Best Ever Mini Cheesecakes – VIDEO post By Kelly Miller • July16,2018 • Updated March 14, 2020 • 143 Comments 54.7K 286 Jump to Recipe Jump to VideoTHE BEST recipe ever for Mini Cheesecakes! Cheesecake filling with graham cracker crust made in cupcake tins. My kids beg me to make these again and again! I can’t even begin to tell you how delicious these mini cheesecakes are, but I will warn you – do yourself a favor and make a double batch because these little guys will be gone in no time! Feel free to leave the cherry pie filling off, I did this for the first batch and they tasted great. I honestly prefer the pie filling on though, it gives it just a little bit extra to the cheesecakes. What kind of cupcake pan to use: For this recipe, be sure to use a REGULAR 12 cup muffin pan. Just grab the muffin tin you use to make cupcakes, they are perfect for this recipe and exactly what I use here. Can these be made ahead of time? Absolutely! Make them the night before your party or event and just keep them refrigerated. Spoon the pie filling over the cheesecakes just before serving. They’ll taste even better this way! Can mini cheesecakes be frozen? I do not recommend freezing these mini cheesecakes. Cream cheese does not freeze well, in general and in my own experience. How to make mini cheesecakes: Mix the crust ingredients in a small bowl with a spatula. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of crust mixture into 12 paper-lined muffin cups. Use the back of a spice jar to press crusts firmly into the bottoms of the cups. Beat cheesecake filling ingredients with an electric mixer. Scoop cheesecake filling over crusts in muffin cups. Bake a cool completely before serving. How to cut time with this recipe: Serve cheesecakes plain to guests and just have the pie filling out in a bowl for guests to top as they desire Make mini cheesecakes ahead of time and have them ready to go in the refrigerator Flavor variations: Oreo Mini Cheesecakes: use an Oreo cookie as the crust in each muffin cup, fill as usual, and top with miniature chocolate chips before baking Apple Pie Mini Cheesecakes: add 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon to crust ingredients, fill and bake as usual, and then top with apple pie filling Funfetti Mini Cheesecakes: mix 2 tablespoons colored sprinkles to cheesecake filling, bake and cool, and then top with whipped cream and more sprinkles If you liked this recipe for Best Ever Mini Cheesecakes, leave a comment and rating below this post! Best Ever Mini Cheesecakes A mini cheesecake recipe using graham cracker crumbs, cream cheese, and cherry pie filling. 3.89 from 1563 votes Print Pin Rate Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanKeyword: mini cheesecakes Prep Time: 15 minutes minutesCook Time: 15 minutes minutesTotal Time: 30 minutes minutes Servings: 12 servings Calories: 292kcal Author: Kelly Miller IngredientsFor the crust:▢ 1 cup graham cracker crumbs▢ 2 tbsp sugar▢ 3 tbsp butter meltedFor the cheesecakes:▢ 16 oz cream cheese softened to room temperature▢ 1/2 cup sugar▢ 2 eggs▢ 1/2 tsp vanilla extract▢ 21 oz cherry pie filling InstructionsPlace paper cupcake liners into muffin cups. In a small bowl, stir together crust ingredients. Evenly divide mixture among the 12 muffin cups, about 1 tablespoon in each. Using the bottom of a spice jar, press the crust mixture firmly into the bottom of each muffin cup. Set aside.In a large bowl, beat together softened cream cheese, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until smooth. Pour mixture evenly over crusts.Bake at 350 degrees for 15 - 17 minutes or until just set in the middles, do not overbake. Allow cheesecakes to cool. Serve topped with cherry pie filling. Video NutritionCalories: 292kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 76mg | Sodium: 212mg | Potassium: 126mg | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 740IU | Vitamin C: 1.8mg | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 0.7mg Tried this recipe?Follow me @mostlyhomemademom or tag #MostlyHomemadeMom! 54.7K 286
Pat says May 16, 2018 at 5:05 am I used gluten free graham crackers for the crust. The cheesecakes were delicious and so easy to make. A big hit with guests. Reply
Kikki says May 20, 2018 at 8:08 pm I made these on a rainy Sunday afternoon. Yep should have made a double batch! Reply
