Mini Cheesecakes
These Mini Cheesecakes feature a homemade graham cracker crust with a smooth and creamy cheesecake filling. This recipe is incredibly easy to make and includes several different topping options to use too!
If you’ve been following me for a while, then you know I adore mini desserts. From mini apple pies to mini lemon blueberry cheesecakes and mini pecan pies, I just can’t get enough of them!
Today’s mini cheesecake recipe is one of my favorite mini desserts because it’s so versatile. The graham cracker crust is incredibly simple to throw together and the cheesecake filling is super smooth and creamy. Plus, they only take about 25 minutes in the oven and you don’t have to mess with a water bath either.
You can leave these mini cheesecakes plain or top them with just about anything. This recipe will make 12 mini cheesecakes, but you can easily cut the recipe in half or double it if needed. I’ve even included seven different topping options for you to try on these too!
How To Make Mini Cheesecakes
To make these mini cheesecakes, you’ll start out with the graham cracker crust which is just a simple mixture of graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter. If you want to make this recipe even easier you can use store-bought graham cracker crumbs. Here’s how to make the crust:
- Stir together the ingredients: You’ll stir the graham cracker crumbs and sugar together until well combined, then stir in the melted butter until are all of the crumbs are moistened.
- Line your muffin pan with cupcake liners: This will make it easier to get the mini cheesecakes out of the pan and serve them too!
- Evenly distribute the mixture between the liners: I suggest using a measuring cup to firmly press the crust down into each liner.
- Bake for 5 minutes: Once the crust is done, remove the pan from the oven and set it aside while you prepare the filling.
Next, you’ll mix up the cheesecake filling which consists of cream cheese, sour cream, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and eggs.
- Cream Cheese: For the best flavor and texture, I recommend using full-fat cream cheese. Reduced-fat cream cheese will work too, but I don’t suggest using fat-free.
- Sour Cream: The sour cream helps to break up the thickness of the cream cheese and creates a creamier filling. You may substitute it for an equal amount of plain Greek yogurt if you don’t have any on hand.
- Sugar & Vanilla: There’s 1/2 cup of sugar to sweeten the mini cheesecake bites and some vanilla for flavor.
- Eggs: These help add structure to the mini cheesecakes.
To make the filling, you’ll mix the cream cheese and sour cream together until they’re well combined, then mix in the sugar and vanilla extract. It helps to stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl after each step. Once the first four ingredients are mixed together, you’ll mix in the eggs one at a time. I suggest mixing the eggs in on low speed until just combined. Overmixing the eggs can incorporate too much air into the cheesecake batter and cause them to crack.
Then, evenly distribute the filling on top of each crust and bake for about 17-20 minutes.
Once the mini cheesecakes are done baking, you’ll want to let them cool completely in the pan for about an hour. Once cooled, remove them from the pan and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for at least 3-4 hours or overnight.
FAQ’s
How do you know when they are done?
The tops of the mini cheesecakes will puff up in the oven and look set. The edges should be completely set, but the center will still be just a little bit jiggly. The cheesecakes will continue to set up as they cool and once they’re refrigerated.
Can you freeze them?
Yes, these will freeze really well! You can freeze them in a freezer bag/container for up to 3 months, just thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Can you use a mini cheesecake pan for this recipe?
Yes, a mini cheesecake pan will work just fine! Since the cavities are a little smaller than a muffin pan, I recommend making 16 instead of 12 with this recipe.
Different Topping Options
Here are a few of my favorite toppings to use on these mini cheesecakes:
- Homemade Whipped Cream
- Salted Caramel Sauce
- Chocolate Ganache
- Blueberry Sauce
- Strawberry Sauce
- Dulce de Leche
- Homemade Lemon Curd
Baking Tips
- For this recipe, you’ll be using a regular or standard muffin pan not a mini muffin pan.
- To get the graham cracker crust firmly packed into the liners, I like to use a 1/4 – 1/3 cup measuring cup to press the mixture down.
- Make sure to set all of your ingredients for the filling out ahead of time to come to room temperature. This will ensure a smoother and creamier cheesecake filling!
