Description
Delightful mini cheesecakes bring creamy indulgence to dessert tables with minimal effort. Rich Philadelphia cream cheese and graham cracker crusts create a perfect handheld treat you cannot resist.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 oz (226 g) full-fat cream cheese (room temperature)
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1 egg (room temperature)
- 1/2 cup (60 g) graham cracker crumbs
- 2 tbsps (30 g) unsalted butter (melted)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- Cherry pie filling or whipped cream (optional for garnishing)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F and prepare a muffin pan with paper liners or generous grease coating.
- Combine graham cracker crumbs with melted butter, creating a consistent, crumbly mixture.
- Distribute crumb mixture evenly into each liner, pressing gently to form a compact base. Bake for 5-8 minutes until crust appears set and dry.
- Using an electric mixer, cream room temperature cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes. Scrape bowl sides periodically to ensure uniform blending.
- Gently fold in egg, mixing thoroughly for one minute. Integrate vanilla extract, maintaining smooth consistency without overmixing.
- Carefully pour cream cheese mixture into prepared crusts, filling each liner to near capacity.
- Return pan to oven, baking 22-25 minutes until edges firm and center exhibits slight wobble. Verify internal temperature reaches 150°F.
- Remove from oven and allow cheesecakes to cool completely at room temperature.
- Refrigerate for minimum 4 hours or overnight to achieve optimal texture and flavor.
- Optional: Garnish with cherry pie filling or whipped cream before serving.
Notes
- Soften cream cheese completely at room temperature to ensure smooth, lump-free mixing and prevent cracking during baking.
- Use a gentle hand when mixing eggs to avoid incorporating too much air, which can cause cheesecakes to rise and then collapse.
- Create perfectly uniform mini cheesecakes by using an ice cream scoop or cookie scoop for even filling distribution.
- Prevent cracks by avoiding overbaking and using a water bath method, which provides gentle, even heating and maintains moisture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 211 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 98 mg
- Fat: 17 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 13 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 61 mg