Kelly Miller says May 24, 2018 at 3:10 pm Yes you should have, Kikki!! 😀 So glad you loved these, too! Reply
Kelly Miller says May 29, 2018 at 12:12 am A regular 12 cup cupcake pan. Hope you enjoy them, Josephine! Reply
Liz says April 20, 2019 at 4:47 pm I make them in the mini pan and they are great. You may need to reduce the baking time a bit. Reply
Deborah W says June 23, 2018 at 11:08 pm I have made these several times and they are always a hit. Not only are these cheesecakes delicious, but they are very easy to make. Reply
Kelly Miller says July 11, 2018 at 9:36 pm Absolutely, Sandy! I would be sure to cool them completely and then keep them refrigerated until ready to serve. Reply
Cris d says July 11, 2018 at 2:17 am What type of liner did you use. They look more straight sided. I bought the parchment paper liners in large and they flare a lot more than your pics. Yours also look taller. Maybe it’s just an illusion? Reply
Kelly Miller says July 11, 2018 at 9:36 pm These were just regular muffin/cupcake liners, for some reason every time I make them they bake straight up and down. Not taller either, but it works well with holding cherry pie filling or other toppings you might want to use. I hope you enjoy these, Cris! Reply
AIDEN says April 15, 2022 at 10:54 pm Nice to have a smaller version available for potlucks and something I can make back in Japan. Batter evenly in 12 cupcake tinsel is about 1/4 cup. Page not smart phone friendly- three adds popping up every ten seconds… makes this unusable live. Reply
Peggy says August 20, 2018 at 1:03 am are you suppose to remove the cheesecake from the liners before serving? Does the cheesecake stick to the liners when removing? Reply
Kelly Miller says August 22, 2018 at 5:56 pm No, just serve them with the liners and guests can remove them before eating – just like typical cupcakes would be served. Reply
Debbie says August 20, 2018 at 2:09 pm Do the liners stick to the cheesecake when removing them Reply
Kelly Miller says August 22, 2018 at 5:56 pm I don’t have issues with the cupcake liners sticking to the cheesecakes, they release pretty easily. Reply
Naomi says August 22, 2018 at 2:59 am I had never made cheesecake before and had no idea what I was doing. But I followed the measurements and directions to a T and they turned out AMAZING. I wish I could give a 10-star rating! Reply
Jen says September 15, 2018 at 9:32 pm can I use this recipe with mini muffin pan. I need to have smaller cheesecakes. Reply
Sue says October 1, 2018 at 8:57 pm This is my new go to recipe for family get togethers , so easy and you can change up the toppings for a little variety Reply
Justina cox says October 15, 2018 at 2:35 pm It sounds delicious I think I’m going to try this ty very much Reply
Helen says October 17, 2018 at 12:50 am I made these for a party and they where a hit!! I did add a 1/4 cup of sour cream will make them again. Reply
Linda Bevers says November 2, 2018 at 4:54 pm Could you tell me what brand of muffin pan you used? All of the ones I have are wider at the top and taper down toward the bottom. Yours seems to be more straight up and down. The top and bottom seems to be the same size. Thank you for your help. Can’t wait to Try these mini cheesecakes. Reply
Kelly Miller says November 3, 2018 at 1:03 pm I use just regular muffin pans that are wider and taper at the bottom – when the cheesecakes cool, it pulls the sides in to make them a bit straighter up and down. I hope that helps and I hope you enjoy these as much as we do, Linda! Reply
Deanna says November 14, 2018 at 7:55 pm I made this with the vanilla wafers and the bottom completely burned. I had to throw the entire batch away. Reply
Jennifer Johnson says November 16, 2018 at 5:56 pm Well then I guess your 1 star rating cant really be for this recipe it can only be for your change of graham crackers to vanilla wafers. Not really a fair rating if you ask me! Reply
AnaG says November 20, 2018 at 2:46 pm About how many batches does your recipe make? I want about 2/3 and wondering if I should double/triple up? Can’t wait to try this!! Reply
Kelly Miller says November 21, 2018 at 3:24 am This recipe makes 12 mini cheesecakes, I hope that helps! Reply