- I recommend using full-fat cream cheese and sour cream for a richer texture and flavor.
- When mixing in the eggs, make sure to mix them in on low speed one at a time until just combined. Over mixing the eggs into the cheesecake batter can incorporate too much air and cause them to crack.
Mini Cheesecakes
Ingredients
For the graham cracker crust:
- 1 cup (120 grams) graham cracker crumbs
- 3 tablespoons (40 grams) granulated sugar
- 3 and 1/2 tablespoons (50 grams) unsalted butter melted
For the cheesecake filling:
- 16 ounces (452 grams) brick-style cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 1/3 cup (80 grams) sour cream room temperature
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs room temperature
Instructions
To make the graham cracker crust:
- Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Line a 12-count muffin pan with cupcake liners and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs and sugar. Add the melted butter and mix until all of the crumbs are moistened. Evenly distribute the mixture between all 12 liners and firmly press it down into one even layer.
- Bake at 325°F (163°C) for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside. Keep oven temperature at 325°F (163°C).
To make the cheesecake filling:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer, mix the cream cheese and sour cream together until smooth and creamy. Add the sugar and vanilla extract and mix until fully combined, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Mix in the eggs, one at a time, on low speed until just combined.
- Evenly distribute the batter between all 12 liners in the cupcake pan, filling each one almost all the way to the top.
- Bake at 325°F (163°C) for 17-20 minutes or until the tops of the cheesecakes are set.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 1 hour. Carefully remove from the pan and chill in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours or overnight.
The centers of mine fell in ? They taste delicious, but what can I do differently to keep the center from caving in?
If you over mix the eggs, that can incorporate more air into the mixture and cause the cheesecakes to fall. You also want to avoid opening your oven door and make sure they’re fully baked before removing them from the oven. You could try letting them cool for 5 to 10 minutes in the oven with the oven turned off and the door cracked, then remove them.
Giving 5 stars because of taste and presentation, ete., but I do want to mention that the recipe as printed makes more than 12 regular sized cheesecakes. Because I wanted 12 regular plus some extra minis, I made 1 1/2 times the recipe, and I have a lot of leftover batter, even after filling my 12 regular size and 12 mini pans to the top. I would say that 1 recipe, as stated makes 12 regular and probably 12 minis.
Hello we are making your cheesecakes for graduation and we’re wondering if the paper liners will stick after thawing them out for the party? Thank you!
Hi, Amanda! They will stick a little bit. If you’re freezing them, you can remove the liners off of them while they are still frozen, then let them thaw. Hope that helps!
Could you add mini eggs to the cheesecake filling to bake?
Yes, that would be fine! I would recommend chopping them up and then folding them into the cheesecake filling.
Can you double recipe?
Yes, that would be fine!
If I wanted to do different flavours such as add banana or peanutbutter to the actual cheesecake mixture, would It work if I reduce the cheese by the amount of other wet ingredient.
For example, reduce the cream cheese by 1/4 cup and add 1/4 cup peanutbutter. Or 1/4 mashed bananas. Whatever wet ingredient.
Also can I add a few tbsp of key lime juice or whatever other flavouring without altering the recipe or should I reduce the liquid ingredients a little bit.
It’s really hard to say, typically the recipe needs to be adjusted different ways depending on what you’re adding. You could possibly swap out some of the sour cream for mashed banana/peanut butter. I do have a mini key lime cheesecake recipe here. I hope that helps!
I just made these tonight and they were delicious! My crust was a bit crumbly though. Should I leave them in the oven longer than 5min or add more butter? Practicing for my niece’s birthday 🙂
You could try adding another 1/2 to 1 tablespoon of butter to the crust.
Great recipe. I added an extra tablespoon of melted butter to the grahamcracker crumbs because it seemed a little dry and I baked the crusts for 10 minutes to make them nice and crunchy. I also added a pinch of allspice to the crust for flavor. I decreased the sugar in the batter to just a little more than 1/3 of a cup because I made a separate strawberry coulis and I didn’t want the cheesecakes to be too sweet. These mini cheesecakes were perfect. No cracks and not dry or mealy at all. I’m so happy with the way they turned out. Thank you for posting this recipe.
