Mini Cheesecakes

Mini cheesecakes are almost too good to be true! Perfectly sweet and creamy cheesecakes with a crunchy base filled with toasted pecans make for an amazing treat. I love them plain, but they’re phenomenal topped with some whipped cream or a dollop of pie filling! When decorated, they truly look dazzling on the table and are so delicious.

I recently redeveloped this recipe for perfect, foolproof mini cheesecakes every time. This fuss-free dessert recipe has no water bath, no need to cool in the oven, and it bakes in less than half the time of a full-sized cheesecake!

A reader, Les, says: “Read different recipes of mini cheesecakes and finally tried this one. Brilliant! My base was Oreo cookies and needed no topping as they were already perfect.” ★★★★★

Why You Should Make My Mini Cheesecakes

This recipe is super easy to make when you want cheesecake, but have less time or want a super easy version of it.

• Bakes in a muffin pan in a fraction of the time. These mini cheesecakes bake in muffin cups in under 30 minutes, compared to over an hour for a full-size cheesecake.
• No water bath or need to slowly cool the cheesecakes. I formulated my recipe to bake up crack-free without the need for any water batch. And, because they are so small, they aren’t as sensitive to dramatic temperature changes, so you don’t have to let them slowly cool in the oven.
• Super versatile for flavoring or adding toppings. These mini cheesecakes are just as creamy and tangy as my classic cheesecake, but they are incredibly adaptable to all kinds of toppings, flavors, or mix-ins.

Key Ingredients & Substitutions

These are the main ingredients you need to make mini cheesecakes. You can find the full list of ingredients and measurements in the recipe card below.

Graham cracker crust — for the mini cheesecake base, I use a twist on my usual graham cracker crust. You’ll need graham crackers, toasted pecans, white sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter. The nuts add a little extra crunch and a more complex flavor.

Cream cheese — be sure to use full-fat brick-style cream cheese for the creamy cheesecake batter, not the spreadable kind that comes in a tub (which will not work for the filling). The tubs of cream cheese have added moisture and other ingredients that make the cream cheese spreadable when cold, which will affect how the cheesecakes set.

Sugar — granulated sugar adds just the right amount of sweetness to complement the tangy cream cheese.

Sour cream — sour cream creates a lighter, silkier, more tangy cheesecake filling. If you don’t have any, you can use a 5% Greek yogurt instead.

Eggs — eggs add richness and act as a binder for the other ingredients. They are also key to achieving the right balance of cheesecake’s texture—dense but not too dense—by adding a slight amount of rise to the batter.

Can I Make Gluten-Free Mini Cheesecakes?

Yes! The creamy cheesecake filling is naturally gluten-free, so you just have to change the crust. For a gluten-free crust, use gluten-free graham crackers or other crispy gluten-free cookies. You can also use quick-cooking oats instead of cracker crumbs. Bake the oat crust for 18 minutes, and keep in mind that it will be a bit crumblier than the traditional graham cracker crust.

How To Avoid Cracked Cheesecakes (Don’t Overmix)

Overmixing the batter works too much air into the filling, causing it to puff up a lot in the oven and crack. To avoid this, don’t beat the cream cheese above medium speed and then lower the speed even more when adding the eggs. This method yields the perfect creamy texture every time.

I had my team test this recipe, whipping it on high speed with a whisk attachment—intentionally exaggerating it—to really show how air affects the filling. This process added enough air to make the filling volume 1½ cups more than it should have been (resulting in 20 mini cheesecakes). When baked, the mini cheesecakes puffed up dramatically before sinking. You can see in the image below how they puffed and formed cracks on top.

Topping and Flavor Ideas

While you can certainly enjoy mini cheesecakes plain, simple toppings or variations are such an easy way to elevate both their look and flavor!

