Classic mini cheesecakes are the perfect bite-sized treat—creamy, rich, and incredibly easy to make. Their buttery graham cracker crust pairs beautifully with the smooth cheesecake, creating a delightful balance of flavours. These little cheesecakes are a simple yet impressive treat that never disappoints!
Why Make Them Mini?
Around Thanksgiving, I made a large (and delicious) pumpkin cheesecake that was a huge hit. Even though everyone had huge portions and wanted me to make it again, I left with half a 9×13 pan of cheesecake to myself. That’s when I decided that I would start experimenting with the mini cheesecake for portion control. I ended up finding some very affordable 4 inch springform pans that I’ve been using pretty frequently ever since. Turns out modifying a few of my recipes to fit these new sizes was pretty easy to do and gave me a new and fun creative mission!
How to Make Cheesecake
This cheesecake is surprisingly simple to make and only a few ingredients.
Cream Cheese: 500 grams of full fat cream cheese – or 2 bricks. You may be tempted to reach for the light cream cheese, but don’t do it! You definitely want the full fat cheese in this cake.
Sugar: 1/2 a cup of granulated sugar. You don’t need a ton of sugar to make a delicious cheesecake.
Brown Sugar: 1/3 cup. Brown sugar helps add a little more moisture and flavour to the cakes.
Sour Cream: 1/3 cup. Sour cream in this case will balance out the texture of the cream cheese and the sweetness of the sugar. It also brings with it a creaminess that adds to the overall texture.
Eggs: 2 large. Eggs are essential in a cheesecake, helping bind everything together. We beat these in one at a time, being careful not to over mix.
Vanilla Extract: 1 teaspoon. Just enough to add a little boost of flavour.
Don’t forget that these ingredients should be at room temperature before mixing! Beating them cold could result in a chunkiness that isn’t really what we’re looking for in a rich and creamy dessert like a cheesecake.
Graham Cracker Crust
To me, a graham cracker crust is just as much of a classic part of the cheesecake as the cake itself. When I was little, My Oma used to make a no bake cheesecake recipe that had the best graham cracker crust – now I find myself wanting to add it to any recipe I can. Can you blame me?
Graham Cracker Crumbs: 150 grams. You can substitute these out for any other crumb if you prefer. Me, I’m sticking with these.
Brown Sugar: 2 tablespoons.
Butter: 4 tablespoons. Your butter should be unsalted and melted in a microwave save container.
I recently bought some new measuring spoons that were perfect for pressing down the crust in my small springform pans. You can use a cup, or anything else that is flat with a fairly sharp edge!
The Easy (by tasty) Blueberry Sauce:
I find myself always gravitating towards blueberries- they are without a doubt one of my favourite flavours. This sauce is an easy way to add a little tartness to the already sweet cheesecakes. By topping them with a sauce instead of baking the blueberries in, you can control how much or how little you want. It’s also the easiest way to modify this recipe to incorporate different flavours.
Blueberries: 1 cup of fresh blueberries. You can use frozen but they will take a little longer to breakdown.
Sugar: 4 tablespoons. The sugar will help balance out the tartness of the fresh blueberries.
Lemon Juice: 1 tablespoon. Adding some lemon juice will aid with the balance of the overall flavours while adding some complexity to the sauce.
Baking and Cooling the Cheesecakes
Usually I would suggest baking your cheesecakes in a water bath to keep them from cracking or sinking. In this case, I actually don’t mind if the mini cheesecakes sink in the centre. The indent gives you the perfect little crater to hold your sauce. With that said, if you are absolutely against ever letting your cheesecake sink or crack, a water bath can be used.
Okay, so who’s with me when I say that the cooling is the worst part? As much as it kills me to wait for a few hours before eating these delicious treats, it is important to allow them to cool before serving. They need to set, and I need to learn patience… Leave them to cool on your counter for about an hour before letting the fridge take over for the remaining 2 hours or so. Hang in there, it’ll be worth the wait!
Classic Mini Cheesecakes with Blueberry Sauce
Course: DessertDifficulty: Easy3
cakes45
minutes25
minuteshours
1
hour10
minutesWith a buttery graham cracker crust, rich cheesecake filling, and a fresh blueberry topping, these mini cheesecakes are the perfect easy dessert for any occasion!
Ingredients
- Sauce
1 cup of fresh Blueberries (or frozen)
4 tablespoons of Granulated Sugar
1 tablespoon of Lemon Juice- Graham Cracker Crust
150 grams of Graham Crackers Crumbs
4 tablespoons of melted, unsalted Butter
2 tablespoons of Brown Sugar- Cheesecake Batter
500 grams of room temperature Cream Cheese
1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
1/3 cup Brown Sugar lightly packed
1/3 cup of room temperature Sour Cream
2 Large Eggs (also room temperature)
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Directions
- Make the sauce: Combine blueberries, granulated sugar, and lemon juice into a sauce pan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly for about 5-8 minutes. Overtime the berries will begin to breakdown and form a jelly like sauce (See Note). Once you’ve achieved your desired consistency, remove from heat and let fully cool.
- Make the crust: Combine graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, and melted butter together in a medium bowl until you create a consistent sandy texture. Evenly distribute the mixture into your 4 inch springform pans. With a flat tool, press firmly, but not too hard, until the crust is flattened and smoothed evenly over the pan(See Note).
- Prep Your Oven: Adjust your oven rack to the middle position, and preheat to 350F.
- Make the Batter: In a large bowl, using a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese for about 2 minutes until it becomes soft and creamy. Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar and mix to combine. Add the sour cream and mix to combine. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula, then add the eggs, one at a time, mixing until incorporated. Add the vanilla extract and mix. Don’t over mix the batter. Using a scoop or spatula, evenly add the mixture to your springform pans. You’ll want about 3/4 of an inch of space from the top as your cheesecake will rise a little while baking.
- Tap the pans a couple of times on the counter to remove bubbles before placing them on a baking sheet. As an option, you can line your sheet with parchment paper if you are worried about the pans leaking. Bake for 25-28 minutes. The cheesecake should look set around the edges but will still have a slight jiggle in the middle. Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature before putting it in the fridge to cool for 2 more hours before topping with your blueberry sauce and serving.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Simmer your sauce longer to breakdown the berries and create a more jelly like sauce. I personally like a few berries left in the mixture.
- Don’t over press the crumbs. If you press too firmly, the crust will become hard once it’s cooked.
- Store the cakes in an airtight container for up to 2 days before topping and serving. This is a great trick if you want to prepare the day before an event or gathering.
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