These easy Mini Cheesecakes are the best mini cheesecake recipe ever! (See why below.) They are made with a thick cookie crust that is super crunchy and perfectly bite sized. Best of all, NO CUPCAKE LINERS are needed!
Why these are the best mini cheesecakes
Cheesecakes have a special place in our family. My mother has been testing cheesecake recipes for YEARS in hopes of making “the best cheesecake ever”. She purchased cheesecakes from the top restaurants in our area to do taste-test comparisons. Yes, she was on a mission. She refused to give away her “secret” recipe to those who asked. And everyone asked.
Until recently. She graciously offered me her recipe that I happily converted into mini bite sized cheesecakes making them the perfect dessert for a crowd or any party! I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we have over the years!
How to make mini cheesecakes using a muffin pan
Your classic cheesecake recipe uses a spring form pan and sometimes, a “water-bath” to prevent cracking and sinking. They add extra steps and a mess that is a headache to deal with however, this recipe doesn’t need either. To prevent cracking and sinking, I adjusted the baking temperature accordingly.
I also do NOT use muffin or cupcake liners like the other mini cheesecake recipes require.
Here are the steps to making your mini cheesecakes using a mini muffin tin and no liners:
Step 1: Make your crust by adding your creme filled cookies, butter and cinnamon to a food processor until the mixture resembles wet sand. Next, add about a tablespoon to each muffin cup. Use a shot glass or your fingers to press down your crust. Bake at 350 degrees F for 5 minutes.
Step 2: Blend together your cream cheese, sour cream, cream, vanilla, sugar, egg yolks, and cornstarch in a large mixing bowl using a hand mixer or standing mixer until smoother and creamy.
Step 3: Add your cheesecake batter to each muffin cup. I recommend using a mini cookie scoop to portion each out and keep your cheesecake cups neat.
Step 4: Bake at 350 degrees for 5 minutes then turn OFF the oven and let continue to bake for another 13 minutes. The last 10 minutes crack the oven to allow the heat to slowly release. Allow to cool and top as desired!
How long do you bake mini cheesecakes?
Baking time is CRUCIAL when it comes to cheesecakes. They are very fussy and the even slightest temperature change can affect the appearance of your cheesecake. The best, or should I say “prettiest”, cheesecakes are flat on top (not sunken in), have ZERO cracks and are not brown.
About the bake time:
I technically only bake my mini cheesecakes for 5 minutes. But let them sit in the oven the remainder of the time, for a total of 28 minutes.
The first 5 minutes are at 350 degrees F, then I turn the oven OFF completely and let them sit in there for another 13 minutes. Finally, I crack the oven door open for another 10 minutes. This allows them to SLOWLY cool down preventing sinking.
Check out the difference in bake times below!
You can see in this photo the difference between leaving the mini cheesecakes in the oven the entire time at 350 degrees vs. just half the time, (or a temp. adjusted time). When you bake cheesecake batter at too high of a temperature too long, they rise fast, and FALL fast.
Quite a difference huh?
How to make a mini cheesecake cookie crust
How do you make mini cheesecakes without liners? By using a solid crust! It is crucial to not leave it out. It create a solid foundation for your mini cheesecake bites so you can pick them up without a fork.
You can make a cheesecake crust out of a few different things. Graham crackers is the most popular but Nilla wafers are a close runner up. But for years, I have been using cream filled COOKIES. Yes. Actual cookies like I used in my Bailey’s Mini Cheesecake Recipe.
Creme filled cookies create a deliciously thick and crunchy crust that is too die for. And because cookies are already sweetened, I don’t add any extra sugar to the crust.
*Crust Tip* Add your cookies to a plastic baggie and use a mallet to crush them up!
Mini cheesecake topping options
Cheesecakes are the most versatile dessert. Although these mini cheesecakes are amazing PLAIN, you can decorate them by adding any topping you wish! For simplicity, I purchase a favorite store-bought canned pie filling to top my cheesecakes. There are some amazing canned fillings out there so why go through the extra effort if you don’t need to?
Here are some of my favorite topping ideas you can use to top your mini cheesecakes:
- Freshly cut strawberries or blueberries
- Fruit pie filling (like I used here)
- Chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts would be delicious)
- Shredded coconut
- Sprinkles
- Chocolate sauce
- Whipped cream
- Caramel
- Crushed Oreo’s
How to store your mini cheesecakes
Storing your mini cheesecakes can be tricky because you do NOT want to squish them. The good thing is, cheesecake freezes incredibly well. So if you want them to keep for a few days, place them on a flat baking sheet, plate or just keep them in the original muffin pan, and cover them with plastic wrap.
