Mini Cheesecakes

When it comes to cheesecake, I like it simple - graham cracker crust, luscious filling, and a little whipped cream.  You might call me boring, but I think it's best that way!

I made these little cutie pie miniature cheesecakes using a Philadelphia cream cheese recipe, and it is a really good one!  It only has six ingredients, and is a cinch to make.

I was able to make 18 mini-cheesecakes out of the recipe, but it depends on how high you fill the liners.  Here's how you do it:

Ingredients

Crust:

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

2 tablespoons sugar

3 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling:

3 (8 ounce) bricks of cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 eggs

Directions

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.

Crumble graham crackers until you have one cup.  I put them in a plastic bag and banged on them with a rolling pin, but you can do them in a food processor, if you'd like.

In a bowl, mix the cup of graham cracker crumbs with the 2 tablespoons of sugar.

Melt three tablespoons of butter, and add to the bowl.  Stir the graham crackers, sugar, and butter together.  [The mixture will look fairly dry, but that's okay.]

Place liners in your cupcake pan, and drop a rounded spoonful of the crumbs mixture in each liner.

Press the crumbs down to form the crust.  I have a little wooden spool that I use to do this, but you can use your fingers, or the bottom of a small cup or glass.  Set aside.

With a mixer, beat the cream cheese, 3/4 cup sugar, and vanilla until well mixed.

Beat the eggs in, one at a time.

Spoon the mixture into the liners, about 3/4 full.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.  The cheesecakes are done when you can press down on the centers and they bounce back a little.

Let them cool for ten minutes, then remove them from the pan and refrigerate for at least one hour.

I serve these with whipped cream, but if you want to jazz them up, you could add fruit, caramel, chocolate curls, or jam.

Mmmm…creamy and delicious!
- Sugar Baby