• Toppings: Cherry or apple pie filling, strawberry sauce, fresh berries, whipped cream, hot fudge, chocolate ganache, and caramel sauce are fantastic topping ideas. The fruit adds a bright, sweet-tart flavor, while the caramel and chocolate toppings lean into the cheesecakes’ sweetness.
• Mini swirled cheesecakes: Add ½ teaspoon of raspberry jam, or your jam of choice, on top of the batter in each muffin cup after Step 8 and swirl it in with a skewer before baking.
• Mini Oreo cheesecakes: Swap the graham cracker crust for an Oreo crust and stir in ⅓ cup of finely chopped Oreos or mini chocolate chips into the cheesecake batter at the end of Step 7. (This may result in a little extra filling since you are adding some volume from the mix-ins.)
• Mini lemon cheesecakes: Add ½ to 1 teaspoon of lemon zest to the cheesecake batter along with the vanilla extract in Step 7, and top the baked mini cheesecakes with lemon curd before serving.

Pro Tips For Making The Best Mini Cheesecakes

Use room temperature ingredients for a smooth filling. It’s important to set out the refrigerator ingredients in advance so they are not completely cold when it’s time to work on the filling. Cold ingredients (especially cream cheese, which is very firm) are much more difficult to beat into a smooth filling that’s not grainy or lumpy. Set the cream cheese out for a few hours in advance. The eggs and sour cream only need about 30 minutes to an hour on the counter, depending on how warm your kitchen is.

The cheesecakes should have a slight wobble in the center when they are done. Don’t fret if the mini cheesecakes seem underdone when you pull them out of the oven: They will firm as they cool.

How To Make Mini Cheesecakes

Below, I’ve highlighted portions of the recipe in step-by-step process images along with instructions for making mini cheesecakes. You can find the full set of instructions in the recipe card below.

1. Start by making the nutty graham cracker crust. Add the graham crackers and nuts to a food processor and pulse to break them into small pieces. Then add the sugar and cinnamon and pulse to combine. Add 4 tablespoons of melted butter to the nut and graham cracker crumbs mixture and continue to pulse to get the butter mixed in with the dry ingredients. Pinch the crust mixture between your fingers. The mixture should feel moist and stick together. If it feels dry and sandy and falls apart, add another tablespoon of melted butter and do the pinch test again.

2. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper cupcake liners. Divide the crust mixture evenly amongst the liners.

3. Use a shot glass to press the crust mixture into an even, flat layer. Then bake at 350°F until fragrant and a bit of a darker golden brown color. Set aside to cool while you work on the creamy cheesecake filling.

4. Fit your stand mixer with the paddle attachment and add the cream cheese to the bowl. Mix on medium speed for a few minutes until smooth. Add the white sugar and the salt and continue to mix for another minute until creamy. Add the sour cream and vanilla extract and mix until completely smooth (another 2 or so minutes).

5. Set the stand mixer to medium-low and add 1 egg at a time to the mixture, letting it incorporate before adding the next egg. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again until smooth. Do not mix beyond this point, or you will introduce too much air to the filling.

6. Add about ¼ cup of the filling mixture on top of the baked crust. Bake the mini cheesecakes at 350°F for 15 to 17 minutes. The centers should still jiggle slightly when you remove them from the oven. Let them cool in the pan at room temperature. Once cooled, you can serve the mini cheesecakes immediately or chill them in the fridge for about 2 hours. Serve them plain or top with your favorite cheesecake toppings, such as homemade whipped cream, fresh berries, etc. (See the Topping and Flavor Ideas section for suggestions.)

4.98 from 979 votes

Mini Cheesecake Recipe

These delicious mini cheesecakes have a crunchy graham cracker pecan crust and rich and creamy filling that bakes up in no time. They are super easy to make, and you can add your favorite toppings!

