These dainty Mini Cheesecakes are mad with a rich and creamy filling baked atop a sweet, buttery graham cracker crust. They are the perfect mini dessert to serve at weddings, showers, brunches, parties, and more! 

For a no-bake (and fall-version) mini cheesecakes recipe, try my No-Bake Mini Pumpkin Cheesecake! And for another classic cheesecake, try my Easy No-Bake Cheesecake or venture into cheesecake cookies with my Raspberry Cheesecake Cookies recipe. Is there really such a thing as too much cheesecake?? 

Three Mini Cheesecakes stacked on top of each other against a light cream background.

Why This Recipe Works

  • Yummy cheesecake bites. These mini cheesecakes are not only delicious, but they are the perfect size to serve at wedding receptions, baby showers, bridal showers, brunches, graduation parties and more! 
  • Easy cheesecake recipe. Whip up perfectly smooth and sweet cheesecakes in no time with this easy recipe! Did I mention there is no need for a water bath? Bonus! 
  • Top to your heart’s desire! Mix things up and top these adorable mini cheesecakes with cream, fruit, pie filling, jam and more! 

Ingredient Notes

Ingredients used to make the best Mini Cheesecakes recipe portioned into glass bowls on a silver baking sheet: graham cracker crumbs, butter, sugar, egg, vanilla, and cream cheese.
  • Graham Cracker Crumbs: Use a food processor to turn graham crackers into fine crumbs. If you don’t have a food processor, add graham crackers to a ziplock bag and use a rolling pin to crush. 
  • Granulated Sugar: There is sugar in the crust and in the cream cheese filling for sweetness 
  • Ground Cinnamon: You don’t need to add cinnamon to the graham cracker crust mixture if you don’t want to. It’s optional (but so good!) 
  • Melted Butter: When you add the melted butter, be sure to fully mix the crust ingredients so the butter is well dispersed. 
  • Cream Cheese: Be sure the cream cheese is very much at room temperature. This will help the cream cheese incorporate with the other ingredients more easily, providing a smooth consistency. Use full-fat cream cheese for best results in flavor and texture. 
  • Cream: You can use heavy cream or sour cream. 
  • Egg: This is a baked mini cheesecakes recipe (not a no bake mini cheesecakes). You will need to bake it because of the egg! 

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Prepare the pan and oven. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Spray the sides and bottom of a mini cheesecake pan with nonstick cooking spray. 
  2. Make the graham cracker crust. To a medium bowl add 1 1/3 cup graham cracker crumbs, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1/8 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon (if using), and 6 tablespoons melted butter. Mix until combined (the mixture will look like wet sand).
  3. Press graham cracker mixture into pan. Portion the graham cracker crust mixture among the 12 cups in the pan (about 1/8 cup each). Press the mixture down in an even layer. 
  4. Bake the mini cheesecake crusts. Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Reduce oven temperature to 325ºF. 
  5. Make the mini cheesecakes filling. To a large bowl add 8 oz room temperature cream cheese and 1/4 cup granulated sugar. Using an electric mixer, beat on medium speed until smooth. Add 2 tablespoons heavy cream (or sour cream), 1 egg, and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Beat until well combined. 
Four photos showing how to make Mini Cheesecakes crust with graham cracker crumbs and the beginning of creaming cream cheese in a glass bowl.
  1. Portion into the cooled crusts. Transfer the cheesecake batter to a piping bag or ziplock bag with the corner snipped off. Pipe the creamy cheesecake filling directly on top of each crust (about 2 tablespoons each). 
  2. Bake the mini cheesecakes. Bake for 18-20 minutes at 325ºF. Check at 18 minutes. Remove when the cheesecakes are just set. You don’t want them to be golden brown at all (that means they are over cooked). 
  3. Let cool. Remove the mini cheesecakes from the oven and let cool for 30 minutes (tops will sink in slightly). Once cooled, use a knife to go around the edges of each cheesecake to loosen them up a bit. 
  4. Remove the mini cheesecakes from the pan. Gently press up on the base of each cheesecake cavity until the cheesecake comes out. Cover the delicious mini cheesecakes and cool in the fridge until ready to serve.
Four photos, top left image is cheesecake filling in a glass bowl, top right is unbaked Mini Cheesecakes in a cheesecake pan, bottom photo is baked Mini Cheesecakes in a mini cheesecake pan, and a hand pushing a mini cheesecake from a cheesecake pan.
  1. Serve! Serve the individual cheesecakes chilled with you favorite toppings such as fresh fruit, powdered sugar, caramel sauce, jam, pie filling, whipped cream, etc. Enjoy! 
Mini Cheesecakes on a white plate with strawberries and blueberries surrounding the mini desserts.

