Mini Cheesecake Recipe: Regular, Cherry, Chocolate and More – Easy Simple Goodness

Mini Cheesecake Time! Super easy and yummy!

For the next four days we will be sharing some last minute recipes from dessert to main course – including drinks that are super easy and bring the WOW factor to the table or party! Since we are getting down to crunch time for the holidays, if you are like us, you are looking for recipes that are quick, easy, tasty and memorable!

So for the first recipe: Mini Cheesecakes both regular and chocolate with different variations!

We love, love, love this recipe! We have made it every year for many years. The original recipe was my mother’s and is still great.  We have also made some variations just to mix it up a bit and to kind of emulate a smorgasbord of cheesecake treats!

This is a perfect treat to take to a party or gathering any time of year and always bring the WOW to the crowd!

Here’s what you need for the classic recipe:

• 2 8oz. packages of cream cheese
• 3/4 sugar
• 24 Nilla Wafers
• 2 eggs
• Cherry Pie filling
• 24 muffin cups

Here’s how to make:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tins with paper liners.

2. Place one Nilla Wafer in the bottom of each cup.

3. Cream together with an electric mixer the cream cheese, sugar, eggs and vanilla. You will want to make sure that this is “creamy” and not just mixed, but there will be a few clumps.

4. Fill each miniature muffin liner with this mixture, about 2/3 full.

5. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 – 25 minutes. They tops will not brown, but the edges will become a light golden brown.

6. Cool overnight in the fridge and then top with a teaspoonful of cherry pie filling right before serving.

For Chocolate Mini Cheesecakes:

• 2 8oz. packages of cream cheese
• 1/4 cup of Cocoa powder
• 3/4 sugar +1 Tablespoon
• 24 Nilla Wafers
• 2 eggs
• Cherry Pie filling
• 24 muffin cups

Here’s how to make:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tins with paper liners.

2. Place one Nilla Wafer in the bottom of each cup.

3. Cream together with an electric mixer the cream cheese, cocoa powder, sugar, eggs and vanilla. You will want to make sure that this is “creamy” and not just mixed, but there will be a few clumps.

4. Fill each miniature muffin liner with this mixture, about 2/3 full.

5. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 – 25 minutes. They tops will not brown, but you will know they are done when they slightly split on top.

6. Cool overnight in the fridge and then top with a teaspoonful of cherry pie filling right before serving.

Here are some ideas for different variations that we have tried and they ALL get our stamp of approval:

• Use a sugar cookie base for the crust.  We have used the pre-made Pillsbury sugar cookie and will take a small teaspoon full, roll in a ball and then flatten at the bottom of the muffin tins. This is Thrifty Al’s preferred crust!
• Hide a Hershey’s meltaway kiss in the cheesecakes for a sweet chocolate surprise. To do this, after placing the Nilla Wafer or Sugar Cookie crust, place an unwrapped Hershey’s Meltaway Kiss in the center and then cover with the mixture. You actually can’t even tell it is there and it makes for a true yummy surprise.  We highly recommend using the meltaways as you will serve this after cooling and the meltaways are perfectly soft for this. A regular kiss is too hard, but can still work.
• Top your creations with chocolate or mini chocolate chips right when they come out!
• Top with crushed nuts and caramel/chocolate drizzle.
• Use any flavor of fruit pie toppings (Blueberry, cherry, raspberry, etc.)
• Top with a Hershey’s Kiss in flavor of choice!

Enjoy this super yummy treat!

The picture above shows 3 regular Cherry and 3 Chocolate Cherry. You could divide your recipe in half and make half regular and half chocolate.  To do this, follow the original recipe, divide your batter in half and then add 2 TBS of cocoa powder and an additional 1 TBS of sugar to one half! This will make 12 of each in one batch!