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Cheesecake Cookie Cups start with a chocolate chip cookie base (pre-made or from scratch) and then are filled with a four ingredient, fluffy, no-bake cheesecake filling. Finish it all off with a chocolate drizzle and you have an easy and delicious mini dessert!
Cheesecake Cookie Cups
Making a cheesecake can be a bit fussy. Getting the right temperature on the ingredients, the springform pan, the water bath…but these Cheesecake Cookie Cups? They’re EASY.
Made in a standard cupcake/muffin pan, they’re perfectly portioned for serving (no slicing!).
The chocolate chip cookie base is made simple with a tube of premade cookie dough, though you could certainly use your favorite from-scratch chocolate chip cookie dough.
The cheesecake filling (or is a topping?) is no-bake and light and fluffy thanks to the addition of whipped cream and the drizzle of chocolate on top is the perfect finish.
These mini cheesecakes will be done in no time but I do recommend making them the night before you plan to serve them so they have enough time to chill.
Why you’ll love these Cheesecake Cookie Cups
- They are easy! You can start with premade cookie dough or make your favorite from scratch.
- The cheesecake filling is no bake and only four ingredients.
- Making cheesecake with heavy cream means it’s extra light and creamy.
- Portion control – they’re made in a cupcake pan which means they’re the perfect individual size. No slicing cheesecake!
- Kids love them as well as adults.
- They can even look a little fancy with the chocolate drizzle if you’re serving them at a party.
Equipment needed to make mini cheesecakes
- Cupcake Pan – A standard 12-well cupcake/muffin pan.
- Silicone Cupcake Liners – The cookie cups were super easy to pop out of the silicone liners. I highly recommend them. Plus they’re washable to reduce waste.
- Hand Mixer – You’ll be making whipped cream from scratch so you’ll need a hand mixer to do the hard work.
- Cookie Scoop – Though you can pipe the cheesecake filling into the cookie cups, I usually just use a cookie scoop to portion it in.
Ingredients for Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Cookie Cups
Below is a list of ingredients to help you prep. Scroll all the way down for the full recipe card.
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough – You’ll need either one 16.5 oz tube of premade cookie dough (I used Pillsbury here), or your favorite from scratch chocolate chip cookie dough.
- Cream Cheese – One 8 oz brick of cream cheese, softened to room temperature (this part is important for smooth cheesecake!). I used full fat though reduced should work fine as well.
- Heavy Cream – Sometimes called whipping cream.
- Sugar – Granulated white sugar.
- Vanille Extract – Try to use real vanilla extract instead of imitation for the best flavor. I know it is expensive but I buy it in bulk from Sam’s Club or Costco to help save some pennies.
- Chocolate Chips – You will melt chocolate chips to use for the drizzle. I like Ghirardelli baking chips.
How to make Cheesecake Cookie Cups
STEP ONE: Bake the cookie “crust”. Line a muffin tray with silicone liners (or paper liners). Slice the tube of cookie dough into 12 equal portions, approximately 1/2″ thick (you may have extra for bonus cookies) and press the dough into the prepared liners. Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes or until golden. Remove and let cool while you’re preparing the filling.
STEP TWO: Make the cheesecake filling. To a medium mixing bowl, add the softened cream cheese and beat with a hand mixer for approximately 1 minute to soften. Set it aside.
In another large mixing bowl (preferably one that you have chilled), add the cold heavy cream and beat with a hand mixer on medium for 4-5 minutes until the cream is fluffy and cloud-like in appearance.
Pour the sugar, vanilla extract, and beaten cream cheese into the whipped cream and gently mix until combined. Do no overmix or your whipped cream will deflate. Place in the fridge if your cookie cups haven’t cooled yet.
STEP THREE: Fill the cookie cups. Once the cookie cups have cooled, use a medium cookie scoop to fill each cookie cup with cheesecake mixture (approximately 1.5 tablespoons each). Place the tray into the fridge to set for approximately 30 minutes.
STEP FOUR: Drizzle with chocolate. Once the cookie cups have semi-set, to a small microwave safe bowl, add approximately 1/4 cup of chocolate chips and heat for 30 seconds. Stir and heat again until fully melted and smooth. Remove the cheesecake cups from the fridge and either use a spoon to drizzle the chocolate over the tops or pour the melted chocolate into a small plastic bag, snip the tip, and pipe the chocolate on the cheesecakes.
