March 29, 2018

Mini Cheesecakes

Mini cheesecakes make great after-dinner desserts. Their size is small enough so you don’t feel like you are over indulging. At the same time, their richness and creaminess will easily satisfy your sweet tooth. With the paper liners, they transport easily and work well at parties as easy-to-pass-around desserts.

You’ll love the texture and tang of these mini cheesecakes. You can credit that to the sour cream. Another great thing about them is how easy they are to make. There are just three ingredients in the crust: graham crackers, butter and brown sugar. In seconds you are half-way done making this dessert.

The filling has just four core ingredients (cream cheese, egg, sugar, and vanilla), plus whatever flavoring(s) you choose. And that’s the added beauty of this recipe. You can flavor your mini cheesecakes in so many different ways. With all the extracts and compatible ingredients, the options are endless. I’ve made many coconut versions with this coconut extract from Frontier-Co-op, plus a lot with citrus extracts. Key lime anyone? Chocolate is another go-to. And think of all the fruits you could feature. Any berry would work, or banana, or even mango. You could go the cookie/candy path, with crushed Oreos, Reese’s peanut butter cups, or Snicker bars.

For this version and because of my state fair love, I did cotton candy mini cheesecakes. I’ve been in love with cotton candy as a flavor since my first taste of Izzy’s cotton candy ice cream. (Try it if you haven’t!) In fact, I confess to not liking cotton candy itself, like at all. But put cotton candy flavoring in something creamy and I’m all in. One of my favorite products to use is Amoretti’s cotton candy “artisan flavor.” It gives the cheesecake almost a raspberry taste, so like cotton candy, but much better. 

I hope  you get to enjoy these soon!

-Cyndi

 

Mini Cheesecakes

1 1/4 cup finely crushed graham crackers (1 sleeve)

2 tablespoons brown sugar

5 tablespoons melted unsalted butter

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 egg, beaten

1/4 cup sour cream

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

extract or flavoring

 

Line a 12 cup muffin tin with cupcake liners. In small bowl, mix crushed graham crackers, brown sugar, and melted butter. Press firmly, evenly into cups. In medium bowl, mix cream cheese, egg, sugar, sour cream, vanilla, and flavoring, until well blended. Divide the batter among the cups. Bake 15 minutes or just until set. Makes 12.

-Recipe from the Blue Ribbon Group