If you want to keep them for weeks or up to 2 months, you will want to freeze them. To do this, add them to a freezer safe container with parchment paper between the layers. This way you can stack them without having them stick together.
Common mini cheesecake questions
How do I prevent my cheesecakes from sinking? When you cool cheesecakes too quickly, they tend to sink. Stick to the specific temperature and baking time mentioned in the directions to prevent that from happening. No short-cuts allowed! 🙂
Can I use a larger cupcake/muffin pan to make these? You can however the bake time will need to be longer. I have not tested them yet in larger tins but will update this post when I do!
Can I still use muffin liners? Yes of course! Nothing will change other than adding them to the tin before you add you crust.
Mini cheesecake tips
Baking is always tricky so following these tips will ensure your mini cheesecakes come out perfect every time.
- Use the best full fat cream cheese you can find. I love Philadelphia cream cheese.
- Don’t skip out on steps or leave out ingredients!
- Wait until your cheesecakes cool completely before removing them.
- Greasing your muffin tins will help them slide out but its not necessary.
- Make sure you wait until your oven reaches the right temp before throwing in your cheesecakes.
- Make your crust nice and thick so you can remove them easily.
- Place your cheesecakes on the middle rack of your oven.
- No peeking! You do not want to let too much hot air out of the oven which could affect the bake time or cheesecake’s appearance.
Other mini desserts you may like:
BAKED Mini Churro Bites w/ Quick Chocolate Sauce
Chocolate Covered Banana Walnut Bites
Crescent Roll Blueberry Cream Cheese Danish
Sweet Empanadas With Cherry Cheesecake Filling
No Bake Coconut Lemon Cream Cheese Truffles
The BEST Mini Cheesecakes (with Cookie Crust) Recipe:
The BEST Mini Cheesecakes (with Cookie Crust)
Ingredients
Cheesecake Batter
- 2 8 oz. packages cream cheese
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp sour cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp cream
- 2 egg yolks
Cookie Crust
- 14 vanilla cream filled sandwich cookies ((any brand))
- 8 tbsp butter, melted ((1 stick))
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a food processor, puree your cookies, melted butter and cinnamon well. Stop to scrape down the sides a few times.
- Add about 1 tbsp of crust mixture to each muffin tin. (or distribute crust evenly amongst 24 tins). Use the bottom of a shot glass, or your fingers, to firmly press down each crust.
- Bake your cookie crust for 5 minutes and then set aside.
- Add all your cheesecake batter ingredients, besides the cream and egg yolks. Mix on HIGH speed for 1 minute. Scrape down the edges of your bowl and mix again for another minute.
- Add your egg yolks and cream and mix again until fully combined.
- Use a mini ice cream scoop to evenly distribute the batter. Fill each tin ¾ of the way full.
- Bake for 5 minutes on the middle rack and then turn OFF the oven leaving the cheesecakes inside. Set your timer for 13 minutes. Do not open the oven!
- After 13 minutes, crack open the oven door for another 10 minutes. This allows the cheesecakes to cool down slowly preventing sinking.
- After 10 minutes is up, pull out your cheesecakes allowing them to cool before removing them. (They should pop right out using a knife.) Top with topping of your choice.
- Store in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for 6-8 weeks.
Recipe Notes
- Freshly cut strawberries or blueberries
- Fruit pie filling (like I used here)
- Chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts would be delicious)
- Shredded coconut
- Sprinkles
- Chocolate sauce
- Whipped cream
- Caramel
- Crushed Oreo’s
Nutrition
What size cup cake pan do you use?
Hi Jean! Good question! (I will add that in the notes!) I used a MINI cupcake pan. Some may be a bit larger than others. I actually have two different pans. One has cups that are 2″ in diameter and the other has cups that are about 1 3/4″.
I’m very excited about this recipe! My only question is, how do you get them out of pan after they cool? Mine are cooking now, but I keep trying to figure out how to get them out without breaking them up. My pan is super non-stick, but it still seems like they won’t just slide out individually, and I don’t want to turn the pan to drop them out. Anyway, I’d love to hear your tricks.
Hi Veronica! As the crust cools, it will harden making them easy to pop out with a knife. I like to use a steak knife (since the top is pointed) and gently slip it down the edge of the cheesecake until it loosens the bottom. They they should slide right out. Let me know how it goes and how you liked them! 🙂
These look fabulous, Aleka!! Can’t wait to try them for an upcoming social distancing tea party we’re doing!! Hope you are doing well my friend!
Thank you Kathleen!:) That sounds so much fun! Let me know how they turn out!