Mini New York Cheesecakes
On my most stressful days, I need a bite of cold creamy cheesecake. But, I never have the time to make a whole cheesecake on days like that. Enter mini cheesecakes! One bowl, 15 minutes plus chill time and you’re in heaven. This recipe makes 4 cupcake-sized cheesecakes. It gets better: instead of grinding up graham crackers, melting butter and daintily pressing the crust into each muffin cup—just drop in a Nilla wafer. Or, a couple of Ritz crackers or mini cookies. Anything, really!
I call these ‘New York’ cheesecakes because they have a brown sugar-sour cream sauce on top. These little babies come out of the oven puffy and domed. As they cool, they sink ever so slightly in the middle to create the perfect spot for your topping of choice. Mine happens to be tangy sour cream sauce. Since Greek yogurt is taking over the world (should it run for President?), I’ll tell you that full-fat plain Greek yogurt can be substituted for sour cream.
If you’re in the mood for something fruity, spoon on a dollop of cherry pie preserves, jam, or sauteed apples. If you’d like a little extra stress-relief with your cheesecakes (also called chocolate), squirt it in the divet. You just can’t go wrong with these.
- 6 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice
- 4 Nilla wafers (or other small cookies)
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- Preheat the oven to 375, and line 4 cups in a muffin pan with paper liners.
- Drop a cookie in each liner, with the flat side down.
- In a small bowl, beat together the cream cheese, egg, sugar, vanilla and lemon juice. Beat very well until combined.
- Divide the mixture between the cups and bake for 15 minutes.
- Let cakes cool, then refrigerate at least 4 hours. When ready to serve, stir together the sour cream and brown sugar and pour on top of each cake.
I always prefer to make mini cheesecakes over a whole big thing. These look wonderful with the sauce on top!
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I love this pretty mini version! Such a great idea!
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I love the idea of a Ritz on the bottom!
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Cheesecake melts stress away! Love these minis.
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These look so good! I like the idea of a Ritz on the bottom.
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Sigh…. cheesecake that fits in my pocket. You read my mind.
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Miniature cheesecake I can make after work in time for dinner? Yes please!
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LOOOOOVE this.
The alien child won’t eat cheesecake, so this is perfect for my husband and I!!
Or just me.
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Cheesecake is one of those things that I never really make, mainly because it takes so long to make a whole cheesecake and I never trust myself with an entire cheesecake in the house and only two people to eat it! But these are the perfect solution.
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It’s a good thing this only makes 4, because I think I’d eat them all!!
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These are adorable and I love that they can be made quickly! And the idea of using a cookie/cracker/wafer in place of a crust is perfect – just pop it in the bottom and off we go! Hope you had a fun weekend!
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I’ve made something similar before but yours looks amazing
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Adorable! I love that it only makes 4. And yes, Greek yogurt for president!
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Yum! I love how quickly this comes together and that brown sugar sour cream sauce sounds amazing!
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Love the idea of mini cheescakes done up like this. Too easy with the nilla wafers as a suggestion for the base too.
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Adorable! Great idea
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Cheesecakes for all! Love this idea.
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Get OUT. And then get them in my face.
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i’m so tempted to quadruple the recipe and then shove them all in my face.
that is all.
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these are adorable!! i love that this doesn’t make a huge batch, portion control is definitely nice
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Mmmmnn! These are the perfect size.
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Those darn drippy pictures always make me hungry. You are clearly achieving what you wanted. Now I must go check out those pumpkin whoopies!
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I think a little goes a long way when it comes to cheesecake so this is just the perfect size & quantity recipe for me.
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Cheesecake is hands down my favorite dessert ever! Mini sized is brilliant!
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Even on a non-stressful day, I need these in my life!
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Pretty cheesecakes!!!
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I love these cuties! This is probably heretical in some way since I’m a NY-er but I can only take NY cheesecake in small doses anyway…it’s too rich. But these cupcakes are the ideal serving size!
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Christina Reply:
September 11th, 2012 at 5:01 am
Joanne: I’m so honored a New Yorker like you loves these
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I am loving the sour cream sauce on these. Divine!
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Oh Christina, you just make creating and eating desserts too easy. I love that this recipe makes just 4 little cheesecakes – however, I will totally eat them all, and feel totally justified in doing so.
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If it’s wrong to lick my screen…well, then, I don’t want to be right. ~Slurp~
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Can I have one?! Or two? Can you sense my weakness for cheesecakes?
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a ritz, what a great idea!! love mini cheesecakes~
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These cheesecakes will keep me from humiliating myself by eating an entire large cheesecake alone… in one sitting! Thank you for saving me from that.
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These are beautiful! And the cupcake size is so perfect.
Also, yes, Greek yogurt should totally run for president
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I’m happy when I see recipes that make enough to satisfy my sweet tooth. I’ll take all 4 please!
I just love cheesecake!
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These look great, adore the small serving idea!
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Just made these today! I used a vanilla bean pod instead of the vanilla extract. (I also didn’t have cookies, but had graham crackers…so I did a crust that way.) Absolutely delicious. Awesome recipe for a few treats – thanks so much!!
)
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Four is the perfect amount! I often make mini cheesecakes, but then I eat something ridiculous like 5 at a time. And I love the cookie as the crust thing. If an Oreo fits, I couldn’t be bothered with crust!
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I tried these twice, taste is perfect but I ended up with cookies on top at the end of cooking tim. Why???
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This looks soo good. I am definitely going to make this!
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I love this , I’ll make these vegan and be ready to pop and go
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can you use a small spring form pan instead? if so how long will it bake for?
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Christina Reply:
January 25th, 2013 at 8:42 am
Hi Tasiea, I haven’t tried this recipe in a springform pan. I do have another mini cheesecake recipe on this site that is baked in a 4″ springform pan: http://www.dessertfortwo.com/2010/08/cheesecake-with-honey-ed-peaches/
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OMG! These came out absolutely perfect! I came straight to you when I realized at work that I was craving cheesecake…and since I live alone, I didn’t want to make a whole cheesecake. Thank you for creating this! I was weary of the sour cream topping, but it was DELICIOUS!! Great job!!
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My fiance and I love it! Keep up the good job.
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