Cheesecake Bites
Inside: An easy two-bite mini cheesecake recipe for parties and showers and a video on how to make mini tulip-shaped cupcake liners for easily removing the mini cheesecakes from the pan and for serving.
Mini cheesecake bites are delicious bite-size desserts perfect for parties, baby showers, wedding showers and dessert buffet tables – any occasion where mini desserts make more sense than cutting and serving individual portions. Garnish your bite-sized cheesecakes for the occasion and watch them disapppear.
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I’m a big fan of mini desserts for cocktail parties, bridal and baby showers and even game days. From One-Bite Mini Pumpkin Pies to Peanut Butter Balls with Rice Krispies, the grab-n-go nature of bite-sized desserts is what makes them special. The same is true for mini cheesecake bites.
So, if you’re a cheesecake fan, get ready. This cheesecake bites recipe is simplicity2. They are tasty with a balanced combination of creamy, tangy cheesecake filling and buttery cookie crust.
Mix the vanilla cheesecake filling in a single bowl, and use your favorite crushed graham crackers, chocolate or ‘Nilla wafers for the crust. Paper liners make the mini desserts easy to remove from the muffin tin and keep them mess-free for serving.
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Table of Contents
Why you’ll love this recipe:
- This recipe works because it makes enough for small gatherings or can be doubled, tripled or even quadrupled for bigger crowds.
- Garnish it how you like it—with fresh fruit or berries, whipped cream, chocolate ganache, or pie filling.
- The recipe makes 24 bite-sized cheesecakes as written, but you can double or triple the recipe depending on how many guests you have—figure 2-3 cheesecake bites per person.
- They can be made ahead and freeze well.
Ingredients:
- Graham Crackers – for the crust. You can also use boxed graham cracker crumbs or other plain biscuits like ‘Nilla wafers, chocolate wafers, Lorna Doone’s, Biscoff or other wafer cookies (Trader Joe’s has everything from lemon to coconut).
- Melted Butter – to bind the crust. You can use salted or unsalted.
- Cinnamon—This is optional, but I like to add a hint of spice to the crust. However, you’ll want to consider the flavor of the cookie you use before adding it so they don’t compete.
- Sugar – I use granulated sugar, not brown sugar, to sweeten the crust and the cheesecake filling.
- Egg – You can’t make a cake without eggs – they bind and lighten the cheesecake bites.
- Cream Cheese – I recommend whole-fat cream cheese. I usually use Philadelphia for my mini cheesecakes, but my market was completely out, and the Trader Joe’s brand worked great.
- Sour Cream—I used full-fat sour cream for a richer and more satisfying filling, but you can also use full-fat Greek yogurt.
- Vanilla Extract – to flavor the cheesecake filling. I use Penzey’s double-strength vanilla.
- Lemon Juice adds additional tangy, fresh flavor to the filling. For a stronger citrus flavor, add a teaspoon of lemon zest.
Step-by-step instructions:
- Break up the graham crackers and transfer them to the food processor.
2. Pulse the graham crackers to form large crumbs, then add sugar, melted butter and cinnamon.
3. Pulse until the ingredients are well combined and you have fine crumbs.
4. Divide the buttered graham cracker crumbs between the lined muffin tins and use a tamper to press the crumbs into the paper, to form a packed well for the crust. Par-bake the graham cracker crust for 4 minutes in a 350° F oven.
5. Combine the room-temperature cream cheese and sugar in a bowl and beat until smooth and creamy with a hand mixer.
6. Add the sour cream, vanilla and lemon juice and beat again until the ingredients are combined.
7. Beat in the egg until just combined. The filling will be thick and creamy.
8. Fill the graham cracker crusts with a tablespoon of cheesecake filling.
9. Bake the cheesecake bites for 18 minutes in a 350° oven.
10. When done, the cheesecake bites should be slightly puffed and the centers a little jiggly. Let the mini cheesecakes cool to room temperature before refrigerating them. Decorate as you like with fresh fruit or pie filling, jam or whipped cream, or even a little chocolate ganache.
