended time. The centers should appear set. I think you’ll like them even more. 🙂
Gerb
HI, Is there a way to make these chocolate cheesecakes?
Sam
Hi Gerb! I’d use my chocolate cheesecake recipe then bake according to the directions here. You’ll get approximately 24 mini cheesecakes if you follow that recipe. I hope that helps!
B
Hey Sam, can I sub the sour cream with plain yoghurt?
Sam
I would recommend plain greek yogurt. 🙂
Betty
How do I keep cheesecake from falling in the middle when I take them out of the oven?
Sam
Hi Betty! Make sure to take care not to overmix your batter and make sure they are fully cooked before removing from the oven. 🙂
Maribel Perez
Hello, if I double the recipe is the baking time still the same?
Sam
Hi Maribel! If you bake both of the tins at the same time you may need a few extra minutes in the oven. Enjoy!
Nayy
Hi Sam, I plan on making these next month I was wondering if you’ve ever made these cheesecakes with lemon zest or do you think they’ll taste to overpowered? Also I saw a trick on using a tbsp of flour to the cheesecake batter to reduce risk of cracks & thickens the batter slightly what’s your thoughts on that?
Sam
Hi Nayy! I haven’t made with lemon zest but I think you could add a bit and it would be fine. I do not recommend adding flour, I’ve never had an issue with these cheesecakes cracking and have personally found that adding flour also adds an unwelcome and unpleasant consistency to the texture. I hope that helps!
Nayy
Thank you Sam I’ll just make them exactly how the recipe is written I’ll also be adding a few drops of raspberry in them to create swirled cheesecakes. Thanks again! 😊
Bruce
I made these last night, and they are great, as expected. I used the shortbread crust I always use for cheesecake, but its flavor was too strong for these little guys, so I’ll get some graham crackers next time. The sour cream adds a welcome tang, and is the right amount to allow the filling to remain firm enough for eating out of hand. Another winning Sugar Spun recipe!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed them so much, Bruce! 🙂