Did you know you can bake cheesecake in a muffin pan? This recipe for creamy mini cheesecakes is so simple and perfect for a small crowd. Make sure you use a standard 12-count muffin pan. For extra-mini cheesecakes baked in a mini muffin pan, see recipe Notes.
I originally published this recipe in 2018 and have since added new photos, a video, tweaks to the recipe to yield a full dozen, and additional success tips.
Cheesecake is one of my favorite desserts and I have two recipes that steal my heart each time: classic cheesecake and no-bake cheesecake. Both recipes serve A LOT of people. If you love cheesecake, but don’t need an entire cheesecake in the house, try mini cheesecakes instead.
This recipe for individually sized cheesecakes is so simple and the perfect dessert to make for a smaller crowd. The classic cheesecake flavor is a great base for any of your favorite toppings, like whipped cream and berries, salted caramel, chocolate ganache, or raspberry sauce. Have fun with it!
I have a few mini cheesecake recipes:
They’re simple, they’re delicious, and at only a few bites each, they’re perfect for portion control. Today’s recipe is my go-to, signature version of the classic flavor. Since first sharing it in 2018, I’ve slightly scaled it up to yield 1 full dozen thick and creamy cheesecakes.
Why You’ll Love These Mini Cheesecakes
- Quicker and easier to make than a full cheesecake
- Same creamy, velvety-smooth filling and buttery graham cracker crust you love in a classic cheesecake
- Individual grab-and-go portions are great for parties—no fork and plate required!
- Wonderful make-ahead dessert option
- Perfect base for so many different topping options—see below for some suggestions
Ingredients You Need & Why
With so few ingredients making up the filling, you can be sure that each one is there to serve a specific purpose:
- Bricks of Cream Cheese: Whichever brand you use, make sure you’re using bricks of full-fat cream cheese—not the cream cheese in a tub you would use for spreading on bagels. Same rule applies when making cream cheese frosting and strawberry cream cheese pie.
- Granulated Sugar: You’ll love that this cheesecake isn’t overly sweet. Vanilla sugar would be great here, if you have some!
- Sour Cream: You need 1/4 cup of sour cream to help bind the ingredients together and smooth out the filling so it tastes creamy. It may be a small amount, but trust me when I say this is an essential ingredient.
- Vanilla Extract: Feel free to use homemade vanilla extract or even vanilla bean paste here.
- Lemon Juice: A splash of lemon juice adds freshness and depth of flavor.
- Eggs: A main ingredient in any baked cheesecake! Add them right at the end, and be sure to not over-mix the batter once the eggs are incorporated.
How to Make Cheesecake in a Muffin Pan
All we’re doing here is scaling down both the graham cracker crust and cheesecake batter from my classic cheesecake. Like the big version, pre-bake the crust, and make sure your cheesecake batter ingredients are at room temperature.
Mix up the graham cracker crust ingredients including graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter. You need 8 full-sheet graham crackers for this. Firmly press a heaping Tablespoon of the crust mixture into each cupcake liner. Bake the crusts for 6 minutes, to give them a little head start.
Next, make the cheesecake filling using an electric mixer. It’s important to beat the cream cheese and sugar together until there are zero lumps; stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl a few times as needed.
Like with most cheesecake recipes, add the eggs 1 at a time, beating just until combined before adding the next. Do not over-mix.
Expect a creamy, thick batter:
Bake the cheesecakes in a lined standard 12-count muffin pan. And if you’re looking for a version that sets in the refrigerator instead of the oven, you’ll appreciate these mini no-bake cheesecakes instead.
Want to add some flavor? Use my white chocolate raspberry cheesecake bars recipe and see those recipe Notes for how to turn them into mini cheesecakes. Yum!
Here’s an Easy Cheesecake “Water Bath” Method (& It’s Optional)
If you’ve never made cheesecake before, you might be wondering what a water bath is and why you need one. I actually have an entire post and video tutorial dedicated to How to Make a Cheesecake Water Bath, if you’re interested in learning more.
Baking these mini cheesecakes with a water bath is optional, but I recommend it because it keeps the cheesecakes from sinking as they cool. Cheesecakes like to bake in a humid environment, and you can create that by pouring boiling water into a large roasting pan set on the oven rack below the muffin pan of mini cheesecakes. Close the oven door quickly to trap the steam inside. This is a simpler version of a traditional water bath, and it works great for these minis!