Michael says November 20, 2018 at 5:17 pm Can you make 24 mini cheesecakes with this recipe? I also want to use crumbled shortbread cookies for the crust instead of the graham crackers? Reply
Kelly Miller says November 21, 2018 at 3:23 am I’m sure you could make them into the smaller mini bite sized cheesecakes using crumbled shortbread cookies, but I’ve never tried it that way. I would imagine they would take a lot less time to bake so I would just keep an eye on them! Reply
Allie says November 23, 2018 at 4:06 pm How long do these stay good for? Can you make them in advance? Reply
Kelly Miller says November 25, 2018 at 12:11 am You can make them a few days in advance, I would say in the fridge they would be good for about 3 days. Reply
Simleong says November 25, 2018 at 8:52 am Method n video of recipe very precised ! Tks for sharing! Reply
Melissa says November 28, 2018 at 4:19 pm These were absolutely delicious! My family loved them! I put caramel sauce instead of raspberry on top Reply
Nelda says December 1, 2018 at 8:37 pm How much batter did you put in each liner cup to make them come out even? Reply
JK says December 2, 2018 at 5:01 am Maybe I did something wrong but it was really hard to tell when it was done. It was my first time making cheesecake and I was disappointed. After 15-17 min of baking it was very wobbly and didn’t get somewhat firm until baked for extra 15 min! Where did I go wrong? Reply
shana beck says December 10, 2018 at 3:50 pm From my experience with making cheesecake (which is very little) you test for done-ness with a toothpick or butter knife in the center and if it comes out clean it’s ready. It will firm up in the fridge. You MUST let cheesecake cool for a long time before it’s ready. I have learned it is best to make cheesecake a day or 2 before you serve it so that it has plenty of time in the fridge. Reply
Julie says December 4, 2018 at 10:30 pm These were AMAZING!! I never made cheesecake before but I had 16oz cream cheese about to expire so I figured why not take a shot at it. It was so easy to whip up and I topped it with Wild Blueberry Preserves. I seriously wanted to eat all 12 in one sitting. Would definitely make this again. Reply
Heather says December 10, 2018 at 2:47 pm will this work with already made graham cracker crust Reply
Kelly Miller says December 16, 2018 at 3:15 pm You could use chocolate cookie crust if you can find that at the store! Reply
Kathy says December 15, 2018 at 1:07 am I’m not a baker, How do I know when it’s set in the middle? Reply
Kelly Miller says December 16, 2018 at 3:14 pm If you shake the pan slightly, the centers shouldn’t move or only move a slight bit – it will set completely on the counter while cooling. If you overbake them, the centers will crack – but even if that happens, it’s ok – just top with cherry pie filling and no one will know! Enjoy, Kathy! Reply
Janet Johnson says December 19, 2018 at 4:13 pm I have some pre-baked tartlet cups can I use them with this reciipe or should I use no bake cheese cake recipe? Reply
Sue Iozzo says December 20, 2018 at 8:13 pm Perfect! I added fresh red raspberries instead of cherries. Reply
Ann says December 24, 2018 at 12:23 am Very good! This is the Kraft Philadelphia Cheesecake recipe halved but love the idea of the mini’s.’ Reply
Lynn says December 24, 2018 at 1:42 am I make these mini cheesecakes every year for my sons, they love them. So easy to make. Thank you so much for the recipe. I have used the premade graham cracker crumbs before and they turned out fine but I like making own crust. Reply
K.R. Andes says December 24, 2018 at 8:36 pm Do you bake it and if so at what temperature and for how long? Making it now. Reply
Hafsah kundi says December 25, 2018 at 5:51 pm Hi! Can i use digestive biscuits in place of the graham ones. We dont get them here! 🙂 Reply
Amber says January 13, 2019 at 4:20 am These are great! The only sad thing is waiting for them to cool. Reply
Tanis says January 17, 2019 at 12:55 pm I am not a fan of cheesecake but I made these for our work birthdays and for my daughter’s 27th birthday and took them to her work and everyone raves about them. I have never attempted to make cheesecake before this recipe and it is so easy. Definitely my go to recipe. I made them with strawberries, cherries and also confetti and they were all a hit. Thank you! Reply
