Easy Mini Cheesecake Bites

Mini cheesecake bites are small and tasty, topped with your favorite toppings. Easy and crowd-pleasing, they’re perfect for many different occasions. 

This post is sponsored in conjunction with #SpringSweetsWeek. I received product samples from sponsor companies to help in the creation of the #SpringSweetsWeek recipes. All opinions are mine alone. Take a look at the giveaway below for your chance to win some of these products.

I’m totally obsessed with small desserts–from mini cheesecakes to bite-sized brownies.  Maybe it’s because you get to have multiples.  Isn’t variety the spice of life?

Then there’s their ability to right-size—so everyone from Great Grandma to the school track star can get just what they want. 

And mini cheesecakes can be the star of any small dessert show.  Flavorful, varied, and crowd-pleasing, they’ll rock your next dessert tray. 

Bite-sized cheesecake?  I’ll take 3 or 4 (shhh)!  

Why You’ll Love This!

Tasty.  Come on, who doesn’t love cheesecake!  And I think the minis are even better since there’s no worry about a richness overload.  Just yum!

Fun.  What’s more fun than popping a bite-sized cheesecake into your mouth and getting a burst of joy!  Well, maybe popping two? 

Easy to Make Ahead.  These freeze beautifully right down to the dollop of whipped cream on top (with a few caveats–lots more on freezing below).

Versatile.  A vanilla cheesecake is a great base for any flavor or design of cheesecake you want to make.  Top with strawberries or cherries in syrup for and easy, classic treat.  Or consider some of the designs I have here. 

What You’ll Need

Ingredient Notes

• Graham cracker crumbs. This forms the cheesecake crust.
• Butter. This helps hold together the cheesecake crust.
• Cream cheese.  This adds creaminess and cheesecake flavor.
• Granulated sugar.  This is used in both the crust and filling.  It adds sweetness and body.
• Eggs.  These add richness and help the cheesecake set.
• Vanilla paste.  This flavors the cheesecake filling.  You can also use vanilla extract
• Toppings.  These are your choice but whipped cream, fruit and jam are all good

Special Tools

While it’s not absolutely required, I like using a special mini cheesecake pan for this.

Step by Step Directions

Mix the graham cracker crust ingredients, then press down in the wells of a greased mini cheesecake pan.

 Cream the cream cheese until smooth, then add the sugar.  Use the paddle attachment on low so you don’t incorporate too much air.

Mix in egg and vanilla.

Drop spoonfuls into wells on top of baked crust.

 Bake until set.

Let cool, then loosen edge with a thin knife. 

Push up on the removable bottoms to extract from pan, top with toppings of your choice, then serve.

Using Vanilla Paste vs Extract or Beans

Why should I use vanilla paste (vs extract or beans) in this?  The short answer is that vanilla paste will give you the best combination of flavor, appearance and ease of use.  But for more detail keep reading. 

You see, years ago, I got a killer deal on vanilla beans.  I bought a giant bag and made lots of wonderful desserts.  I’d scrape the beans, heat them with (usually) cream to infuse, then cool as needed and proceed with my dessert.  It was more work but I loved the profusion of flavor and the beautiful way the beans dotted the final dish.   

Then I learned about vanilla paste, which gives you the lovely vanilla beans in a form that you just add to your recipe, the same way you use vanilla extract.  Vanilla paste got me completely spoiled since it’s so much easier to work with.  Another advantage of the paste can be that it’s less fluid if you’re making something that needs to be pretty dry.  And I’m not even mentioning the price of vanilla beans now! 

But, happily, event sponsor Taylor and Colledge makes a lovely vanilla paste which I used in this.  It’s even organic! And it’s especially nice for a dessert like these mini cheesecakes that really show off the beans. 

Because I believe that, even when it comes to dessert, if you’ve got it, flaunt it!

How to Serve

Mini cheesecakes are great for dessert or snacking any time.  And since they have a hint of casual elegance, they work well for events like Mother’s Day or Easter brunch, showers, formal teas or garden parties.

And how about creating a mini cheesecake buffet!  You can dress these plain cheesecakes up in different ways or go with completely different flavors like Pumpkin Swirl Mini Cheesecake, Lemon White Chocolate Mini Cheesecakes and Mini Oreo Cheesecake Bites!

While it might sound like a lot of work, a mini cheesecake buffet can actually be quite easy since they freeze so well (see details below).

Variations and Special Diets

These particular mini cheesecakes are great for variety since you can just change the toppings.  The sky’s the limit on that! And since this is done after baking, a batch of twelve can give you three or four different “flavors,” just by using a different fruit or topping.

