Mini Cheesecake Bites
E
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Bite-sized cheesecakes with a graham cracker crust, creamy filling made with cream cheese, sour cream, eggs, and a dash of vanilla bean paste. Topped with a thick chocolate ganache and fresh raspberry. Baked gently at medium-low heat to avoid cracking. Crust prepared from crushed graham sheets combined with sugar, melted butter, and a pinch of salt. Filling beaten just enough to avoid air pockets and preserve velvety texture. Ganache thickens after cooling, making a glossy crown. Best made ahead—chill at least 2 hours but overnight works wonders. Perfect for easy portion control and fancy presentation. If needed, swap sour cream for crème fraîche or Greek yogurt for a tang twist. Avoid overbeating eggs to keep creamy, smooth bites without rubbery texture. Two cupcake tins fill 18 muffin liners. Splash water in empty cups stabilizes oven moisture preventing dryness.
Prep:
25 min
Cook:
35 min
Total:
3h 55min
Servings:
18 bites
#American
#dessert
#baking
#mini desserts
#cheesecake
#ganache
#party food
Started with failed full-size cheesecakes cracking mid-bake repeatedly. Learned slower bake at lower temp keeps tops intact and super creamy interiors. Mini size speeds cool and invites endless flavor riffs. Using sour cream adds brightness balancing heavy cream cheese. Vanilla bean paste beats extract for that punch with tiny black specs. Crust—more than just base—must hold shape without sogginess so salt and butter ratios key. Over beating? Floods batter with air—hello cracks and holes. Ganache price? Simple but timing rules: too hot melts crust, too thick is a glue trap. Raspberry crowns bring a fresh pop and tart bite. Chill times not suggestions—they’re structural. Fills fridge well, so prepping ahead reduces day-of stress and ups your host game.
Ingredients
- Graham cracker sheets about 200g, finely pulsed
- 3 Tbsp granulated sugar; adjust to taste
- 6 Tbsp butter melted; any unsalted works
- Pinch of fine salt
- 16 oz cream cheese softened, room temp to avoid lumps
- 5 oz sour cream (can swap with Greek yogurt or crème fraîche)
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste; vanilla extract ok but paste adds speckles
- 3 large eggs at room temperature for better emulsification
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips for ganache
- 2/3 cup heavy cream warmed but not boiling
- Fresh raspberries for garnish
About the ingredients
Graham crackers crush fine but not powdery, must hold crumb structure to bind crust. Butter melted but cooled prevents greasy mess. Sugar binds and sweetens crust, adjustable to preference or dietary needs. Salt—a pinch but don’t skip—counterbalances sweetness and deepens flavor. Cream cheese must be room temp for smooth mixing; cold lumps ruin texture. Sour cream optional; Greek yogurt adds tang and firmness but can thicken filling undesirably. Eggs at room temp incorporate better reducing curdling risk and cracking. Vanilla bean paste rather than extract adds real flavor complexity; sub if not available but omit salt with vanilla bean seeds present. Chocolate chips for ganache can be bittersweet or even white for different profiles. Heavy cream warmed just enough so chips melt perfectly. Fresh raspberries optional for color and contrast but frozen berries bleed and water down ganache.
Method
- Heat oven to 320 F rather than 325 to avoid cracking; gentle heat equals silky texture.
- Line 18 muffin tin cavities with cupcake liners; fill remaining spots with water to keep oven humidity up.
- Pulse graham crackers in food processor till coarse crumbs, not dust. Mix in sugar, melted butter, and salt until mixture clumps like wet sand.
- Press firmly but evenly into liner bottoms, creating uniform crust thickness around 1/4 inch. No bare spots; crust is foundation.
- Cream cheese and sour cream together using paddle attachment until no lumps appear about 1-2 minutes on medium speed. Scrape sides once or twice.
- Add sugar and vanilla bean paste, mix just until integrated—shiny, silky batter. No graininess.
- Add eggs one at a time, room temp crucial here; medium-low speed to prevent bubbles that cause cracks. Scrape bowl sides between each.
- Spoon or preferably scoop with 2 Tbsp cookie scoop into crusts. Tap tin gently to settle mixture evenly but avoid forced leveling. Slight doming expected.
- Bake for about 25-30 minutes watching centers. Edges should be set and slightly pulling from liners; center jiggles but isn’t liquid.
- Cool on wire rack until no longer steaming. Transfer to fridge for minimum 2 hours or overnight for tighter texture.