Nelda says January 17, 2019 at 2:33 pm Do you already have the measurements for the batter? How much goes into each cup? Just thought it would be faster if you already have the math done. Thanks! Reply
Cheryl says January 25, 2019 at 1:51 am I’m new to baking are these made in mini muffin tins or what I use for cupcakes? Reply
Kelly Miller says January 25, 2019 at 1:56 pm These are made in regular muffin tins. Hope you enjoy them, Cheryl! Reply
Mel says February 4, 2019 at 2:10 am I tried these 2 times and both times the cream cheese clumped and made the final product have a horrible consistency. Any tips? Reply
Kelly Miller says February 4, 2019 at 4:04 pm I would try warming the cream cheese in the microwave, 20 seconds at a time, until it’s really smooth before mixing it with the rest of the cheesecake ingredients. I’ve made them before in a hurry when the cream cheese wasn’t quite warmed to room temperature enough and the batter was lumpy – we still ate them though lol. Reply
Denise R Garvin says March 16, 2019 at 2:30 pm These are the easiest mini cheesecakes to make and they are delicious. I’m making a double batch next time because they were gone before I knew it. Reply
Bre says November 4, 2020 at 10:47 pm I havent made these yet but im wondering how it would work with pumpkin spice or strawberry flavored cream cheese. Reduce the added sugar. Reply
Lori says March 19, 2019 at 12:38 am Very blah tasting. I read the recipe again to see if I missed something but I didn’t. Disappointed. Reply
Cherrie says May 24, 2019 at 6:09 pm My co staff at work loved it! First time I cooked it and find very easy. It’s also good if you’re on a diet as the portion is small! Thank you for the lovely recipe ? Reply
zippy says June 12, 2019 at 2:11 pm it made almost double the amount it was supposed to make but it was still delish and we didn’t have cherry pie filling so we used our homemade preserves. Reply
Lillian Blankenship says August 23, 2019 at 9:09 pm I made them and they smell amazing can’t wait to try one! Reply
Maria schwartz says September 2, 2019 at 6:46 pm well i made these 2 batches back to back, same ingredients everything. The first batch the filling look like cheesecake filling, the second batch was more fluffy more airy. So that was strange to be. but both batches taste the same so maybe i beat the second batch more then the first. Anywho, it’s a good simple recipe. Reply
Sharon says September 28, 2019 at 5:12 pm My family drives me crazy with these. Yes they’re delicious……..but if u read I’m in jail ? Come bail me iut Reply
May says October 5, 2019 at 6:09 pm What about using a silicone muffin pan? Would I still need the cupcake liners? Reply
Kelly Miller says October 5, 2019 at 6:36 pm I’m not sure, May. If you try it with silicone liners, let me know how they turn out. Reply
Maria says November 21, 2019 at 1:20 am How much of the cream cheese batter do you put in the tins? Reply
Lori says December 1, 2019 at 5:09 am My family loved this recipe! I will definitely make it again. Reply
Chrystal Crowley says December 23, 2019 at 6:32 pm I made them and did cherry and strawberry and they were awesome. Reply
Julie says December 25, 2019 at 9:19 pm I made these for Christmas. They looked so festive with the cherry topping and they were absolutely delicious!! They were so easy to make and everyone loved them. I will be making these again and again. Thank you for sharing the recipe Reply
Kelly Miller says December 26, 2019 at 2:28 pm I’m so glad you loved them, Julie! Happy holidays! Reply
Kim S says January 28, 2020 at 12:16 am They turned out so well. I will definitely make again. The perfect taste and perfect serving size. Thank you for sharing. Reply
Julie Crosnoe says February 24, 2020 at 2:43 am I made this last night and it’s wonderful! I took half to my sons family today and kept the other half for my husband and I. I was going to ask him to share one with me but I ate the whole thing. It’s easy, delicious and I’ll definitely be making it many times!! Reply
Jessica says March 8, 2020 at 3:18 pm LOVED these! I made a double batch for a ladies’ wine night: half Oreo crust, half regular. So delicious and easy. I will definitely be adding this recipe to my standbys! Thank you!! Reply
CIndy Smith says May 9, 2020 at 4:01 pm Can you use this recipe to make a pie instead of cupcakes? Reply