I use a special pan because I love the look it gives.  But if you don’t own one (I now have four, ahem), I hear that you can make minis using cupcake papers inside a mini muffin pan. I haven’t tried this, but lots of people have.  Since they’re smaller the quantity would increase and require less baking time. 

Special Diets

Mini Cheesecake Bites can be turned gluten free easily–simply use gluten free graham crackers in the crust!  Then make sure you make some with gluten free toppings as well (usually not hard).

And while these aren’t exactly low carb, they aren’t super high in sugar.  If you left off the crust, you’d be at about 2 teaspoons of sugar in one plain mini cheesecake.  Add whipped cream sweetened with sweetener plus a blackberry and it just might be the indulgence that doesn’t break the bank. 

Preparation and Leftovers

You can make the cheesecake bites a couple days ahead without a problem, but I recommend adding the topping the day of.  A good whipped cream might last a day (or even two) but it’s easy enough to top the day of and not take any chances.  Now for a more stable whipped cream, you could always consider my mascarpone whipped cream or gelatin stabilized whipped cream. 

Or consider freezing per the instructions below. 

How to Freeze Mini Cheesecakes

As I mentioned, mini cheesecake freezes beautifully.

For my daughter’s post-Covid wedding party, I froze dozens of minis in three different flavors.  They were beautiful for a dessert bar that also featured heart shaped brownies and crème caramel. 

In the weeks before the event, I made dozens of mini cheesecakes (testing first to make sure we liked them and that they’d freeze well).  I froze the individual cheesecakes until no longer sticky, then stored them side by side in shallow, lidded, Tupperware containers in the freezer. 

When the party day arrived, I thawed an initial batch, and then my party helpers kept tabs on the dessert table and took out extras as needed.  Since they thaw in 10-15 minutes, we were able to thaw just what we needed, leaving the extras in the freezer for future eating.

Can I freeze cheesecakes with the toppings?

Many toppings can be frozen.  But some, like fresh fruit, need to be added before serving.

For the easiest approach ever, go with toppings that can be frozen, so they’re 100% ready when thawed.  Fruit curd or jam will work well and even the whipped cream rosettes thawed fine.  Or you can do them mostly frozen and just add a couple final touches when they’re thawed.

How Long Do Frozen Cheesecakes Last?

Frozen cheesecakes should stay fine at least a few weeks and will do best in a freezer that isn’t frost free.  A frost free freezer will start to dry things out more quickly and add what I call a freezer taste, so those will have a shorter lifespan.  

But now I’m a major fan and have frozen mini cheesecakes many time since the wedding.  So they’re now a regular on my dessert table!

Tips & FAQs

For the prettiest twirl of whipped cream on the top, spoon your whipped cream into a piping bag (or a plastic bag with the corner cut out) fitted with a star tip, then pipe rosettes.  

Have you heard of boxed graham cracker crumbs?  Yes, graham crackers do come pre-crumbled and boxed, which can save you a little work!

How do I keep my cheesecake from sinking in the middle?  Cheesecake rises as it bakes and can sink in the middle as it cools.  A small depression is easily disguised when you top it, but a big one can be more of a problem.  The best way to minimize your risk, is to use your mixer’s paddle (not the whisk) attachment and to mix your filling on low.

And if you haven’t properly warmed your cream cheese and end up with lumps, don’t beat faster to eliminate them.  Instead beat longer.  Then next time try to get your cream cheese out earlier. 

What if I don’t need (or want) 12 cheesecakes?  This recipe is easy to cut in half and simple enough so it’s worth making a small batch.   Or just go ahead and make all 12 and freeze the extras.   

How do I press in the graham crackers crust?  You can press in the graham crackers using any flat object that fits the wells.  Or they make special tampers for people who make these a lot.  I bought one, then promptly lost it, so now I use a spice jar.  Press firmly and brush the sides of the wells free of stray crumbs if there are a lot.  

Mini Cheesecake Bites

Mini cheesecake bites are small and tasty, topped with your favorite toppings. Easy and crowd-pleasing, they're perfect for many different occasions.

