Learn how to make mini cheesecake cups with an easy cookie crust. There are endless topping ideas for these creamy cheesecakes.

Table of Contents

About these Mini Cheesecake Cups:
Cheesecakes in a Standard Muffin Pan
Easy Crust for Mini Cheesecakes
How to Make Mini Cheesecakes
How long do you chill cheesecake?
Cheesecake Topping Ideas
Storage Instructions
Mini Cheesecake Cups Recipe
Other Cheesecake Recipes to Love

Whether it is friend party, baby shower or family reunion, individual cheesecakes are the perfect solution for a fun dessert. And they are easier than you might think!

If you’re serving cupcakes, try serving these mini cheesecake cups for a different option. They are a great gluten free option if you use gluten free cookies as the crust.

spooning cherry pie filling on mini cheesecake cups

About these Mini Cheesecake Cups:

Flavor: The cheesecake cups are rich and sweet, but the flavor is plain cheesecake. You can of course add an extract or a touch of lemon juice if you’d like, but they are good just plain as well.
Texture: These little cups have a creamy cheesecake filling. The cookie as the crust will soften slightly as they chill.

Cheesecakes in a Standard Muffin Pan

What do I love about this mini cheesecake recipe? It’s made in a standard muffin pan. There’s no need to have a mini muffin tin or a springform pan. You’ll get a perfectly creamy individual cheesecake by using a regular muffin pan.

overhead view of mini cheesecake cups with strawberries and cherries

Easy Crust for Mini Cheesecakes

To keep the cheesecakes quick and easy, I used cookies as the crust. Simply place a vanilla wafer or Oreo cookie (or any cookie that is about that size) in the bottom of a paper liner. It may not fill the entire bottom, but that’s ok. The purpose is to be quick!

If you’re looking for something a little more elegant, use a homemade graham cracker crust. You’ll be able to see it on all sides of the cheesecake and it will form more of a base.

How to Make Mini Cheesecakes

To prepare, preheat the oven to 325ºF. Place cupcake liners in a standard muffin pan. Place a vanilla wafer cookie (or Oreo cookie) in the bottom of each liner.

In a medium bowl, mix the cream cheese until creamy and smooth. (You can use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand mixer on low speed.)
Add in the sugar and vanilla. Mix well and scrape the bowl as needed.
Add in the room temperature eggs and mix on low speed just until combined.
Using an ice cream or cookie dough scoop, divide the cheesecake filling evenly between the 12 muffin cups. Tap the pan on the cupboard several times to release any air bubbles from the cheesecake mixture.

spooning cheesecake filling into muffin liners

Bake for 22-24 minutes. Do not over bake. The tops should not be brown at all.
Allow the cheesecakes to cool in the pan until they are room temperature, then remove them from the pan.

How long do you chill cheesecake?

Since these are mini cheesecakes, they should only take about 4 hours to chill thoroughly in the fridge, but cheesecakes are often best served the next day so feel free to refrigerate overnight.

Cheesecake Topping Ideas

My favorite topping for cheesecake is cherry pie filling or even apple pie filling, but use any of these variations you’d like:

Whipped cream and fresh berries such as blueberries, strawberries or raspberries.
Caramel sauce
Lemon curd
Melt chocolate chips to make a chocolate ganache topping.
Spoon Nutella over the top.
Drizzle dark chocolate over the top, then sprinkle with chopped pecans and a little sea salt. Or add caramel for a turtle cheesecake.

half of a mini cheesecake with whipped cream and a strawberry

Storage Instructions

Store the cheesecakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Freeze for up to 2 months.

Mini Cheesecake Cups

4.48 from 57 votes

Learn how to make mini cheesecake cups with an easy cookie crust. There are endless topping ideas for these creamy cheesecakes.

Servings 12

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Ingredients

For the crusts:

12 vanilla wafers or Oreo cookies

For the cheesecakes:

16 ounces cream cheese room temperature
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs room temperature

Instructions

Prepare:

Preheat the oven to 325ºF. Place paper liners in a standard muffin pan. Place a vanilla wafer cookie (or Oreo cookie) in the bottom of each liner.

Make the cheesecakes:

In a medium bowl, mix the cream cheese until creamy and smooth.
Add in the sugar and vanilla. Mix well, scraping the bowl as needed.
Add in the room temperature eggs and mix on low speed just until combined.
Using an ice cream or cookie dough scoop, divide the cheesecake batter evenly between the 12 cups. Tap the pan on the cupboard several times to release any air bubbles.
Bake for 22-24 minutes. Do not over bake. The tops should not be brown at all.
Allow the cheesecakes to cool in the pan until they are room temperature, then remove them from the pan.
Chill the cheesecakes in an airtight container for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight.
Top with your favorite syrups, pie fillings, fruits or whipped cream.
Serve cold. The cheesecakes freeze well, too!

Notes

Refer to the article above for more tips and tricks.

The calories shown are based on the recipe making 12 cheesecakes, with 1 serving being 1 cheesecake (no toppings). Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. The information in the nutrition box are calculated through a program and there is room for error. If you need an accurate count, I recommend running the ingredients through your favorite nutrition calculator.**