The Best Homemade Mini Cheesecakes

I have never really craved cheesecake because a full slice was always a bit too much. We had some family over one day and I wanted a few dessert options. Mini Cheesecakes were the perfect addition to the dessert table! The different toppings were able to satisfy everyone’s different sweet cravings with minimal effort on my end 🙂

Ingredients:

Crust

• 16 Graham Crackers
• 1/2 C roasted Pecans –toasting your nuts is a game-changer
• 4 Tbs unsalted butter
• 3 Tbs granulated sugar
• 1 Tbs brown sugar

Filling

• 2 8oz blocks of cream cheese – Set out a few hours before you start, you want this to be 100% room temperature
• 1/3 C sour cream – room temperature
• 2 eggs room temp
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 C granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

To Make the Crust

1. Line cupcake pan with liners and preheat oven to 350F
2. Add pecans to a dry pan over Med/Low heat stirring frequently until you smell them (Whole nuts have a lower chance of burning than chopped nuts)
3. In your food processor (or blender) add graham crackers and roasted pecans and blend until it’s all broken into small pieces
   • Add sugar and cinnamon and pulse until fully mixed
   • Pour in melted butter while pulsing
   • Use a spatula to make sure the butter is fully integrated into the mixture
4. Spoon 1 Tbs of mix into your lined cupcake pan and use a shot glass or small dish to flatten it (you can even use a second pan to do this)
5. Bake for about 7 minutes (you want it a golden color)

To Make the Filling

1. Add cream cheese to a stand mixer and mix on medium speed with the whisk attachment (a hand mixer is also fine) — Make sure your cream cheese is not chilled at all, this will ensure you don’t have any lumps
2. Add sugar and salt to bowl and mix until smooth on medium speed
3. Add vanilla and sour cream until mixed
4. Add eggs and yolks separately fully integrating each before adding the other
5. Use a 1/4 measuring cup or ice cream scoop to transfer the filling on top of the previously baked crust – fill about 3/4 of the way
6. Bake at 350F for 18-20 mins
7. Once done, turn the oven off but leave the door closed for about 20 mins so the mini cheesecakes can set
8. Remove from oven and allow to cool to room temp before you add any topping –I would suggest you stick them in the fridge for a few hours before topping
9. Garnish with whipped cream, chocolate/caramel sauce, berries, etc. — My favorite is lemon curd or strawberry sauce (I’ll post my recipes for both one day soon)

Makes 18-20 (you don’t want to under fill your cups)

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These can be stored in the fridge for about 4 days and in the freezer for up to 2 months. Add your toppings before serving for the best results.

XOXO, Laya