Author: Inger

5 from 8 votes

Print

Prep Time 20 mins

Cook Time 35 mins

Cooling time 4 hrs

Total Time 4 hrs 55 mins

Course Dessert

Servings 12

Calories 241 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

Crust:

• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 3 Tablespoons butter
• 2 Tablespoons sugar

Cheesecake Filling:

• 16 ounces cream cheese
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla paste or vanilla extract

Toppings (Optional but Recommended):

• Whipped cream, fruit, jam or other toppings of your choice

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350*F. Spray the inside of each cheesecake well with non-stick cooking spray. (Or line a mini-muffin pan with paper liners.)
• To prepare the crust, melt the butter, then crush the graham crackers if needed. Combine graham crumbs, butter and sugar. Add about 1 tablespoon of the crust mixture into each of the 12 mini cheesecake wells. Pack down the crumbs and bake for 10 minutes in preheated oven.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 250 F and begin the filling. Using an electric mixer with the paddle, not whisk blade, blend cream cheese on low until very smooth. Add sugar and continue to blend until fully incorporated. Add egg and vanilla, and continue to beat on low, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
• Divide the cheesecake filling among the 12 wells. Bake cheesecakes until the filling is set, 22-25 minutes. Place the pan on a wire cooling rack and allow to cool to room temperature, then place entire pan in the refrigerator about 4 hours before removing cheesecakes from the pan.
• Once cool, carefully remove the cheesecakes from the pan by pressing up on the removable bottom of each well. Keep the cheesecakes in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Top with the toppings of your choice.

Nutrition

Calories: 241kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 4gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 73mgSodium: 198mgPotassium: 73mgFiber: 0.2gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 635IUCalcium: 47mgIron: 0.5mg

I am not a health professional and nutrition data is calculated programatically. Accuracy may vary with product selection, calculator accuracy, etc. Consult a professional for the best information.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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We share recipes from #SpringSweetsWeek on Pinterest! Make sure you follow the board to see all the delicious recipes shared this week.

Welcome to #SpringSweetsWeek 2023 hosted by Heather from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks! The sun is shining, the weather is getting warmer, and we are celebrating the beginning of spring with plenty of spring sweets and a fun giveaway! This year 20 food bloggers from around the country are sharing over 75 sweet recipes that are perfect for spring. So get ready to enjoy amazing spring treats like cupcakes, cookies, pies, jams, and even a few beverages! Thank you to our #SpringSweetsWeek sponsors that are helping us give away some great prizes. Thank you to Melissa’s Produce, Anolon, Taylor and Colledge, and Selefina Spices for your generosity and support. We have an incredible giveaway with four amazing prizes and would love it if you would take a moment to read about it and the prizes that you can win!

Prize #1:  A Fresh and Dried Organics Basket from Melissa’s Produce.

One winner will enjoy an abundance of fruit with Melissa’s Fresh and Dried Organics Basket. This hand-woven basket holds a delicious combination of fresh and dried Organic fruits and is carefully wrapped with cellophane and finished with a colorful ribbon. Melissa’s Produce has everything from common apples and bananas to exotic passion fruit and kumquats. 

Prize # 2:  A $30 Gift certificate to Selefina Spices.

One winner will enjoy a $30 gift certificate to buy all their favorite spices for cooking and baking! Selefina Spices sells an assortment of spices gathered using dedication and care with which we’ve curated their online tea collection. With our decades of experience sourcing products and establishing global connections their mission is to be able to bring you fresher, higher-quality spices and seasonings at lower prices. 

Prize #3:  A selection of 4 extract pastes from Taylor and Colledge.

One winner will receive a selection of extracts to include almond, lemon, organic vanilla bean, and lavender. In 1897, Taylor & Colledge won its first award for excellence in vanilla. Since then, the Taylor & Colledge commitment for unsurpassed quality has earned its reputation as one of the world’s finest producers of vanilla.

Prize #4:  AnolonPro Bakeware 2 Piece Set of Half Sheet Cookie Pans.

One winner will win a 2-piece set of 13-inch x 18-inch half sheet baking pans for cookies!  These aluminized steel professional sheet pans deliver unmatched durability and heat conduction for incredibly reliable results and are oven safe to 550°F.  You’ll be able to bake all your favorite cookies to perfection. Anolon Pro Bakeware gives you professional grade bakeware at affordable prices.

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Thank you #SpringSweetsWeek Sponsors: Selefina Spices, Anolon, Melissa’s Produce, and Taylor and Colledge for providing the prizes free of charge. These companies also provided the bloggers with samples and product to use for #SpringSweetsWeek recipes. All opinions are my own. The #SpringSweetsWeek giveaway is open to residents of the United States who are 18 years of age or older.   All entries for the winner will be checked and verified. By entering you give the right to use your name and likeness. The number of entries received determines the odds of winning. Four (4) winners will be selected. The prize packages will be sent directly from the giveaway sponsors. The #SpringSweetsWeek Bloggers are not responsible for the fulfillment or delivery of the prize packages. Bloggers hosting this giveaway and their immediate family members in their household cannot enter or win the giveaway. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter or any other social channel mentioned in the #SpringSweetsWeek posts or entry.

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