STEP FIVE: Chill. Refrigerate the cheesecakes until ready to serve. I prefer to let them set overnight but they’ll be ready in as soon as an hour.
Enjoy!
Possible Substitutions/Additions
- I use chocolate chip cookie base but you can use sugar cookie, peanut butter, double chocolate…whatever your favorite is.
- Don’t want a chocolate drizzle? They are just as good plain or garnished with sliced strawberries or other fruit.
- Want to take the chocolate up another notch? Mix mini chocolate chips into the cheesecake batter.
- You can also top them with homemade (or from a can…) whipped cream.
How to store them
Because cheesecake needs to stay chilled, these mini cheesecakes need to be stored in the fridge. Cover them gently with plastic wrap and they’ll keep for up to 5 days.
Can I freeze them?
Yes, you can freeze cheesecakes. These in particular will freeze well for up to three months when stored in an airtight container in the freezer. When you’re ready to serve them, move them to the fridge 24 hours before to thaw.
Recipe Tips
- For the best results, start with room temperature cream cheese and very cold heavy cream. If you have room in the fridge, you can even chill your mixing bowl before you start whipping the cream.
- You can pipe the cheesecake filling into the cups or simply use a cookie scoop.
- For the chocolate drizzle, you can melt chocolate and use a spoon to “artistically” drizzle the chocolate over the top, or pour it into a small plastic baggie, snip the tip, and pipe the chocolate a bit more neatly. I did both methods.
- If using premade cookie dough (either a tube or “break & bakes”), you will likely have a bit leftover. Bonus cookies for you 🙂
- To allow the cheesecake enough time to set, it is best to prep them the day before you actually need to serve them. They’re great as soon as they’re done, but the cheesecake will firm up a bit the longer you chill them.
Cheesecake Cookie Cups FAQs
How many does this make?
This recipe makes 12 individual (cupcake size) cheesecakes.
Do I have to use chocolate chip cookie dough?
Nope, you can use whichever cookie dough flavor you like. Cheesecake pairs well with many flavors so try sugar cookies, snickerdoodle, double chocolate, or even peanut butter.
Can I double the recipe?
Sure, this recipe easily doubles to make 24 cookie cups.
Need more cheesecake recipes? Try these:
Brookie Cheesecake Cups
Red Velvet Cheesecake Bars
3-Step Mini Cheesecakes
Brownie Bottom Peanut Butter Cheesecake
Berry Cheesecake Fluff
Need more chocolate chip recipes? Try these:
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles
Chocolate Chip Oreo Bon Bons
60 Second Chocolate Chip Cookie
Click here for my entire collection of dessert recipes.
Cheesecake Cookie Cups
Ingredients
- 16.5 ounce chocolate chip cookie dough or your favorite homemade cookie dough, prepared
- 8 ounce cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup granulated white sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup chocolate chips I like Ghirardelli baking chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Line a cupcake pan with liners and set aside.
- Slice the cookie dough into 12 equal portions, approximately 1/2" thick. Press the dough into the prepared pan.16.5 ounce chocolate chip cookie dough
- Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden. Remove and set aside to cool.
- While the cookie cups are cooling, prepare the cheesecake filling. Start by adding the softened cream cheese to a medium mixing bowl and beating on medium speed with a hand mixer until softened and light. Set aside.8 ounce cream cheese
- To a large mixing bowl, add the cold heavy cream and beat on medium with a hand mixer for 4-5 minutes until fluffy (almost cloud-like).1 cup heavy cream
- Add the whipped cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla to the whipped cream and gently mix until combined. Do not overmix or you will deflate the whipped cream. Move the mixture to the fridge if your cookie cups are not yet cool.½ cup granulated white sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Once the cookie cups have cooled, use a medium cookie scoop to portion the cream cheese filling evenly amongst the 12 cookie cups. Alternatively, you can place the cream cheese mixture into a piping bag and pipe the filling into the cups.
- Once the cookie cups have all been filled, move them to the fridge to set for approximately 30 minutes.
- Once they have semi-set, pour the chocolate chips into a microwave safe bowl and heat in the microwave for 30 seconds. Remove, stir, and heat for another 30 seconds, repeating until smooth and fully melted.¼ cup chocolate chips
- Pour the melted chocolate into a small plastic baggie, snip just the tip, and pipe the chocolate onto the cheesecake cups. Alternatively, you can just drizzle the melted chocolate over the cookie cups with a spoon.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Video
Notes
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.