Wow! These are perfect. The crust to cheese cake ratio is spot on. And they aren’t sickly sweet like store bought often is.
I like to make a variety of flavors in one batch. My favorite so far: I mixed instant espresso powder into some of the batter and swirled it with plain batter to look like late art. They were amazing!
Hot tip: use the bottom of a measuring cup to press the graham and get a perfectly even crumb. After filling with batter, drop the pan a few times on the counter to get out any air bubbles and get that classic smooth top
Excellent recipe made it exactly as written . Super simple and my family loved it !
My family LOVES these mini cheesecakes! Even my daughter that generally doesn’t like stuff like this & didn’t think she would, loved them so much she finished her share before everyone else then even talked her younger brother out of one of his! ? It was my first time making them, I made 2 batches and they came out amazing BUT I will reiterate your tip on be very careful mixing in the egg !! My first batch they cracked but the taste was the same, 2nd batch a couple cracked just a tiny bit. (I made the batches one after the other). Also, 1st batch had a bit too much crumb on the bottom for me so the 2nd batch I put 3/4 cup instead! Thank you so much for this DELICIOUS and EASY recipe! The only thing that stinks about cheesecakes is the wait time before you can eat them, but the longer they refrigerated the better they were!! ?❤
these sound so yummy! I’m excited to try them, but I would like to half the recipe. Does the baking time or temp need to be adjusted for that?
As long as you’re still baking them in a regular muffin pan and make just 6, the temperature and time will remain the same.
I’d like to make these to bring to a brunch. When do you remove them from the paper cups? and is the blueberry sauce heated or cold when it’s put on?
I remove them from the liners after they’ve chilled for a few hours. You can also place them in the freezer for about 1 hour and that will make it easier to peel off the liners. If I’m adding a sauce on top, I always add it cold.
I’ve made some of your recipes before so I know when I make these for my BFF’s NYE Party, my friends will gobble them up..was wondering tho do you have a Ricotta Cheesecake Recipe by chance
Thank You Danielle
So glad you’re enjoying the recipes, Gail! I don’t have a recipe for ricotta cheesecake on my site at the moment, sorry!
I made this recipe a few times it’s amazing however after I made everything for the dozen I noticed had no liners for cupcakes so I used the smallest cheesecake pan I had was either an 7” or 8” and I did a water bath so I’m hoping this turns out.. any suggestions would be helpful please?
Hi, Laura! It should be fine to have used the 7 or 8-inch pan and baked it in a water bath. You can also bake this recipe in an 8-inch square baking pan if you need to.
Do you use a mini cupcake tin or a regular size cupcake tin?
Thank you!
I use a regular size cupcake tin.
I found this recipe for my husband and I for Thanksgiving dessert since our families decided to cancel our usual gatherings ( 🙁 ). It exceeded my expectations! The crust is perfect and the filling is sooooo creamy and smooth. It’s honestly better than most run of the mill restaurant cheesecakes. I popped a few berries on top before transferring them from the cooled tin to the fridge and they set perfectly. 10/10 will make these again! I wish I could post a pic, they’re pretty darling ?.
So glad you enjoyed the mini cheesecakes, Bridget! You can always email me a picture of the cheesecakes or tag me on Instagram!
I made this the first time and it came out perfect!! Second time the middles cracked but i don’t think they cooked enough and i probably used lesser quality cream cheese. I made this again today in two batches, first batch they all sunk in horribly. Second batch, i cracked the oven and let them cool but two of them cracked and sunk in…the rest were perfect
What would cause some to sink but others not to?
Have you checked your oven temperature with an oven thermometer? It could be that your oven is either too hot or has some hot spots causing that to happen. You also want to make sure not to over beat the eggs, that can cause the cheesecakes to crack too.
I made these for a cheese cake lover’s 30th birthday, and was duly impressed! He loved them, and I loved making them! Recipe is easy to follow and i will definitely make again!
if i am topping them with a strawberry sauce or lemon curd, am i able to do so a day or 2 before serving as I will be making them 2 days ahead? or will the sauce affect it in any way?
thank you
You can add the toppings 2 days in advance if you need to. It may be better to prepare the mini cheesecakes and toppings separately though, then add the toppings right before serving.