Bake the mini cheesecakes until the edges are set and the centers slightly jiggle when you tap the pan, about 20 minutes.
Set the pan on a cooling rack and allow the mini cheesecakes to cool at room temperature for 45 minutes, then transfer to the refrigerator and chill for at least 2 hours.
And even if your mini cheesecakes do sink down after baking (some sinkage is always expected!), this just gives you plenty of room for…
Cheesecake Toppings:
Description
Bake deliciously creamy mini cheesecakes in a muffin pan! This easy recipe yields a dozen individual cheesecakes that are perfect for portion control. Use a standard 12-count muffin pan. For extra mini cheesecakes baked in a mini muffin pan, see recipe note.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a standard 12-count muffin pan with cupcake liners.
- Make the crust: Combine all of the crust ingredients in a medium bowl. Mixture will be sandy. Firmly press a heaping Tablespoon of crust mixture into each liner. Bake the crusts for 6 minutes.
- Make the filling: Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese and granulated sugar together on medium-high speed in a large bowl until the mixture is completely smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the sour cream, lemon juice, and vanilla extract, and beat until fully combined. With the mixer running on medium speed, add the eggs 1 at a time, beating just until combined before adding the next. Do not over-mix. Divide the batter among the liners, filling each all the way to the top. (It’s OK if the crust is still warm.)
- Optional Water Bath (prevents cheesecakes from excess sinking; skip this step if desired): Boil a pot of water. You need 1 inch of water in your roasting pan for the water bath, so make sure you boil enough. Place a large metal baking or roasting pan (I usually use a 9×13-inch baking pan—do not use glass) on the bottom oven rack of the preheated oven. Pour boiling water into pan, about 1 inch deep. Immediately place the cheesecakes on the center rack. Close oven to trap the steam inside. This unique water bath adds steam to the oven without having the muffin pan sit inside the water itself, which is a traditional water bath method used for full-size cheesecakes.
- Bake until the edges are set and the centers slightly jiggle when you tap the pan, about 20 minutes.
- Set the pan on a cooling rack and allow cheesecakes to cool at room temperature for 45 minutes, then transfer to the refrigerator and chill for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours. (Or place in the freezer for 1 hour to speed things up.) If chilling in the refrigerator for longer than 2 hours, loosely cover the cheesecakes. Even if you used the water bath method in step 4, the cheesecakes will slightly sink as they cool.
- Top the cheesecakes: I used Wilton 1M tip for piping whipped cream on the pictured mini cheesecakes. Garnish with berries, mint, and/or other toppings suggested in recipe Notes. Whipped cream can be made and piped/spread on mini cheesecakes up to 24 hours in advance. Refrigerate decorated cheesecakes until ready to serve.
- Cover and store leftover cheesecakes in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: Prepare the cheesecakes through Step 3 up to 2–3 days in advance. Cover unbaked cheesecakes and store in the refrigerator until ready to bake. Continue with Step 4. Freeze individual baked cheesecakes for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 12-count Muffin Pan | Cupcake Liners | Food Processor | Glass Mixing Bowls | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Cooling Rack
- Topping Suggestions: Salted caramel, lemon curd, strawberry topping, chocolate ganache, red wine chocolate ganache, fresh berries and mint, and/or homemade whipped cream.
- Super Mini Cheesecakes: Line a 24-count mini muffin pan with mini muffin liners or grease with nonstick spray or butter. For easy and seamless removal from the pan, using liners is preferable. Make the crust and cheesecake batter as directed. Press 2 teaspoons of crust into each mini muffin liner. Pre-bake at 350°F (177°C) for 4 minutes. Remove from the oven and fill each with cheesecake batter. Bake for 10–11 minutes or until the cheesecakes appear set on top. Continue with Step 6 in this recipe. Yields approximately 30 super mini cheesecakes.
- Non-US Readers: Don’t have graham crackers where you live? Use these measurements for a biscuit crumb crust for these mini cheesecakes: 1 cup (105g) digestive biscuit crumbs (7 biscuits) + 30g butter, melted + 2 Tablespoons (25g) sugar. Grind the biscuits into crumbs, combine with sugar, then stir in the melted butter. Press into liners and pre-bake as directed in Step 2. And from what I understand, spreadable cream cheese sold in a tub in countries outside of the US is a little different from the spreadable cream cheese in the US. It’s thicker, sturdier, and more solid and should be OK to make cheesecake. I have no experience with it, but this is what I’ve heard from other non-US readers.
