3-Step Mini Cheesecakes are simple, quick, delicious and great for serving at a party. Each mini cheesecake can be topped with your favorite fruit or topping!
3 Step Mini Cheesecakes
Serve these mini cheesecakes after a dinner of Crock Pot Honey Bourbon Chicken with roasted zucchini or at your next party!
Sometimes you need a really easy dessert to serve at a party. One that will impress everyone, be easy to serve and customize, and one that won’t take long to prepare. These 3-step mini cheesecakes check all those boxes!
If you’re after a full size cheesecake, try my chocolate chip cheesecake or triple chocolate cheesecake!
Or if you want something different, try these fried cheesecake bites!
Why you’ll love this mini cheesecake recipe
- It’s easy! Just 3 steps – prepare, bake, chill!
- You can customize them – Use the plain cheesecake as a canvas for toppings.
- Perfect for parties – Because they’re personal size, you can easily serve them to guests.
- Great starter cheesecake – No springform pans, water baths, etc. Using the mini crusts makes things simple.
Helpful Tools
- Mixing Bowls – I always talk about how I love these with the grippy bottoms, but I really do.
- Hand Mixer – As much as I love my stand mixer, I end up using my hand mixer more.
- Silicone Spatulas – I have far too many of these, but I use them for EVERYTHING.
- Baking Sheets – It’s nice to use a baking sheet with a lip so these cheesecakes don’t slide off the pan.
Ingredients you’ll need for Mini Cheesecakes
Below is a list of the ingredients you’ll need to gather to make this recipe, why you need them, and possible substitutions. Scroll all the way down for the full recipe card with measurements.
Jump- Cream Cheese – Use room temperature cream cheese. I like to use full fat.
- Sugar – Granulated white sugar.
- Vanilla Extract – REAL vanilla extract. Not imitation, please.
- Eggs – Again, make sure they’re at room temperature.
- Mini Graham Cracker Crusts – Keebler makes 4 oz ready-to-use, pre-made crusts. Or, to switch it up, you could make a homemade graham cracker crust, chocolate graham cracker crust or Oreo crust.
- Fruit – Sliced blueberries, raspberries, strawberries…or whatever else you want to top your cheesecakes with.
How to make 3-Step Mini Cheesecakes
This section shows you how to make this recipe, with process photos showing the steps to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
JumpMaking these cheesecakes is so easy! Only 3 steps – prepare, bake, chill!
- First, using room temperature ingredients, add the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract to a large mixing bowl. Mix until well blended. Next, add in the eggs and mix until smooth.
- Then, pour the batter evenly into 12 pre-made graham cracker crusts and bake for 20 minutes until centers are almost set.
- Remove from oven, let cool, and then chill.
Want a no-bake option? Try my cheesecake cookie cups!
How to store them
Mini cheesecakes will keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days. Longer than that you should move them to the freezer.
Do I need to cover cheesecake in the fridge?
Yes, you should cover cheesecake while it’s chilling in the fridge.
Can I make them in advance?
One of the best things about cheesecakes is you can make them well in advance and freeze them! If you’re party prepping 2 weeks in advance, make these and freeze them for when you’re ready.
How to freeze cheesecake
The good news is cheesecake freezes beautifully.
Once you’ve made these mini cheesecakes, cool them, then freeze them on a baking sheet, uncovered, until firm.
Once they’re fully frozen, remove them from the freezer, wrap in aluminum foil then place them in a freezer bag. Seal the bag and return it to the freezer.
You can safely freeze them for a few months. When you’re ready to eat them, move the cheesecakes to the fridge to let them thaw overnight.
How do you know when cheesecake is done?
You’ll know your cheesecakes are done when they appear nearly set everywhere but the center. If you give the pan a gentle jiggle and only the center slightly jiggles, they’re done. The center will firm up while it’s cooling.
Cheesecake Topping Ideas 🍓🫐
Plain cheesecake is a great canvas for toppings. Some ideas:
- Fresh fruit (raspberries, kiwi, strawberries, blueberries)
- whipped cream
- crushed Oreos
- chocolate chips
- peanut butter chips
- raspberry sauce
Basically whatever sounds good to you!
- Start with room temperature cream cheese and eggs when making these cheesecakes. This helps the ingredients come together perfectly so you have smooth filing and not lumpy. Give them at least two hours to come to room temperature.
- Use a hand mixer or stand mixer. You really can’t skip and get by hand mixing cheesecake.
- Don’t over bake! Bake cheesecake until just set so it’s smooth, rich, and creamy (not dry and crumbly!).
- If you don’t want to use the pre-made mini graham cracker crusts, you can make these in a cupcake pan using Oreos or Nilla Wafers at the bottom for a crust variation.
Need more cheesecake recipes? Try these:
- Brownie Bottom Peanut Butter Cheesecake
- Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake Bars
- Triple Chocolate Cheesecake
- Creme Brulee Cheesecake
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Cheesecakes
- Berry Cheesecake Fluff
- Oreo Cheesecake
Click here to view my entire collection of cake recipes.
Did You Make This?
If you made this recipe, I’d love to know how it went in the comments section below.
You can also tag me on Instagram – @melissa_ppplates or share a pic in the Persnickety Plates Community Facebook group. I love seeing what you’ve tried!
3-Step Mini Cheesecakes
Video
Ingredients
- 16 ounces cream cheese softened
- ½ cup granulated white sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs room temp
- 12 4 oz ready-to-use single serve graham cracker crusts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F and line the mini pie crusts up onto a baking sheet. Set aside.12 4 oz ready-to-use single serve graham cracker crusts
- To a large mixing bowl, add cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla. Mix on medium speed until well blended.16 ounces cream cheese, 1/2 cup granulated white sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Add eggs and mix until smooth.2 large eggs
- Evenly pour the batter into each crust.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until centers are almost set.
- Once cooled, transfer to the fridge and let chill at least 3 hours (up to overnight).
- Garnish when ready to serve.
Notes
- Let cream cheese and eggs sit out for 2 hours so they mix smoothly.
- Use a hand or stand mixer—don’t try mixing by hand.
- Bake just until the center is set to keep the texture creamy.
- Skip store-bought crusts by using cupcake liners with an Oreo or Nilla Wafer base.
- Smooth, creamy, and easy—follow these tips for perfect mini cheesecakes!
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Did you make this recipe?
Tag me on Instagram @melissa_pplates so I can see!Originally published September 6, 2010
So I just made these and I took them out of the oven and some of them just cracked right down the middle…did I do something wrong?
That often happens when they overbake. Take them out when the center looks slightly jiggly and it will continue to set as it cools 🙂
First time making cheesecake. Just pulled them out of the oven. They are beautiful! Taste test on Turkey Day.
I hope you love them!
I have mine in now! I’m going to put sugar on top and torch them crème brûlée style once they cool
Great idea!
Delicious! My husband requests these often! I made some for a family get together and everyone loved them.
Thanks, Chasity!
Great simple cheese cake recipe. I halved the recipe to make 6 minis using Keebler graham cracker crusts. Made a raspberry sauce to drizzle over – yum!
Thanks, Marla!