Recipe Tips

Use room temperature ingredients! This will provide the best texture and smoothest consistency. 

Using a piping bag makes filling the cheesecakes much easier! 

Using a mini cheesecakes pan will make removing the cheesecakes much easier since the bottoms pop out.

Don’t over bake. Check the cheesecakes with the oven light and remove when they are just set. If the tops are golden brown at all, they are most likely over baked and will be dry. 

Allow time to cool. The mini cheesecakes need time to cool in the pan before attempting to remove them. It also helps to prevent cracks and lets them set to keep their shape. 

Make Ahead, Storing, and Freezing

You can make the graham cracker crusts and the cheesecake filling a day in advance and store them separately in the refrigerator. Assemble and bake the mini cheesecakes when you’re ready to serve.

Store leftover mini cheesecakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Ensure they are well-covered to prevent them from absorbing any odors or from drying out. 

To freeze, wrap the cooled mini cheesecakes individually in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil. Store them in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 2-3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before serving.

A stack of three baked mini cheesecakes against a white background.

Recipe FAQs

Can I use pre-made graham cracker crusts?

You can, but I’m not sure how that will work for mini cheesecakes. We are baking the crusts in a mini cheesecake pan, so buying store bought ones would mean transferring them to your pan to bake? Not sure how that will work. Plus homemade is so much better! 

Can I use low-fat cream cheese?

Yes, but keep in mind it could affect the texture and richness of the mini cheesecakes. 

Can I make these in a standard muffin tin instead of a mini cheesecake pan?

Yes you can, but adjust the baking time accordingly, as the cheesecakes will be slightly larger in the muffin tin, potentially requiring a few extra minutes to bake. Also, you may have a harder time removing the mini cheesecakes from the muffin tin since the bottoms don’t push up (try using cupcake liners to troubleshoot that issue). And the sides won’t be straight since muffin sides are slightly slanted. 

A white plate topped with twelve Mini Cheesecakes, the middle center cheesecake topped with three blueberries, and a bowl of strawberries in the background.

More Cheesecake Recipes

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A mini cheesecake cut in half, and stacked on two additional small cheesecakes on a white plate.
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Mini Cheesecakes

These mini cheesecakes are dainty and rich and consist of a rich, creamy filling made from cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and egg.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 18 minutes
Total Time: 28 minutes
Servings: 12 cheesecakes

Ingredients
 

Graham Cracker Crust

Cheesecake Filling

  • 8 oz cream cheese - room temperature
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons sour cream - or heavy cream, at room temperature
  • 1 large egg - room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Equipment

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray the bottom and sides of a mini cheesecake pan with nonstick cooking spray. (I linked the pan I use in the blog post and above the list of ingredients. You can click on it if you are viewing this on an electronic device).
  • In a medium bowl mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar, salt, and cinnamon and melted butter. Portion the mixture among the 12 cups of bitesize cheesecake pan. Press the crumbs firmly into the bottom of each well (about 1/8 cup each). Bake for 8-10 minutes, remove from the oven and let cool. 
  • Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F. 
  • Make the batter: Cream the cream cheese and granulated sugar on medium speed until smooth. Add the cream, egg, and vanilla extract and mix well. Place the batter in a ziplock bag or piping bag with the end snipped off. (This makes it easier to fill each well). Portion the batter into the cooled crusts, about 2 tablespoons in each. 
  • Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until just set. Remove from the oven and let cool for 30 minutes. The tops will sink slightly. Once cooled, use a knife and go around the edges of each cheesecake to help loosen them. Carefully push at the base of each cavity until the cheesecakes are out of the pan. (Note: my mini cheesecakes came off the bottom metal disks easily, but if yours do not you can run a table knife between the crust and the metal disk to free the cheesecake). Cover, and chill the cheesecakes before serving. 
  • For serving, garnish with fresh berries and powdered sugar, caramel sauce, whipped cream, jam, or pie filling. 

Notes

Check at 18 minutes — you don’t want the cheesecakes to brown (this will mean they are over baked and dry). 
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. 

Nutrition

Calories: 191kcal (10%)Carbohydrates: 14g (5%)Protein: 2g (4%)Fat: 14g (22%)Saturated Fat: 8g (40%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 51mg (17%)Sodium: 152mg (6%)Potassium: 52mg (1%)Fiber: 0.3g (1%)Sugar: 9g (10%)Vitamin A: 464IU (9%)Vitamin C: 0.02mgCalcium: 32mg (3%)Iron: 0.5mg (3%)
author: Whitney Wright
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Did you make this recipe?Please leave a star rating and review on the blog post letting me know how you liked this recipe! Take a picture and tag @saltandbaker on Tik Tok, Instagram, and Facebook so I can see what you’re making!