How do you get mini cheesecakes out of the pan?

These mini cheesecakes are baked in a standard 12-count muffin pan. If you line your pan with cupcake liners, it's really easy to just pop the cheesecakes out of the pan after they've finished baking. The liners will keep the cheesecakes from sticking to the pan.

Can you make this recipe in stages?

Yes! I oftentimes like to make these mini cheesecakes over several days since they do take some time to make. You can bake the graham cracker crust and store it at room temperature for up to 1 week. Then, you can bake the mini cheesecakes and top with the strawberry compote. Store any leftover cheesecakes in the fridge, and consume within 5 days.

How long does cheesecake last in the fridge?

These mini cheesecakes should stay fresh in the fridge for about 5 days. Be sure to tightly wrap them with plastic wrap, or store them in an airtight container.

Mini Strawberry Cheesecakes

Description

Baked in a standard muffin pan, these mini strawberry cheesecakes are delicious handheld versions of a classic cheesecake. You start by making a homemade Graham Cracker crust, spoon in a luscious cheesecake filling, then top everything off with a fresh strawberry compote.

Ingredients

Scale

Graham Cracker Crust:

1 cup (100g) Graham Crackers
4 tablespoons (56.5) unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon turbinado sugar
Pinch of salt

Cheesecake Filling:

12 oz (340g) brick-style cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup (76g) sour cream
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
2 large eggs (100g)
1/2 teaspoon salt

Strawberry Compote:

1 1/4 cups (209g) fresh or frozen strawberries, finely chopped
1/3 cup (67g) granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
Pinch of salt

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 12-count muffin pan with liners, and set aside.
Make the Graham Cracker crust: Pulse the Graham Crackers in a food processor until fine crumbs form. If you don't have a food processor, you can place the crackers in a Ziplock bag and smash them until fine crumbs form. Then, in a small bowl, stir together the Graham Cracker crumbs, melted butter, turbinado sugar, and salt.
Portion out 2 teaspoons of the Graham Cracker crumb mixture into each muffin liner, pressing firmly down until the bottom of each liner is evenly covered.
Bake the crust in the preheated oven for 7-8 minutes, or until lightly browned and just starting to set. The crust will firm up more once out of the oven. Once baked, remove the crust from the oven and let cool to room temperature, then lower the oven temperature to 280°F (138°C).
Prepare the cheesecake filling: In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or a large mixing bowl with a handheld mixer), cream together the room temperature cream cheese, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, sour cream, and lemon juice until the mixture is homogenous. Add in the eggs one at at a time, then mix in the salt until the mixture is smooth and creamy, being careful not to overmix.
Pour the cheesecake filling over the crust, filling each cup until it's 3/4 full. Release any air bubbles by tapping the pan on a flat surface.
Bake the cheesecakes at 280°F for about 15 minutes, or until the edges of the cheesecakes are set, but the middle is still jiggly. The cheesecakes will firm up considerably as they cool. Once baked, turn the oven off, but keep the oven door closed for 5 minutes.
After the 5 minutes are up, oven the oven door halfway, and let the cheesecake cool to room temperature for 1 hour.
After the cheesecake is room temperature, wrap the muffin pan with plastic wrap, and place the pan in the fridge to cool completely for at least 5 hours.
Make the strawberry compote: In a medium saucepan, add the chopped strawberries, granulated sugar, lemon juice, and salt, and stir to combine. Heat mixture over high heat, stirring constantly with a heatproof spatula. Once the mixture starts to bubble up, reduce the heat to low. Cook the mixture for 5-10 minutes, stirring constantly, until the compote is thick and viscous. To test if the compote is ready, I like to run my spatula along the bottom of the saucepan in a straight line. If it takes more than a second to fill back in, the compote is usually ready. I like to err on the side of caution and take the compote off too early — if it's not set enough, you can always return it back to the heat.
Once ready, remove the compote from the heat and transfer it to a heatproof container. Let the compote cool completely at room temperature, then transfer it to the fridge.
Top the chilled mini cheesecakes each with a tablespoon of the strawberry compote and serve. For presentation, you can also top each with a fresh strawberry slice. Enjoy!

Notes

Strawberries: Both fresh and frozen strawberries work well for this recipe. If you're using frozen strawberries, you don't need to worry about thawing them first before making the strawberry compote.
Storage: Stored in an airtight container, these mini cheesecakes will stay fresh in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can also freeze the baked cheesecakes (without the compote on top) for up to 1 month. Just let them thaw before topping with the strawberry compote and serving.
Inspiration: Recipe adapted from Rich and Delish.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooling & Chilling Time: 6 hours 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Bake
Cuisine: American