Scrambled Eggs, Cheese, and Avocado Tortilla Bowl Recipe
September 16, 2025
Mini Cheesecakes Recipe
These lovable mini cheesecakes are made in a muffin tin! Simpler to make than one giant cheesecake, they’re fairly as an image and lots much less messy to serve. Are you already visualising all people’s gushing response whenever you flip up at your subsequent gathering with a platter of those petite treats??
In terms of social gathering season, my dessert recreation plan is fairly predictable and heads in one in every of two instructions.
If I’ve the time and actually wish to make a splash, I’ll go for an enormous assertion piece just like the well-known Pavlova Christmas Tree or By no means-Ending Meringue Tart, the latter aptly named as a result of you may make it as impressively loooong as you need (4 metres / 12 toes is my document up to now!)
However after I know I’ll be pressed for time – and the vacation season this 12 months will be such a 12 months – I’m all the time pondering what I can cook dinner up for post-feast sweets that may nonetheless make an impression however with out the stress. My tick bins are for one thing low-risk, make-ahead, fairly, simple to move and a assured crowd pleaser.
Enter this 12 months’s dessert to the rescue: Mini Cheesecakes! They’re simpler to make than one giant cheesecake (that are form of fragile), with the comfort of side-stepping all of the hassles of slicing and doling out with plates and cutlery. You may actually eat these along with your palms like cupcakes.
And they’re simply lovable!
Right here’s what it is advisable make mini cheesecakes.
1. The biscuit base
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Biscuits – My biscuit of alternative for mini cheesecakes is digestive biscuits, for flavour and for the feel. These are a well-liked biscuit within the UK but additionally widespread in Australian grocery shops today. They’re agency however have a crumbly texture so that they kind crumbs simply, and usually are not as dry as different plain candy biscuits.
Substitute with:
– Graham crackers: Very comparable in each flavour and texture to Digestives.
– Arnott’s Marie crackers: I take advantage of these for giant cheesecakes however I discovered the bottom a bit dry after I made these mini cheesecakes. Nonetheless that is simply countered with some additional butter.
– Another plain candy biscuits: Simply make the biscuit base as written and add a bit of additional butter if wanted to realize the “moist sand” texture you want. -
Butter – So as to add flavour and fats to the bottom, and as a binding so the biscuit crumbs coalesce right into a stable base;
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Sugar – For slightly additional sweetness. We don’t want a lot.
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Cinnamon – Optionally available, however I like the additional contact of flavour it brings to the biscuit base.
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Salt – Only a pinch.
2. The cheesecake filling
The important thing to a creamy clean cheesecake filling is to make sure the chilly components are at room temperature.
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Cream cheese – The first ingredient in cheesecake! I’ve all the time used Philadelphia cream cheese which is the most effective identified cream cheese model. Use the block type not the creamy spreadable tub type, which tends to be softer.
Full fats cream cheese is important right here! Low fats cream cheese gained’t set as effectively and doesn’t have the identical flavour. It’s all in or make one thing else, I say!
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Bitter cream – This may sound unusual however bitter cream lightens the cheesecake filling so it’s not as dense. It is a “secret ingredient” I take advantage of to make cheesecakes luscious however not overly wealthy.
You may most likely get away with low fats however I haven’t tried it. Plain yogurt additionally works instead.
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Sugar – It’s greatest to make use of caster sugar / superfine sugar because the grains are smaller so they are going to dissolve extra simply into the filling combination. Common sugar will work too however would require extra beating to dissolve. This implies your combination shall be extra aerated which is able to result in some floor bubbles on the cheesecake (not the top of the world although, as we cowl it with cream!).
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Flour – Only a bit, to supply a little bit of stability to the filling and make it set. With out this, the filling units a bit too flabby and free.
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Eggs – That is our binding agent for the filling that holds every little thing collectively. Eggs, the final word meals glue!
Ensure the eggs are at room temperature and never fridge-cold. This manner they are going to incorporate extra simply into the batter and also you gained’t run the chance of curdling the combination. Yup, been there, carried out that! To rapidly deliver eggs to room temperature, simply submerge in heat water for five minutes.
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Vanilla – For flavour. I like to make use of extract somewhat than imitation essence which is, effectively, pretend. I don’t use actual vanilla beans for normal baking. I reserve that good things for particular issues like Creme Brûlée, Creme Anglaise (pouring custard).
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Salt – It’s typically good baking observe so as to add a little bit of salt to most dishes to deliver out the flavour of different components. It won’t make this style salty.
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Lemon zest – All the time welcome in wealthy issues, it brings a contact of brightness to offset a few of the creaminess. It doesn’t make this style like a lemon cheesecake. You want a LOT of zest for a pronounced lemon flavour in cheesecakes, as I came upon when creating Lemon Cheesecake for my cookbook!
Good and easy. And I actually like that you would be able to make these cheesecake days prematurely! Don’t fear should you don’t have a meals processor or electrical beater, there’s different means to make this.
1. Base
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Blitz – Place the biscuits in a meals processor and blitz till they turn out to be positive crumbs. It takes about 10 seconds in my meals processor. Begin by pulsing then blitz on excessive till carried out. Then add every little thing else (melted butter, cinnamon, sugar, salt) and blitz once more briefly to mix.