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Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Cooling Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 45 minutes minutes

Servings 12 mini cheesecakes

Calories 285kcal

Author John Kanell

Video

Equipment

• ▢
  1 regular muffin pan (12 cavities)
• ▢
  Cupcake liners
• ▢
  Stand mixer with whisk attachment

Ingredients

For the Crust

• ▢ 8 graham crackers full sheets (135g)
• ▢ ¼ cup toasted pecans (30g)
• ▢ 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• ▢ ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ▢ 4 to 5 tablespoons unsalted butter melted (56 to 70g)

For the Cheesecake

• ▢ 2 (8-ounce/226g) packages cream cheese room temperature
• ▢ ½ cup granulated sugar (100g)
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
• ▢ ¼ cup sour cream room temperature (60g)
• ▢ 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• ▢ 2 large eggs room temperature

Instructions

Make the Crust:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup regular muffin pan with paper liners.
• To the large bowl of a food processor, add the graham crackers and toasted pecans. Pulse until they are broken into small pieces. Add sugar and cinnamon, then pulse until combined. Pour 4 tablespoons of the melted butter evenly over top of the graham crackers, then pulse until it is evenly distributed. (If needed, remove blades and use a silicone spatula to mix in completely.)
• Pinch the crumbs between your thumb, pointer and middle fingers. If they feel moist and stick together when released from the pinch, they are ready to be pressed in the pan. If they feel dry, sandy, and lose their shape when released, stir in the extra tablespoon of melted butter.
• Divide the graham cracker mixture evenly amongst the 12 muffin cups (about 2 packed tablespoons in each). Press each into a flat layer using a shot glass or small flat measuring cup. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until fragrant and slightly darker in color. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly while you make the filling.

Make the Filling:

• Add the cream cheese to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and mix at medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes until creamy and smooth.
• Add the sugar and the salt to the bowl and mix on medium for about 1 minute until creamy. Scrape the bowl down and mix for another minute until the ingredients are completely combined.
• Add the sour cream and vanilla extract. Mix well for 2 more minutes, scraping down the bowl as needed, until the mixture is completely smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing on medium-low between each addition, allowing each to incorporate before adding the next. Scrape the bowl down and mix once again until completely smooth.

Assemble and Bake:

• Use an ice cream scoop to transfer a scant ¼ cup of the cheesecake mixture to each of the cupcake tins. (They should be nearly full, but no more than ¼ inch from the top of the paper cup.)
• Bake at 350°F for 15 to 17 minutes, until the centers of each cheesecake jiggle just slightly when the pan is gently shaken. Remove the pan from the oven and let cool to room temperature in the pan. Remove the mini cheesecakes from the pan and serve immediately or refrigerate for about 2 hours, until chilled. Garnish the cheesecakes with dollops of whipped cream, fresh berries, chocolate sauce, cherry pie filling, or enjoy them plain.

Notes

• Storing: Place the cheesecakes in an airtight container, or tightly cover the muffin pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate them for up to 3 days.
• Freezing: Cooled cheesecakes can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw them in the refrigerator for about 12 hours before serving.
• If your cheesecakes do end up cracking for some reason, don’t fret. Just add a topping! It won’t affect the taste at all, and if you cover it with a tasty garnish or sauce, no one will ever know.

Nutrition

Calories: 285kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 78mg | Sodium: 241mg | Potassium: 93mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 695IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 57mg | Iron: 1mg

*Nutrition Disclaimer

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Frequently Asked Questions

More Dessert Recipes To Try

If you want to try more decadent desserts, try these cheesecakes and cakes next!

My 9-ingredient no-bake cheesecake is stunning, versatile, and so easy! Top it with your favorite toppings for a crowd-pleasing dessert.

Oreo cheesecake is a decadent delight. Plus, it’s topped with a rich marbled white and chocolate ganache, making it a feast for the eye as well!

Light, fluffy, tangy lemon cake is a dream! It’s addictively light and tender, and the bright lemon flavor shines through in every bite.

A classic vanilla cupcake is always a good idea, and my recipe is simple, foolproof, and yields a tender cupcake you can top with your favorite buttercream.

Try my swirled raspberry cheesecake recipe for a fuss- and crack-free, eye-catching dessert. No water bath needed!

If you’ve tried this mini cheesecake recipe, then don’t forget to rate it and let me know how you got on in the comments below. I love hearing from you!