Mini Cheesecake Bites (in mini muffin tins)

Mini cheesecake bites with various fruit toppings on a plate.

5 from 2 votes

Mini Cheesecake Bites (in mini muffin tins)

A few simple ingredients make these Mini Cheesecake Bites a delicious and beautiful dairy dessert, perfect for a Shavuot celebration. I've fine-tuned this recipe so there's no sinking, cracks, or blandness here! Note that these taste best when chilled for at least 4 hours or more before serving.

Prep Time25

Cook Time10

Cool and chill time1 40

Total Time2 15

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Diet: Kosher, Vegetarian

Servings: pieces

Calories: 48kcal

Author: Dana Shrager

Ingredients

For the crust

⅔ cup graham cracker crumbs about 6 graham cracker sheets
2 tablespoons butter melted

For the filling

2 (8-ounce) blocks Original Philadelphia cream cheese full fat
2 tablespoons brown sugar not packed
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon real vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon zest

For the topping

½ cup jarred fruit preserves or spread chunky style in various flavors like strawberry, apricot, and mixed berries.

Instructions

For the crust

Line two (12 mini muffin tins) with parchment mini cupcake liners. Set them aside.
Prep graham cracker crumbs: Use ready-made graham cracker crumbs. Or make your own by crushing sheets of graham crackers into fine crumbs by placing the crackers in a Ziplock bag and crushing well with a jar bottom or rolling pin. Alternatively, place the graham crackers in a food processor, and pulse until fine crumbs.
Mix crust: Transfer the graham crackers crumbs to a medium bowl, and add the melted butter. Mix thoroughly until crumbs are coated in butter.
Form the crust: Place 1 heaping teaspoon of graham cracker mixture in each liner. Using a small shot glass, firmly press and twist at the same time. The twisting of the cup helps prevent the crumb mixture from sticking to the cup. Set aside. Note the crust is NOT prebaked.

For the filling

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
Prepare cream cheese: Soften the cream cheese by leaving it out on the counter at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Or microwave the cream cheese for 20-40 seconds until very soft and pliable.
Whip cream cheese: Using an electric mixer on medium speed with either the flat paddle or whisk attachment, mix the cream cheese until soft and creamy. About 30 seconds.
Mix: Add the sugar to the cream cheese mix on medium speed until just combined. Then add the eggs, vanilla extract, and lemon zest. Mix until fully combined, but do not overmix. Overmixing adds air bubbles which can cause cracking.
Fill the liners: Top the crust in the mini cupcake tin with the cream cheese batter. Using a small cookie scoop or pastry sleeve makes the task easier. Fill the well to the top to help prevent sunken tops.
Bake 10-12 minutes or until the edges are set and the centers are slightly jiggly.
Gradually cool: After the 10 minutes have passed, turn off the oven, open the oven door, and leave the mini cheesecakes in the oven for 10 minutes. This will help avoid rapid cooling that could cause cracking or sinking.
Continue cooling at room temperature: Remove the tins from the oven, and place them on cooling racks until the cheesecakes reach room temperature, about 30-60 minutes. Optionally, to speed things up, carefully remove each one from the tin and cool directly on the rack.
Chill: Chill cheesecake bites in a covered container in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or ideally 4 hours or more. Can be chilled overnight.

For the topping

Top with preserves: When ready to serve, top with ½ to 1 teaspoon of preserves. Use one or more varieties of jam for different flavors and pretty colors. Or use one kind for simplicity.
Serve chilled.

Notes

Chill the bites for a minimum of 1 hour before serving, and ideally for 4 hours or more.
Cream cheese needs to be at room temperature before mixing.
Do NOT substitute the block cream cheese with whipped cream cheese or ricotta. The recipe has not been tested with vegan cheeze or Neufchâtel.
Twist the cup as you press the crumbs into the tray so they don't stick.
Don’t overmix the batter.
Top the bites with jam if they sink or crack.
Store uneaten bites in the refigerator for up to 3 days.

I developed these cheesecake bites based on one my mother made growing up and on a recipe from The Southern Living Cookbook, a reliable book for classic American recipes.

Nutrition