These Cheesecake Cupcakes make a fun dessert! Layered with a graham cracker crust and creamy tangy cheesecake. Choose between your favorite toppings (salted caramel sauce, chocolate or strawberry sauce!)
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Mini Cheesecake Cupcakes
I love making mini cheesecakes rather than a whole cheesecake. Whole cheesecakes can be quite intimidating. These cheesecake cups really are the best! They are super easy to make and the perfect portion size! They are perfect for serving at a party or get together because they are so portable!
These Cheesecake Cupcakes are made in a muffin pan with cupcake liners. They are similar in size to a cupcake. This cheesecake cupcake recipe makes 12 perfectly sized individual cheesecakes. They are perfect for serving a crowd! You can also use a mini muffin tin for bite size cheesecakes.
These mini cheesecakes are rich, creamy and smooth. I made the filling with cream cheese and sour cream for a bit of tang. If you don’t have sour cream feel free to substitute greek yogurt.
This cheesecake cupcake recipe makes 12 perfectly sized cheesecakes. They are perfect for serving a crowd! The best part of this cheesecake cupcake recipe is all the variations you can make. I listed my favorite flavor combos below!
how to make cheesecake cupcakes
- Make graham cracker crust: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a regular size muffin tin with paper liners. (I recommend using the paper liners over foil). Combine graham cracker, butter and sugar in a small bowl. The texture should be similar to wet sand. Divide crust evenly into the bottom of the lined muffin tin. Bake for 5-6 minutes or until golden brown. Take out of the oven and cool completely, set aside.
- Cheesecake filling: Meanwhile assemble the cheesecake filling. Beat cream cheese in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Add in sour cream, sugar, eggs and vanilla. Mix until combined. Make sure to scrap the sides of the bowl. Pour cheesecake mixture into cooled muffin tin (about 2 tablespoons of filling each.) Fill almost all the way to the top.
- Bake: Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until the cheesecakes are set. They will still jiggle a bit. Do not over cook them. If they start to crack they are getting over cooked. Allow them to cool in the muffin tin completely on a wire cooling rack.
- Serve: Place the cheesecake cupcakes in the refrigerator to chill and serve cold with your favorite toppings!
Tips
- Use chocolate graham crackers, Oreo’s, or biscoff cookies in place of the honey graham crackers for a fun twist!
- For my chocolate lovers try my Triple Chocolate Mini Cheesecakes. This recipe is made with an Oreo Cookie crust layered with chocolate cheesecake and topped with a chocolate ganache.
- A lot of readers have had success with making these in silicone muffin trays. There is no need to put a liner for these and they pop out really well!
variations
- Chocolate Cheesecake Cupcakes: Made with melted semi sweet chocolate chips. Perfect for chocolate lovers!
- Oreo Cheesecake Cupcakes: In place of the graham cracker crust substitute 18 Oreos and
- Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcakes: Top each cheesecake with 1 tablespoon of my Strawberry Sauce (recipe follows below) then place half of a sliced strawberry on top.
- Pumpkin Cheesecake Cupcakes: Add canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling) and some pumpkin pie spice. Crush up gingersnaps and mix with melted butter to make the crust.
- Cherry Cheesecake Cupcakes: Top each cupcake with canned cherry pie filling and graham cracker crumbs!
The best thing about these mini cheesecakes are that they are totally customizable! They can even be served plain or with your favorite topping. Make them with caramel sauce, chocolate or strawberry sauce. Or top them with fresh fruit. Any way you serve them they are awesome!
I’ve included my homemade caramel sauce and homemade strawberry sauce recipe below. Now the hard part is deciding which one to make. I recommend making both!
homemade caramel sauce
- Add all of the ingredients except for the vanilla to a saucepan.
- Cook over low-medium heat until thickened stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. If the sauce isn’t getting a lot thicker turn up the heat a bit and keep and eye on it making sure to whisk constantly. (The sauce will thicken as it cools in the refrigerator). Stir in vanilla.
- Take off of the heat and allow to cool in the saucepan. Transfer to a container and place in the refrigerator to firm up and cool.
homemade strawberry sauce
- Add strawberries, lemon juice and sugar to a small saucepan.
- Simmer on low for 15 minutes, mashing up strawberries with the back of a wooden spoon. Take off heat and allow to cool. Place in a food processor and pulse until creamy and thick. Place back in the fridge and serve cold.
Can you freeze Cheesecake Cupcakes?
Yes! These mini cheesecakes freeze really well. Just make sure to wrap them up properly in an airtight container. The cheesecakes should last for up to 3 months in the freezer. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Here are more individual desserts to try!