Salina says May 23, 2020 at 4:38 pm This has easily become my favourite recipe! Absolutely delicious!! Just wondering – can I use this recipe to make 1 giant cheesecake, instead of minis? I’m assuming I’ll have to bake them for longer? Reply
Sandys says May 23, 2020 at 7:03 pm Yes. Its awesome . I used Honeymaid Grahams honey cookies and left the sugar out of the crust. Less work and delicious. Reply
KC says May 26, 2020 at 8:03 pm I love these They are perfect serving size. Great texture and flavor. Will definitely make again. Reply
Cassie Mikalunas says May 30, 2020 at 2:14 am I absolutely love this recipe!!! Ive made it a few times now and everytime i swear it gets better and better!!!! Reply
Simone says June 6, 2020 at 1:41 am Absolutely loved this recipe! I have made regular cheesecakes in the past, and while they are delicious, the prep is just too much for me and so for that reason I have opted out of making cheesecake. However, these mini cheesecakes have proved to be the solution to my cheesecake drought! At first I struggled to find a recipe without sour cream, which proved to be quite difficult, and then I faced some hesitation concerning the success rate of this recipe. I was skeptical— how could mini cheesecakes retain the same moist texture as regular ones without being baked in a water bath? And yet I was dead set on making my sister Oreo cheesecake for her birthday, so I dove in. … And boy, did I not regret it. The cakes were amazing— sweet, soft, fluffy and decadent. My sister loved them (so did my family) and in less than a week, all 12 cakes were gone! Not only were these desserts addictive, but they were unbelievably simple to make. Only a few ingredients required, short prep and bake time, marvelous results… this recipe is nothing short of a miracle! I will definitely be going back to this. Thank you so much!!! Sincerely, Simone (I apologize for sending this three times… I kept spelling out my email address incorrectly!) Reply
Kelly Miller says June 6, 2020 at 12:14 pm I’m so happy you and your family loved these, Simone! My kids pretty much throw a party when they hear I’m making a batch, and I don’t blame them – I love them that much, too! Reply
Anita says June 12, 2020 at 9:20 pm Baked them for 17 minutes. Just as runny as it was putting them in the cupcake papers. My daughter makes them. Called her and she said that they take at least 25 minutes or more to bake. Reply
Denise says July 5, 2020 at 8:29 pm They were delish! Took a lot less time than making an actual cheesecake; easy to eat and for children to hold. Good one! Reply
Tammy B. says August 12, 2020 at 4:38 pm Best thing ever- I luv it I’m the 5 ingredient queen- less is more- oh and easy I made sure the graham crackers were packed down- I made homemade huckleberry sauce- also easy- it was a hit- but it didn’t even need it Reply
Abby says October 8, 2020 at 1:36 am Came out delicious, couldn’t find graham crackers so I used vanilla wafers instead and was perfect substitute. Never had a better more simple cheesecake! Reply
Kelly Miller says November 22, 2020 at 11:40 pm These won’t be great frozen because of the cream cheese. I’d be afraid the texture would be off after thawing. Reply
Izzy Brown says December 14, 2020 at 9:50 pm I am no mom just a teen who loves to bake but these are so easy and so delicious 🤤 I had a question though when cheese cakes crack is that good or bad Reply
Kelly Miller says December 15, 2020 at 6:27 pm Teens are SO welcome here – glad to have you, Izzy! Cheesecakes crack for all sorts of reasons, but in my experience, it’s really hard to prevent that from happening. They still taste great! If you don’t like the way they look with the cracks, just top it with some whipped cream or cherry pie filling. Extra yummy that way, too! Reply
Cathy says December 26, 2020 at 1:13 am OMG! I’m addicted to these gems. Made them for a super small family gathering and they went nuts. Had individual bowls of different pie filling and also whipped cream. They loved it and everyone wanted the recipe. Yummy yum yum. Reply
Sandy says February 7, 2021 at 9:38 pm I made these at Christmas for 6 adults, they were gone in a flash. Everyone loved them with the Cherry topping. Making them this snow/Super Bowl Sunday for my husband and I with Blueberry topping. They’re so easy to make and quick. The longest step is cooking them in the oven! Thank you Kelly for such an easy and delicious recipe! Reply
