Mini Cherry Cheesecakes

Don't let the word "mini" fool you - these Mini Cherry Cheesecakes may be little, but they deliver up great big cheesecake flavor! As an added bonus, they're super easy to make with just four basic steps.
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For my husband and these Mini Cherry Cheesecakes, it was love at first bite.

Cheesecake is one of his absolute favorite foods. Whether it be decadent German Chocolate Cheesecake, Twix Cheesecake Pie, or our very favorite Creamy Pumpkin Cheesecake (and any other of its various forms), he could eat cheesecake all day long.

So when my Mom found out about his cheesecake love early on in our dating, she surprised him one weekend with a big batch of these classic Mini Cherry Cheesecakes. Now, I do believe this recipe has been around forever. But that weekend Mom made them was my husband's introduction to them.

Not wanting to make a glutton of himself, he restrained himself to only eating four of them in that first sitting. And believe me - just four is indeed self-restraint for my husband when it comes to these tasty little cheesecake beauties.

So don't let the word "mini" fool you - these cherry cheesecakes may be mini, but they deliver up great big cheesecake flavor! Just ask my cheesecake-loving husband.

Don't let the word "mini" fool you - these cherry cheesecakes may be mini, but they deliver up great big cheesecake flavor!

What's to Love About This Recipe?

• Super easy to make - Mini Cherry Cheesecakes come together with just 4 easy steps. -- And you don't even need to make a crust! Just drop a Nilla Wafer cookie in the bottom of muffin cups to "make" a mini crust. I mean, how easy is that?
• Just 6 simple ingredients - No long list of fancy ingredients here. -- Just 6 simple ingredients is all it takes for these tasty little beauties.
• Absolutely delicious - These mini cheesecakes taste simply delicious. -- Which is the thing to love about them best of all!
• Perfect for a crowd, potluck, or party - Individual-serving and mini in size, these cheesecakes are perfect for about any event.
• Always a favorite - Mini Cherry Cheesecakes are always a crowd-pleasing hit! Whip up a batch, and watch them disappear, for sure.

Mini Cherry Cheesecake Ingredients:

It takes just 6 simple ingredients to make Mini Cherry Cheesecakes. To whip up a batch, you'll need:

• Vanilla wafer cookies - Serve as the super easy crust of each individual mini cheesecake -- Just drop a whole one in the bottom of  foil cupcake cups and spoon the easy cheesecake batter on top. We use Nilla Wafers brand cookies, but generic brands work fine, too.

• Cream cheese - The base of the cheesecake batter. We recommend using regular full-fat cream cheese rather than reduced fat, as regular cream cheese results in a better textured cheesecake.

• Granulated sugar - Sweetens the cheesecake batter.

• Eggs - Create the structure of the cheesecakes as they bake.

• Vanilla extract - Flavors the cheesecake batter. Use 100% pure vanilla extract, rather than imitation, for the best flavor result.

• Cherry pie filling - Serves as the cheesecakes' cherry topping. One 21-ounce can of cherry pie filling is needed for this recipe. We like to dig out about 4 or 5 cherries for each cheesecake so the topping is mostly cherries instead of mostly the syrup surrounding them.

Mini Cherry Cheesecakes come together with just 4 easy steps. -- And you don't even need to make a crust!

How to Make Mini Cherry Cheesecakes:

Mini Cherry Cheesecakes are super easy to make, taking just four simple steps.

Step 1:  "Make" the Crust

When talking about the crust for these cheesecakes, we use the word "make" very loosely. -- Because to make the crust, simply place foil cupcake cups in a muffin pan and place a whole vanilla wafer cookie in the bottom of each one.

That's it!

The vanilla wafer will kind of bake into the bottom of the cheesecake batter and form a nice little crust.  Super simple, right?

Step 2:  Make the Cheesecake Batter

To make the simple cheesecake batter, combine softened cream cheese, eggs, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract in a bowl. Mix this all together with an electric mixer until there are no cream cheese lumps.

Then spoon the batter into the prepared foil cupcake liners. We use a large cookie scoop for spooning the batter- which makes the process really quick and easy.

Step 3:  Bake

Bake the cheesecake batter for about 15 to 20 minutes until the cheesecakes are set. They should be set completely around the edges with just a little wiggle still in the middle.

Once the little cheesecakes cool, the center will sink a bit forming an indentation in the middle. This indentation is just perfect for holding the cherry topping.

Step 4:  Top with Cherries

Once cooled, top each mini cheesecake with a spoonful of cherry pie filling. We like to dig out about 4 or 5 cherries for each cheesecake so the topping is mostly cherries instead of mostly the syrup that surrounds them.

And truly, that's all there is to making these tasty little mini cheesecakes!

Super easy, just 6 simple ingredients, and absolutely delicious flavor. -- Just ask my cheesecake-loving husband, these Mini Cherry Cheesecakes pack big cheesecake taste.

Check out these other tasty little-bite dessert recipes:

• Holiday Cherry Squares
• Cherry Pie Cookies
• Apple Pie Cookies
• Blueberry Pie Cookies
• Crescent Pecan Pie Squares
• Kentucky Bourbon Balls
• Lemon Curd Tartlets
• Strawberry Cheesecake Strawberry Bites
• Mini Coffee-Toffee Crunch Cheesecakes
• 2-Ingredient Chocolate-Stuffed Raspberries
• More dessert recipes

 Thank you for stopping by The Kitchen is My Playground. We'd love to have you back soon!

cheesecake, cheesecake recipe, mini cheesecakes, cheesecake cupcakes

Desserts

Yield: 12 mini cheesecakes

Author: Tracey | The Kitchen is My Playground

Mini Cherry Cheesecakes

Don't let the word "mini" fool you - these Mini Cherry Cheesecakes may be little, but they deliver up great big cheesecake flavor! And they're super easy to make with just four basic steps.

prep time: 20 Mcook time: 16 Mtotal time: 36 M

ingredients:

• 12 vanilla wafer cookies (I use Nilla Wafers)
• 2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened*
• 3/4 c. granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 (21 oz.) can cherry pie filling

instructions:

How to cook Mini Cherry Cheesecakes

1. Place softened cream cheese and sugar in a mixing bowl; mix with an electric mixer until just combined. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix until smooth.
2. Line the cups of a 12-cup muffin tin with foil cupcake cups. Place a vanilla wafer cookie in the bottom of each cupcake cup.
3. Fill each cup 2/3 to ¾-full with cream cheese mixture, dividing the batter evenly between the 12 cups. (I use a large cookie scoop.)
4. Bake at 350℉ for 16-18 minutes until set, with just a small bit of wiggle in the center.
5. Cool completely. Top each mini cheesecake with cherry pie filling and chill. Store in the refrigerator.

TRACEY'S NOTES

1. * Use regular cream cheese for the best result. I don't recommend substituting lower-fat cream cheese.

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