Mini Turtle Cheesecakes

Print Recipe

4.53 from 57 ratings

These mini turtle cheesecakes are the perfect blend of chocolate, caramel and nuts combined with creamy cheesecake!

Prep Time20

Cook Time20

Chilling Time4

Total Time4 40

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: mini turtle cheesecakes, turtle cheesecake

Servings: cheesecakes

Author: Beth

Equipment

Ingredients

Crust

1 cup (113g) graham cracker crumbs
4 Tbsp (57g) unsalted butter melted, 1/2 stick

Cheesecake

16 oz (452g) full fat cream cheese two 8 oz packages, softened to room temperature
½ cup (99g) granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs

Topping

jarred caramel sauce
chocolate ganache ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips & ¼ cup heavy whipped cream
chopped nuts I used pecans

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.
1 cup (113g) graham cracker crumbs, 4 Tbsp (57g) unsalted butter

Cheesecake

In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar with an electric mixer until smooth, 1-2 minutes.
16 oz (452g) full fat cream cheese, ½ cup (99g) granulated sugar
Beat in vanilla extract and eggs, until smooth. 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.
1 tsp vanilla extract, 2 large eggs
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.

Topping

Top each cheesecake with a spoonful of jarred caramel sauce, chocolate ganache and chopped nuts.
jarred caramel sauce, chocolate ganache, chopped nuts
To make chocolate ganache: Place the chocolate chips in a medium bowl. In a small pot over low heat, heat the heavy cream until just before boiling. Pour the heavy cream over the chocolate chips. Allow the mixture to stand for 1-2 minutes. Use a spatula to stir the mixture until smooth. Allow the ganache to come to room temperature before adding it to the cheesecake.

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.

Nutrition