Don’t have a meals processor? No issues. Simply put the biscuits in a ziplock bag and bash utilizing a rolling pin or giant tin. It’s very satisfying!
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Moist sand texture – The combination ought to appear to be moist sand and holds collectively whenever you pinch it between your fingers. Divide the combination between paper muffin tin liners sitting in every gap.
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Press and flatten the crumbs firmly into the bottom of every gap utilizing one thing spherical with a flat base. A 1/4 cup measure is the right instrument for me.
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Bake for 7 minutes then take away and funky for five minutes earlier than topping with the cheesecake filling.
2. Cheesecake filling
The objective with the filling is to make it as clean as you’ll be able to but beating as little doable. This may minimise the quantity of air bubbles within the combination so that you don’t find yourself with bubbles or cracks on the floor.
I assume you’ve found out that this additionally means the filling is FAST to make!🙌🏻
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Beat – Begin by beating the cream cheese till clean. If it’s correctly at room temperature, this could barely take 10 seconds on a medium velocity. Then beat in every little thing else besides the eggs, simply till clean.
Don’t have an electrical beater? Simply ensure the cream cheese is kind of mushy then simply use a handheld whisk / picket spoon. It really works as a result of we aren’t making an attempt to fluff up the cream cheese like we do with butter for issues like buttercream frosting. All we would like is to make the cream cheese clean.
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Eggs – Beat the eggs in one by one, simply till integrated.
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Batter thickness – The cheesecake filling needs to be extra like a thick pancake batter, somewhat than a muffin combination that may be scooped into mounds.
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Divide the combination between the muffin tin holes. Use all of it! You may fill the holes as much as 3 mm from the rim because the cheesecake doesn’t rise a lot.
I like to make use of an ice cream scoop with a lever. It’s very useful for muffins, cupcakes, pancakes, fritters …. AND ice cream!
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Bake for 20 minutes at 160°C / 325°F (140°C fan). A decrease temperature avoids browning on the floor whereas gently baking the fragile cheesecake filling.
As soon as baked, the filling ought to nonetheless be mushy and supple within the centre, not rock exhausting. However not jiggling like there’s liquid beneath. If it’s too mushy, pop it again within the oven for a couple of minutes.
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Cool completely on the counter for a minimum of 1 hour.
Fridge – Cowl the floor with a sheet of baking/parchment paper then seal with cling wrap. Place within the fridge for a minimum of 6 hours to completely set, ideally in a single day.
3. Adorning!
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Totally set – As soon as the mini cheesecakes are completely chilled they are going to be set sufficient to choose up.
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Peel off the paper liner and place on a serving platter.
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Cream – Embellish as you want! In at the moment’s recipe I’ve gone with Chantilly cream (which is only a fancy identify for lightly-sweetened whipped cream) and berries. I’ve piped the cream on utilizing a star tip nozzle however you might additionally simply dollop the cream on utilizing spoons.
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Berries – I used small strawberries (halved / quartered), raspberries and blueberries plus a small sprig of mint, all dusted with icing sugar.
Extra adorning ideas
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Sliced/diced mushy tropical fruit like mango, kiwi, peach
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Passionfruit – all the time a pleasant of entirety!
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A drizzle of chocolate, Nutella or caramel
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Vibrant sprinkles or silver balls (festive season!)
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Fruit compote
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Toppings I take advantage of for my Strawberry or Blueberry Cheesecakes
The making half carried out, I’ve some sensible tricks to share with you on serving, storage and assembling so that you pull off your dessert with out a hitch on social gathering day! In no explicit order:
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Storage – Maintain them within the fridge. They’re glorious for twenty-four hours after making, and nonetheless very, superb at 48 hours. Past this the bottom begins getting softer than is right however no person complains. If wanted it retains for five days a minimum of, most likely longer. However be aware the cream will begin to deflate after round 24 hours. See suggestions beneath for assembling and stabilised cream.
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Freezing – The bare cheesecake (ie. no cream) might be frozen for as much as 3 months then thawed.
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Serve at room temperature – Ideally. Cheesecake is creamier and you may style extra flavours when it’s at room temperature. Although on sizzling summer season days chilly cheesecake from the fridge is beautiful! In my good situation, I de-chill the cheesecake for half-hour to 1 hour, then I embellish simply previous to serving.
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Adorning – Common freshly whipped cream deflates with time so attempt to assemble as near serving as you’ll be able to. Once I actually wish to impress, I take the Chantilly cream components and gear with me and whip the cream near serving.
If I’m feeling extra relaxed, I’ll simply embellish the cheesecakes previous to leaving my home and put it straight within the fridge after I arrive,. They’re positive for a number of hours. The cream will deflate a bit however should you whip till stiff it can maintain its piped form for a day.
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Stabilised cream – For the most effective make-ahead outcomes, use a stabilised cream. To do that, swap 1/4 of the (unwhipped) whipping cream with marscapone cheese, a wealthy Italian mushy cheese that tastes like whipped cream however has the feel of spreadable cream cheese.
