Mini Lemon Cheesecakes
Our mini lemon cheesecakes are made with a simple graham cracker crust and a citrusy lemon cheesecake filling. Individual lemon cheesecakes are the perfect balance of sweet and tart!
Servings: 12 cheesecakes
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter (1/2 stick) melted
Cheesecake
- 16 oz full fat cream cheese softened to room temperature
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp lemon juice fresh squeezed
- 2 large eggs room temperature
Topping
- whipped cream (1 pint heavy whipping cream, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, & 1 tsp vanilla extract)
- lemon slices
Instructions
Crust
- Preheat the oven to 350º F. Line a regular sized muffin pan with paper muffin liners. In a mixing bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs and melted butter until it resembles coarse sand. Put 1-2 tbsp of crumbs in each muffin cup. Use a 1/3 cup (or similar) to press the crumbs down firmly into the pan. Bake the crust for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and allow it to cool while prepping the cheesecake.
Cheesecake
- In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar with an electric mixer until smooth, 1-2 minutes.
- Beat in vanilla extract, and lemon juice. Then beat in the eggs. The eggs are the last ingredient that get mixed into the cheesecake batter. Be sure to mix them in just until the yolk breaks. Over beating the eggs is the number one cause of air bubbles and cracking.
- Evenly divide the cheesecake batter among the muffin cups, filling the liners full. Bake for 15-17 minutes or until the center of the cheesecake is only slightly jiggly.
- Allow the cheesecakes to cool to room temperature then place them in the fridge for at least 4 hours to chill before serving. If refrigerating overnight, loosely cover the cheesecakes in plastic wrap.
- Top with whipped cream or fresh fruit before serving.
Notes
How to store: Refrigerate your mini cheesecakes in an airtight container for up to a week.
How to freeze: You can freeze mini cheesecakes for up to 3 months. They can be individually wrapped, or you can place them in an airtight storage container or freezer bag with parchment paper between the layers to keep them from sticking. Let them thaw in the refrigerator before serving.
How to make homemade whipped cream: In a cold bowl, combine 1 pint heavy whipping cream (2 cups), 1/2 cup powdered sugar and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Beat with an electric mixer on high for 5-7 minutes, until stiff peaks form.
Nutrition
Calories: 241kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 79mg | Sodium: 177mg | Potassium: 78mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 669IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 1mg