Mini No Bake Cheesecakes

Ingredients

Graham Cracker Crust

2 cups (240g) graham cracker crumbs (about 16 full sheet graham crackers)

1/3 cup (67g) packed light or dark brown sugar

1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, melted

Filling

Whipped Cream:

1 cup (240ml) cold heavy cream or heavy whipping cream

2 Tablespoons granulated sugar

Vanilla

Cream Cheese Mixture :

16 ounces (452g) full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature

1/3 cup (67g) granulated sugar 

1/4 cup (60g) sour cream, at room temperature

Vanilla

Instructions

Make sure you have room in your refrigerator for both silicone muffin pans. 

Prepare the crust: Use a food processor to pulse the graham crackers into fine crumbs. Next put the brown sugar and melted butter into the bowl of the food processor with the graham cracker crumbs and whirr until combined. Mixture will have the consistency of wet sand. 

Spoon 1 and 1/2 Tablespoons of the crust mixture into each well of two silicone muffin pans and use the bottom of a glass to pack it down tightly.

Bake the crusts for 12-15 minutes in a 350°F oven. The crusts are a little

sturdier this way. 

Let the warm crusts cool for 10 minutes before adding the filling on top.

Make the whipped cream: Using a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the cold heavy cream, granulated sugar, and vanilla into stiff peaks on medium-high speed, about 3 minutes. Set aside. 

Make the cream cheese mixture: Using a stand mixer fitted with a whisk or paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and granulated sugar together on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a silicone spatula as needed. Add the sour cream, and vanilla extract. Beat on medium-high speed until smooth and

combined, about 1 minute. Make sure there are no large lumps of cream cheese.

If there are lumps, keep beating until smooth. 

Using your mixer on low speed or a silicone spatula, fold the whipped cream into the cheesecake filling until combined. This takes several turns of your rubber spatula. Combine slowly as

you don’t want to deflate all the air in the whipped cream.

You can use a spoon or piping bag to transfer the filling on top of the crusts.

Spoon or pipe about 2 Tablespoons of filling over each crust. 

I prefer piping the filling because it’s a little easier and neater. Fit your piping bag with a large star or round piping tip, then transfer the filling to the bag and pipe. 

Use the back of a spoon to smooth the tops so they are flat.

Refrigerate the mini cheesecakes in the pans for at least 3 hours and up to 2 days. If refrigerating for longer than 3 hours, I recommend covering with aluminum foil or plastic wrap.

Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. 

The cheesecakes begin to soften after about 30–60 minutes at room temperature.

Cover and store leftover mini cheesecakes in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Notes

Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: The mini cheesecakes can be made 1-2 days in advance and refrigerated for up to 2 days before serving, as noted in step 6.

Another way to prep these mini no-bake cheesecakes is to freeze them. Refrigerate them as directed in step 6, then remove them from the muffin pan for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours before serving.