Once you whip marscapone with strange cream, the ensuing cream stays mild and fluffy for a lot longer than plain whipped cream, ie. it’s “stabilised”. It’s going to stay fluffy and near-perfect for twenty-four to 36 hours. Past this, it begins to deflate barely however continues to be far superior to plain whipped cream!
And with that, it’s over and out for me!
Time handy over to you. What do you consider the cheesecake? Is that this vacation gatherings-worthy? What’s going to you embellish yours with? Inform me beneath, I wish to know! – Johnsat x
Ingredients
- 150g/ 5 oz digestive biscuits (10 pieces) or Graham Crackers (20 squares) (Note 1 for other biscuits)
- 60g / 4 tbsp unsalted butter , melted
- 1 tbsp caster sugar (superfine sugar)
- 1/8 tsp cinnamon powder (optional)
- Pinch of salt
- 375g / 12 oz cream cheese (block), at room temperature (Note 2)
- 1 1/2 tbsp flour , plain / all-purpose
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup sour cream , room temperature (or plain yogurt)
- 1/2 cup caster sugar (superfine sugar)
- 1 1/2 tsp lemon zest (1 lemon)
- Pinch of salt
- 2 large eggs , must be at room temperature (Note 3)
- 1 1/2 cups thickened / heavy cream
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 15g / 2 tbsp icing sugar / powdered sugar , sifted (or 1 tbsp caster sugar)
- Strawberries (small), blueberries and raspberries
- 12 small sprigs of mint
- Icing sugar / powdered sugar , for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 160°C / 325°F (140°C fan) with the shelf 1/3 from the bottom of the oven. Line a 12-hole standard muffin tin with paper muffin liners.
- Blitz: Break the crackers up with your hands then blitz in a food processor until they form fine crumbs – about 10 seconds or so. (Note 4) Add remaining Base ingredients, blitz to combine. It should have the texture of wet sand.
- Press: Divide mixture between the muffin tin holes. Press down firmly to flatten using something flat and round. A 1/3 cup measure fits perfectly in mine my tin holes for this purpose.
- Bake: Backe for 7 minutes then cool bases for 5 minutes before filling.
- Filling (Note 5): Beat cream cheese on speed 5 of an electric beater just until smooth (~ 10 seconds). Add flour, vanilla, sour cream, sugar and lemon. Beat on speed 5 just until combined (~10 seconds). Beat in eggs one at a time just until incorporated. Mixture should be like a thick pancake batter.
- Bake filling: Divide mixture between muffin holes. Use it all – you can can go within 3mm of rim as it won’t rise much. Bake for 20 minutes.
- Chill: Remove from the oven then cool for 1 hour on the counter in the muffin tin. When cooled, cover with baking/parchment paper then loosely with cling wrap. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours and preferably overnight, or until the liner can be peeled off cleanly.
- De-chill: If you have the time, remove cheesecakes from the fridge 30 minutes prior to serving, to take some of the fridge chill out (the cheesecake is nicer at room temperature).
- Chantilly cream: Place ingredients in a bowl and beat on high until the cream is thick enough to pipe/dollop.
- Decorate: Pipe or dollop with cream, decorate with berries, dust with icing sugar. Serve proudly!
Notes
1. Biscuits – I tried a variety of biscuits and found digestive biscuits and graham crackers to be my preference for mini cheesecakes. For graham crackers you will need 1 3/4 cup or 20 squares for 150g.
Marie crackers (commonly used in Australia for cheesecake base which I use for full size cheesecakes) works but needs and extra 90g butter (the base is drier than with digestives).
Use any biscuits you want but you may need to adjust the butter depending on the type so it stays together when you press it in the base. Just make base as-is, then add 1 tbsp (15g) extra melted butter at a time until you get the right texture.
2. Cream cheese – Use block cream cheese as it’s firmer than the spreadable tub variety.
3. Eggs – Use eggs labelled as “large eggs” as they are an industry standard size of around 55g/2oz each. Please ensure they are at room temperature so they incorporate easily in the batter.
4. No food processor? Just put the biscuits in a ziplock bag and bash with a rolling pin or large can. It’s very satisfying!
5. Creating a smooth filling – The goal is to make a smooth mixture with minimal beating so there’s no bubbles on the surface and no cracking risk. Hence the instruction to have all ingredients at room temperature rather than fridge-cold!
6. Peeling off liner – If you want even neater sides, pop the cheesecakes in the freezer for 30 minutes or so, until the sides firm up. The lining will peel off even more cleanly.
7. Serving – Decorate close to serving time ideally. However they can stay in the fridge for a few hours and will be fine! I assemble prior to leaving my house then put it straight in the fridge at the destination.
8. Storage – Cheesecakes will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. Regular cream will deflate a bit though, that’s just what happens, but it’s still delicious. Stabilised cream is more resistant to deflating while still as airy as normal whipped cream. To make, substitute 1/4 of the unwhipped cream with the same amount of 40% fat marscapone. Whip into cream as usual, and use as per normal cream.
See tips above the recipe video for making ahead and taking to gatherings.
9. Nutrition per cheesecake, excluding toppings.
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