Pro-Tips:
- I recommend using paper liners for the mini cheesecake bites to make removing them from the muffin tins easier. Without them, the filling can stick to the sides, and the cookie crust can crumble. The paper liners ensure uniform mini cheesecakes that travel well, freeze well, and hold up on a dessert buffet.
- Wait until the mini desserts have cooled, and then refrigerate.
- Don’t garnish until the cheesecakes are chilled.
- You should only put the cheesecakes out on the dessert table just before dessert—not when you’re serving the appetizers.
Variations:
- Make mini cheesecakes with vanilla wafers or your favorite wafer cookies instead of graham crackers for the crust.
- Make larger muffin-sized cheesecakes using a regular 12-count muffin tin, using the exact quantities in this recipe. This recipe will make 8-9 regular muffin-sized cheesecakes, and the baking time will need to be increased by 6-8 minutes.
- Add mini chocolate chips to the cheesecake filling.
- Top with a squirt of whipped topping and fresh berries.
- Top with passion fruit curd or lemon curd for a tangy note.
- Add a puddle of chocolate ganache for a richer, more decadent bite.
Make Ahead:
- You can make these desserts 1-2 days ahead of time and keep them in the refrigerator until you’re ready to garnish and serve.
Storage:
- Store the bite-sized cheesecakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator. If your container is taller and the small desserts need to be stacked, separate each layer between sheets of parchment paper and stack no further than three layers to avoid crushing the bottom layer.
Freezing:
- To freeze the cheesecake bites, arrange them snugly in an airtight freezer-safe container and freeze for up to a month. Defrost before garnishing and serving.
FAQ’s:
Cheesecake bites are mini versions of cheesecake, so they have the same basic ingredients.
Each cheesecake bite has about 70 calories.
Yes, they should be refrigerated before serving.
Helpful tools:
These are affiliate links; you’ll pay no more for the item and I’ll make a small commission if you make a purchase.
- Mini muffin tin pan: look for one with a 24-muffin yield.
- A Tamper is used to press the crust into the individual muffin tins.
- Mini tulip cupcake liners or these mini baking cups.
How to make your own mini tulip liners for cheesecake bites.
- Cut out parchment paper into 3″ squares.
- Fold the square in half and crease the paper to make a distinct fold.
- Open the paper up and fold it in half the other way, again setting the crease in the paper.
- Use a shot glass or other small glass that fits inside your mini muffin tin as a guide. Turn the glass upside down and place the parchment on top so that the center of the glass is where the cross (+) rests.
- Fold and crease the flat sides of the parchment on each of the 4 sides of the paper.
- Holding the paper firmly around the glass, use your opposite hand to twist and form the bottom of the “cup” for the cheesecake cups. See video, above.
More bite-sized recipes to try:
Cheesecake Bites
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
- 1 24-count mini muffin tin
- paper liners or parchment paper
- mini food processor
INGREDIENTS:
FOR GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST:
- 6 full graham crackers about a rounded ⅔ cup
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
FOR CHEESECAKE FILLING:
- 8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 1 egg
DIRECTIONS:
FOR THE GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST:
- Preheat the oven to 350° F.
- Line the mini muffin tin with paper liners or make your own parchment cups. See video.
- Break up 6 full graham crackers and transfer to the bowl of a mini prep food processor. Pulse several times to break them down into large crumbs. Add 3 tablespoons melted butter, ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ cup granulated sugar and pulse again until well combined.
- Divide the crumb mixture between the muffin rounds (about 2 teaspoons per round). Use a tamper to press the buttered graham cracker crumbs into the tins, so they stick together. Bake for about 4 minutes and remove from the oven. Set aside.
FOR THE CHEESECAKE FILLING:
- In a large bowl, combine 8 ounces cream cheese (at room temperature) and ¼ cup granulated sugar. Beat with a hand mixer until the mixture is very smooth and there are no lumps.
- Add t¼ cup sour cream,½ teaspoon vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice and beat on medium speed to combine. Add1 egg and beat until the filling is thick and creamy.
- Divide the cheesecake batter between the prepared muffin tins, (about 1 tablespoon per cheesecake bite) and bake for 12-14 minutes or until set with a slight jiggle in the center. Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature.
RECIPE VIDEO:
NOTES:
NUTRITION:
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