- Mini Cheesecake Cupcakes
- Chocolate Fudge Cakes for Two
- Triple Chocolate Mini Cheesecakes
- Individual No Bake Vanilla Cheesecake
- Individual Mixed Berry Crisp
products i used
Mini Cheesecake Cupcakes
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Mini Cheesecake Cupcakes
- 16 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- caramel sauce or strawberry sauce for topping, optional
3 Ingredient Strawberry Sauce
- 1 cup strawberries, halved
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
Easy Caramel Sauce
- 2 cups light brown sugar
- 1 stick plus 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- sea salt for serving, if desired
Instructions
Mini Cheesecake Cupcakes
- 1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a regular size muffin pan with paper liners. (I recommend using the paper liners over foil) 2. Combine graham cracker, butter and sugar in a small bowl. Texture should be similar to wet sand. 3. Divide crust evenly into the bottom of the lined muffin tin. Bake for 5-6 minutes or until golden brown. Take out of the oven and cool completely.
- 4. Meanwhile assemble the cheesecake filling. Beat cream cheese in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment.
- 5. Add in sour cream, sugar, eggs and vanilla. Mix until combined. Make sure to scrap the sides of the bowl.
- 6. Pour cheesecake mixture into cooled muffin tin. It will be about 2 tablespoons of filling each. Fill almost all the way to the top. Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until the cheesecakes are set. They will still jiggle a bit. Do not over cook them. If they start to crack they are getting over cooked.
- 7. Allow them to cool in the muffin tin completely. Place in the refrigerator to chill and serve cold with your favorite toppings.
3 Ingredient Strawberry Sauce
- Add strawberries, lemon juice and sugar to a small saucepan.
- Simmer on low for 15 minutes, mashing up strawberries with the back of a wooden spoon. Take off heat and allow to cool. If desired place in a food processor and pulse until smooth.
Easy Caramel Sauce
- Add all of the ingredients except for the vanilla to a saucepan. Cook over low-medium heat until thickened stirring occasionally. About 8 minutes. If the sauce isn’t getting a lot thicker turn up the heat a bit and keep and eye on it making sure to whisk constantly. (The sauce will thicken as it cools in the refrigerator).
- Take off of the heat and stir in vanilla. Transfer to a container and place in the refrigerator to firm up and cool.
Nutrition Information
Did you make this?
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Clarissa bay alvarez etruiste
Hi. I will try this in my coffee shop
Kristen
This recipe says it makes a dozen cupackes, and i found that to be true for the measurements for the crust. However, I have about half the filling left after putting it into the cups. I followed the recipe exactly…did anyone else have this happen? I hate to waste all of that :/ I guess I’ll have to make some more…
Kelley
Hi Kristen,
I’m sorry to hear this! I haven’t received any other complaints about this and when I make them it’s always the right amount. I usually just divide the batter up. Were you using a 12 cup muffin tin?
Thanks!
Kelley
Priscilla
Tried this for the first time and it was a success! Chilled overnight and the texture was just like (or even better) than store bought cheesecake. I quadrupled the recipe which yielded lots of extra cream so beware if you’re trying to make larger batches. Thanks for sharing, Kelley!
Kelley
So glad you enjoyed this! Thank you!!
Jessica S
Just want to say that these are SO easy & even more delicious!!! I’m making about 18 dozen for our wedding & im thrilled with the outcome! I’ve even added fruit preserves and my own Mexican chocolate sauce to batches for a flavor variety and they turned out great!! … I should mention I don’t normally care for cheesecake, but I could eat a whole tray of these! Thank you for sharing your recipe!
PS tried to give 5 stars but rating wouldn’t submit
Kelley
So glad you enjoyed this! Thank you so much for sharing!!
Carole Skorey
I made the mini cheesecakes for company and everyone loved them. Instead of the toppings you suggested, I used 1 cup of sour cream, 3 tablespoons sugar, 1/2 teas vanilla and mixed together. Five minutes before the baking time is up, I took them out of the oven and put a dollop of this mixture on the tops of the cheesecake cupcakes. I put some graham cracker crumbs on that and put them back in the oven for the last 5 minutes of baking time. I let these get room temperature, then in the fridge overnight.
But next time, I plan on making the caramel topping.
Kirsten
These were super cute and I like the texture of the cheesecake, but I found the cheesecake part wasn’t sweet at all. I made the strawberry topping as directed, though using unsweetened frozen strawberries, and it was quite tart, leading to an overall not-very-desserty flavor. I put together some caramel (different recipe) and it was a better-balanced dish with that. If I make it again with strawberry topping, I’d increase the sugar in both the cheesecake and strawberries.
Angela
I made these last night for the first time. It was painful waiting for them to completely cool but I held out. These are amazing! Creamy and the perfect size. I’m serving them with our lasagna dinner. I’m glad that I increased the recipe to make 18. There won’t be any leftovers! I’m making the strawberry sauce to top them
Angela
I had to add another comment! I have made these twice in a week. The first batch went so fast (I made 18!). For the second time around I made the mini minis. The only downside to the mini mins is that I can’t stop eating them. These really don’t need any topping at all. I made the strawberry sauce and added it to a few and I loved it! This is my new go to recipe for cheesecake. I always have leftovers when I make cheesecake but not with these. Thanks again for sharing!
Kelley
So glad you enjoyed this recipe! Thanks for sharing!
Lydia
Easy and delicious
Jane domingo
Thanks so much for the recipe! Looks so yummy and pretty!