- Warm cream over medium low until steam just rises; don’t boil or cream separates. Pour over chocolate chips in heatproof bowl. Wait 3 minutes. Stir slowly until glossy ganache forms.
- Cool ganache until it thickens to spoonable consistency—about 5-10 minutes at room temp. Spoon over chilled cheesecakes gently to cover tops.
- Garnish each with a fresh raspberry. Return to fridge 1-2 hours till ganache sets firm but soft. Too cold and ganache cracks while cutting or biting.
- Remove liners carefully—crust sticks if warm, so always chill first. Use small offset spatula if stubborn.
- Store leftovers covered in fridge no more than 3 days. Could freeze bites un-ganached wrapped tight, thaw overnight refrigerated before ganache.
Cooking tips
Always line pans whether mini cheesecakes or big cakes; prevents sticking and eases release. Pressing graham crust with flat-bottomed glass speeds process and evens thickness; inconsistent crusts cause uneven baking and sogginess. Paddle attachment preferred for batter; whisk overshifts air causing cracks. Scrape bowl well especially after each egg addition to incorporate ingredients fully. Medium-low speed when adding eggs prevents bubbles and resultant cracks. Dough should look glossy, pourable, never stiff. Know cheesecake done by jiggle test: edges firm, center moves slightly. Overbake equals dry rubbery mess. Cooling on rack first prevents soggy bottoms from condensation. Ganache needs patience. Pouring warm cream over chocolate and letting sit lets chips melt gently, avoids gritty texture from rushing. Stir to create shiny finish; cool ganache thickens to spreadable. Too hot ganache melts crust and filling; too cold is a mess. Chill assembled bites till ganache sets. Removing liners chilled keeps perfect shape; if warm liners tear crust apart.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Lower oven temp from common 325 F to 320 F prevents cracks. Cook slow, gentle heat equals creamy centers. Watch jiggle at center as doneness signal. Edges set, slight pull from liner. Not completely firm means no dry rubbery texture. Check around 25-min mark, then adjust time slightly.
- 💡 Press crust evenly, about quarter-inch thick. Use flat-bottomed glass for uniform pressure. Clumpy crumbs bind better than fine powder so graham should be coarse. Melting butter cools not hot to avoid greasy crust. Salt pinch balances sweetness and helps crust hold together. Warm crust slightly but no direct heat before filling.
- 💡 Room temperature eggs crucial to avoid curdling or air bubbles. Add eggs one by one, medium-low mixer speed only. Scrape bowl sides after each egg to incorporate fully. Overbeating adds air, causes cracks and holes after baking. Batter consistency glossy but pourable, never stiff or dry.
- 💡 Ganache needs patience. Warm heavy cream until steam rises, not a boil. Pour over chocolate chips, let sit 3 minutes. Stir slowly to avoid gritty textures. Too hot cream melts crust and filling, too cool leaves lumps. Let ganache thicken at room temp 5-10 minutes before spooning over chilled cheesecakes. Chill after for firmer, spoonable finish.
- 💡 Use two muffin pans; fill unused cups with water to create humidity—helps prevent dryness and cracking. Chilling cheesecakes at least 2 hours or better overnight improves texture and flavor melding. Cold ganache cracks if too cold, so remove from fridge 10 minutes before serving if possible.
Common questions
How to avoid cracks?
Bake slow at 320 F. Use room temp eggs. Medium-low mix speed adding eggs one at a time. Watch for slight center jiggle. No overbeating. Water pan in oven helps humidify. Always cool on rack before fridge to prevent soggy crusts.
Can I swap sour cream?
Yes. Greek yogurt or crème fraîche are good substitutes. Greek yogurt adds tang but can thicken batter, crème fraîche richer. Adjust sugar slightly depending on tartness. Sour cream balances sweetness and creamy texture well but alternatives work fine with minor tweaks.
How to fix runny ganache?
Warm cream gently; don’t boil. If ganache too runny, cool longer at room temp. If still thin, add more chocolate chips in small amounts and remelt gently. Avoid stirring too fast. Thick ganache coats better, holds shape, but not stiff glue.
Storage tips for bites?
Store chilled in fridge, covered, up to three days. Freeze without ganache tightly wrapped, thaw overnight in fridge before topping. Ganache cracks if frozen on. Remove liners chilled to keep crust intact. Leftover bites keep best when well sealed, not left at room temp too long.