Kelly Miller says February 8, 2021 at 3:27 pm I’m so glad you love these too, Sandy! I’ll be making a batch this week for my son, it’s his birthday request every year. Love the blueberry topping idea! Take care! Reply
Angie says March 19, 2021 at 2:20 pm These were delicious! After cooling do you remove them from the cupcake pan? After cooling I put the pan in the refrigerator. Some of the liners got “soggy” and were hard to remove from the pan after they were refrigerated. Some were stuck pretty good and some ripped due to being soggy. There was a lot of condensation in the pan. Reply
Kelly Miller says March 28, 2021 at 10:11 pm If you were refrigerating, you could remove them to a wire rack and just stick them on the wire rack into the fridge – that might help with the condensation a bit. Reply
Sharon says April 7, 2021 at 11:40 pm Made these and everyone loved them! I love how easy they are to make. Going to make another batch to take to my parents house Friday. Could these be made in the mega muffin tins and what would the cooking time be? Reply
Kelly Miller says April 8, 2021 at 9:51 pm I’m sure they could be made in the jumbo muffin tin, though I’m not sure how much longer they would need. I would check on them every 5 minutes or so – you might run into cracking on the tops as well. If you try them, let me know how they turn out! Reply
Ashley says June 8, 2021 at 7:55 pm How long should you bake them if you make them in a mini muffin tin vs a regular muffin tin? Reply
Mae says July 18, 2021 at 3:52 pm This is the best and quick desert you can do ,so easy,and delicious 😋 Reply
Kathy Kate says October 2, 2021 at 8:50 pm Do you have to use a cupcake liner? Or could you spray then they just put them in the tin? Reply
Kelly Miller says October 5, 2021 at 12:45 pm I’m not sure, full sized cheesecake needs a springform pan to release it properly, so I would be worried it would stick anyway even with the spray. Reply
Nancy says November 3, 2021 at 1:03 pm I have a question more than a comment. I want to try these but do I need to spray the muffin cups with Pam prior to putting in the gram cracker crumbs? Thank you. Reply
Kelly Miller says November 3, 2021 at 1:23 pm Make sure you are using paper cupcake liners and you don’t need to spray with pam. Reply
Jenna H says November 13, 2021 at 3:26 pm Any suggestions on making these into a pumpkin flavored? If I add a can of pumpkin and the spices to the base do you think it would still set up correctly? I love this easy recipe and they turn out perfect every time! Reply
Kelly Miller says November 15, 2021 at 2:47 pm I’ve tried it and it doesn’t work, ha! I have a completely different recipe for mini pumpkin cheesecakes though that I’ll be posting soon, stay tuned! Reply
Donna says December 22, 2021 at 3:06 pm I have made these little cheesecakes for a few years at Christmas. They are so easy to make and delicious. I make a chocolate ganache for the topping and sprinkle mini chocolate chips on half of the cheesecakes. I put three raspberries on the others. Put them in holiday liners and they make a beautiful and yummy Christmas dessert. I wanted to post a picture but don’t see how. Reply
Linda B says December 24, 2021 at 8:27 pm 2nd time I’ve made these this month. Both times everyone loved them and wanted the recipe. Reply
Lyn says March 14, 2022 at 11:44 pm Making these for the first time tonight. They are cooking as we speak! Reply
Liz Dulgarian says April 16, 2022 at 7:02 pm My son in law loved them! I put fresh strawberries on some and chocolate covered strawberries on some. Everyone loved them❤️ Reply
Mirna Chandy says May 5, 2022 at 7:03 pm I love these and I make them all of the time. They are great for parties!! I’ve tried without the sugar addition in the crust but it just seems to give it a nice texture. Reply
Michelle O'Neal says January 18, 2023 at 12:47 am I made these at Christmastime with my two year old grandson. They were simple and delicious. I have made them several times since then. My daughter loves them. They never last very long in our house. Thank you for this wonderful recipe. Reply
Renee says April 8, 2023 at 1:33 pm Haven’t made this yet how much filling do you put on top of the crust Reply