Have these classic mini baked cheesecakes ready by the hour. Baked in 6 jumbo muffin tins (or 12 regular cups), these cheesecake cupcakes are simply perfect to serve to your guests or as midweek post-dinner treat!
Let it snow…
The first cheesecakes I made were always non-bake, partially because I hadn’t yet heard of baked cheesecakes, and partially because should I have known, the teenage me would’ve freaked a little at all the commotion that surrounds baked cheesecakes.
Everything from water baths to claims of the best tips & hacks, I think I would’ve recoiled and whipped up a batch of brownies to destress. It’s my thing. I was, after all, just a high school girl slightly obsessed with baking.
Fast forward to now, baking a cheesecake is just as therapeutic as baking any other treat; but this only came through lots of practice. If you’re looking for a starting recipe, these baked mini cheesecakes are perfect, classic, and pretty much fool proof.
So, how do you bake mini cheesecakes?
Onto these mini baked cheesecakes, the recipe is so simple – it’s practically fool proof. I adapted it from Food Editor Tracy Rutherford’s recipe to include a proper cheesecake base.
The great thing about making mini cheesecakes, is you don’t need a water bath, and you don’t have to bake it for long! Simply line your muffin tin with paper liners, add the cheesecake base and flatten. Add the cheesecake mixture and bake in a preheated oven for 20 minutes. If you don’t have a tin with 6 jumbo cups, you can use a 12 cup muffin tin and reduce the cooking time by about 5 minutes.
Admittedly, I left the oven door 1/2 open to let them cool slowly, but you can take them right out and leave in the pan on the bench to cool to room temperature. Wait at least 10 minutes before removing them from the pan to put on a cooling rack, or in the fridge if you’re in a hurry.
These are amazing topped with whipped cream, seasonal berries, or my personal favourite, a bit of the cheesecake base as a “crumble”.
Can you freeze mini cheesecakes?
I get you. Snag one out of the freezer and dessert is done. That’s a real dream right there. The good news is you can definitely freeze these cheesecakes, simply wrap in a bit of plastic wrap and place in a container to avoid freezer burn. Simply defrost on the counter when you’re in the mood and enjoy. No bad news here, just don’t freeze these with fruit toppings though as they will get soggy after being thawed.
Mini Baked Cheesecakes
With just 7 ingredients and 20 minutes of prep time, you can have these smooth & creamy mini baked cheesecakes ready to enjoy in an hour!
Ingredients
Cheesecake Filling
- 250 grams cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla essence
- 2 eggs
- 1 tbsp lemon juice, see notes
Cheesecake Crust
- 9 plain sweet biscuits
- 60 grams butter, melted
Garnishes (optional)
- seasonal berries
- icing sugar
Instructions
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Prepare a 6 cup muffin tin by lining with paper liners. Ensure your muffin tin has no less than a 1/2 cup capacity per muffin.
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Preheat oven to 180 C (160 C fan forced), 350 F.
To make the crust
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Add biscuits to a ziplock bag and crush with a rollin pin to fine crumbs. Add crushed biscuits and melted butter into a bowl and stir well to combine.
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Spoon into prepared muffin tin and flatten using a spatula, or the bottom of a glass. Set aside.
To make the filling
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Beat softened cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and lemon juice with electric beaters until smooth.
Add eggs and beat again until well combined.
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Spoon cream cheese mixture evenly into prepared cases and bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes.
Set aside to cool for 10 minutes then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
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Once cheesecakes are at room temperature, garnish with berries and icing sugar.
Recipe Notes
You can easily substitute lemon juice with your favourite flavour. For example, you can substitute one tbsp of freshly brewed espresso for a coffee cheesecake.
Tried it? Let me know if you liked it!
Go on and rate the recipe in the comments below. And Don’t forget to tag your creations on Instagram with @tilgoldenbrown #tilgoldenbrown so I can feature them! ❤️
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