This is my second time making your recipe and I’ve only made cheesecake one other time! I love it. Can you please make a mini pumpkin cheesecake swirl recipe??
Hi, Chey! I actually have a mini pumpkin cheesecake recipe here. I know it’s not quite the same thing, but they are delicious!
I’m new to baking cheese cakes. Is a water bath used for these mini cheesecakes? Or are they baked without?
Since these are baked for a shorter amount of time, it’s not necessary.
My family and I loved these! I’d love to add a strawberry swirl to these. Any advice on the best way to do that?
You could blend some strawberries with a tablespoon of sugar, then swirl the mixture into the cheesecake filling before baking.
I just made these for my supper they are yummy ,i will be making these cheeses cakes again
Hi!
I tried to do it, I wasn’t confident cause it was my first time doing a cheescake BUT it turned out GREAT!
I did the lemon curd topping and omg it tastes awesome
I had to search how to do homemade sour cream though cause in my country I’ve never seen it on a shelf on a supermarket
Thanks for the recipe Danielle!
So glad the mini cheesecakes turned out great for you, Paola!
I want to make mini mini cheesecakes. I have one of those 24 cup mini muffin pans. Any thoughts on how to adapt the recipe/cook times? I’m such a newbie to cooking that I really only know how to follow recipes and not adapt them myself yet (though I think I’m slowly learning!)
Hi, Alyssa! I would probably reduce the baking time for the crust to 3 minutes. I’m not sure on the baking time for the filling, but I would guess 9-13 minutes.
I did 3 minutes for the crust and 9 for the filling and they turned out great! The crust was a little sweet so I think we’ll leave out the sugar next time, and I had so much filling left that I ended up doubling the crust recipe and making 48 mini mini cheesecakes!
Thank you for your help!
Could I take half the recipe and add crushed Oreos to the filling?
Yes, that would be fine!
Made these twice already because they’re so good! I also used vanilla graham cracker cookies instead of regular graham crackers since I had some on hand and reduced the sugar to 2 TB. Turned out delicious! Also made the berry toppings recipes as well. SOOO good!!! I had to make the toppings a few times because my family would steal some for ice cream or pancakes! Thank you for the recipes!!!
Hi! I’m planning to make these and wondering if the topping gets added right after they come out of the oven or once they’re completely cooled? I plan to use the salted caramel and strawberry. Thanks!
You want to let them cool completely and chill before adding the toppings.
If i want to make this in mini cheesecake tins with the bottoms that pop up, do you know how I need to adjust the baking temperature? Thanks!
Hi, Annie! I would keep the temperature the same, you may need to reduce the baking time slightly for the filling. It may also make more than 12, since the cavities in a mini cheesecake pan are a bit smaller.
I always got scared messing up cheesecakes, specially that here in Egypt, our taste buds are rather different. But there’s turned out amazing and definitely trying them again! One question tho, is it okay if I use spreadable cream cheese? Would it make that much of a difference?
Thanks again! Your recipes are always my go-to!
I haven’t tried spreadable cream cheese, but I’m not sure that it would work quite as well because it has ingredients added to it to thin it out.
Hi Danielle! I absolutely love your recipes I was wondering am I able to use this recipe to make a whole cheesecake I noticed you have a whole cheesecake recipe but it has a no bake recipe
Hi, Crystal! Yes, for a whole cheesecake you can double the filling. I actually have a full cheesecake recipe here too if you need it.
Hi, great recipe! I just have one question. Do you take them out of the lining to freeze them or leave them on?
You can if you want to, but it’s not necessary.
Easy recipe. I’ve added some lemon juice and rind and it turned out great. Enjoyed by all.
So glad you enjoyed the mini cheesecakes, Karen!
I’m loving your cheesecake recipes! My family and I are cheesecake lovers!!! Thank you for sharing!!! ❤❤❤
Thank you, Cindy! So glad you’re enjoying the recipes!
Love this recipe. I made 6 with chocolate ganache and 5 white chocolate chips on top and 6 with blueberry compote. Yummy bites!!