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?
I’d love to hear your feedback! Leave a review and make sure to share your pictures on social media! Don’t forget to follow @thechefsavvy.
Monique
Can I omit the sour cream if I don’t want the tangy kick?
Kelley
Hi Monique,
Yes sour cream can be omitted.
Hope you enjoy! Thank you,
Kelley
Allison
My husband loves cheesecake and I’m intimated to bake a whole one so this is perfect!! 2 questions though, you have granulated sugar twice listed for the cheesecake ingredients is that correct? Or is one for the crust and one for the actual cheesecake? And second, do you have a YouTube video of making this!? That would be so helpful.
Kelley
Hi Allison,
2 tablespoons is for the crust and the 1/4 cup is for the filling. Unfortunately I do not have a video of myself making this.
Thank you!
Kelley
Sarah
Do you use regular size cupcake pans or the mini ones? And would the mini ones work?
Thanks!
Kelley
Hi Sarah,
I use regular cupcake pans. I have not tried it in the mini pans so it’s hard to say.
Thanks!
Kelley
Lisa
These turned out great! I wanted to make them actually bite-sized so I used a mini muffin tin and shortened the bake time to 15 min. It ended up making 48 little cheesecakes.
Kelley
Hi Lisa!
I am so happy to hear that! I always wondered how these would turn out in the mini muffin tins. Thank you so much for letting me know!
Kelley
Darci Chambers
Can you make these and freeze them for a later date?
Kelley
Hi Darci,
Yes you can!
Thank you & Enjoy!
Kelley
Cindi Garrett
Would you freeze these in the paper liners? Do you ever make them without liners, and if so, do they come out of the muffin tin okay? Also, do you have any other muffin type cheesecake recipes (variations) and do you have a muffin size key lime pie recipe? I’m trying to make several hundred muffin size cheese cakes and key lime pies for my daughter’s reception.
Kelley
Hi Cindi!
I have tried them without liners and for whatever reason the cheesecakes came out cracked. I personally would use the liners. I have heard from other readers that they have successfully frozen this recipe so it should work out fine. You could always bake them, cool, then remove muffin liners then freeze.
Unfortunately I do not have any other variations. I have found the flavor you are looking for on another site: https://www.livewellbakeoften.com/mini-key-lime-cheesecakes/
Thanks & Enjoy!!
Kelley
Cindi Garrett
Thank you so much, Kelley!
Cindi
Theresa@aloveafare
These mini cheesecakes are a perfect party addition. I love the easy cleanup. I’m adding these to my party ideas list!
Marcielle
Hi Kelly,
Instead of graham crackers, can I use Biscoff cookies? I would pulse them in the food processor.
Thanks!
Kelley
Hi Marcielle,
That sounds like a wonderful idea! As long as they are pulsed pretty fine I think they will work perfectly.
Thanks!
Kelley
Kimberly
I just put mine in the oven to bake! Fingers crossed that I made them just as good! Thank you for sharing this Recipe!!!! I had a lot of fun making them! 😀
Kelley
Yah! I hope you enjoy!
AC
Hello!
I made a double batch for a bake sale. I too had way too much batter left over. Since I measured the batter with a tablespoon I know that I had a little more than a third more batter than I needed — each cupcake took exactly an extra tablespoon. I had enough batter left that I made 6 crustless mini cupcakes. Here’s some high praise, my daughter says they are awesome even without the crust.
I served these with a different caramel creme sauce. I do have to say, that if I were serving them with only fruit and not a sweetened topping, I’d add a bit more sugar to the dough.
Excellent recipe, excellent turnout and they were all gone after the bakesale opened an hour ago!
Thank you!
Donna Siler
Can I make these without crust? I am Gluten-Free.
Kelley
Hi Donna,
I am not sure how they will turn out without a crust. I have never tried it so it is hard to say. You can always make a gluten free crust using almond flour.
Hope this helps! Thank you!
Kelley
Kristi
Donna, I make these gf by using gluten-free shortbread cookies instead of graham crackers. They’ve always turned out great!