Nothing beats cheesecake for dessert at any time of the year, especially these blueberry mini cheesecakes. Rich classic cream cheese batter baked over graham cracker crust then topped with homemade blueberry filling.
Table of Content
Don't you think mini cheesecakes are the cutest ever!! I love making bite-size desserts like mini tarts and mini cheesecakes. This week I shared with you three different variations for making mini cheesecakes.
Why make mini cheesecakes
- These are perfect crowd-pleasers and a lot less hassle when entertaining. At a party you already have so much to take care of so slicing and serving a large cheesecake is one less work to do with these mini cheesecakes.
- You can even use one cheesecake recipe with many different fruit fillings to give your guest more varieties as I have done with my raspberry mini cheesecakes, blackberry mini cheesecakes
- These baked blueberry cheesecakes have three components.
- The crust- the rich batter is then poured over a graham cracker crust Today, I have used cookie crumbs but you can also use my homemade cheesecake crust
- The cheesecake batter - Rich, creamy and decadent made with full-fat cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, cornstarch, and eggs. It is my no-fail vanilla cheesecake batter that can be used in so many variations.
- The blueberry topping - This takes just five minutes to make and you can use fresh or frozen blueberries.
The timeline and process
- Prepare crust - 5 to 7 mins
- Make cheesecake batter - 10 mins
- Bake - 25 to 30 mins
- Fruit filling/topping - 5 mins
- Chill cheesecakes - 3 hours
Ingredients and substitutes
- Blueberries - I prefer using frozen fruits (blueberries) when making fillings. Frozen fruits tend to break down easily making the fruit soft and almost melt in the mouth. Fresh fruit usually tends to hold its shape better and takes a little longer to soften. Having said that there ain't nothing like fresh fruits so definitely use fresh when you have them in season.
- Crackers/Biscuits - graham crackers usually are very commonly used but to me, it's about what you like to eat. You want them to be the digestive type with no sugar or little sugar. Alternatively, you can make the cheesecake crust from scratch.
- Cream cheese - I highly recommend using a good full-fat cream cheese for texture and flavor. I love to use a combination of cream cheeses. So today, I am using mascarpone which is 40% fat, and two local brands one is 32% and the other 29%.
- Egg - We have just one in this recipe, so make it a large one. I have not tried substituting egg in this recipe. If you do, let us know the outcome in the comments below.
- Cornstarch/Cornflour - helps hold the batter together so you get nice pretty slices and texture. You can omit the cornstarch but the cheesecake will be more delicate.
- Lemon juice - really brings out the flavor of all the rest of the ingredients and cuts down the sweetness
Blueberry mini cheesecakes
- Preheat the oven to 300°F / 150°C/ Gas Mark 2.
- Lightly spray a silicone mold pan or removable bottom muffin pan. Alternatively, use cupcake liners in a regular muffin pan
Pro tip - you can use regular cupcake pans to make mini cheesecakes in liners or remove the liners once chilled.
Prepare crust
- Crush the graham cracker in a food processor. Add sugar and the melted butter and stir to combine.
Pro tip - You can also place them in a ziplock bag and use a rolling pin to crush them. - Divide the mixture between 10 to 12 molds or muffin cups. Use a pastry tamper or the back of a ¼ measure cup to help press the crumbs firmly to the base. Let chill in the fridge while you make the filling
Pro tip - make sure to press down firmly on the crumbs or the bottom will be a crumbly mess when you unmold later.
Cheesecake filling
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, with the whisk paddle attachment, combine cream cheese and sour cream. Then, add the sugar. Followed by the cornflour and vanilla extract.
Pro tip - The cream cheese must be at room temperature. Otherwise, the batter will be lumpy. And if necessary, place a warm bowl on top of the cream cheese to help thaw faster. - Add the eggs, one at a time, making sure to incorporate each well. Divide the batter between the prepared pans over the chilled cookie crumbs.
Pro tip - We want each egg to incorporate well but we do not want to incorporate too much air into the batter. Otherwise, the top will crack when baking. So, do not overmix. - Double boiler - Place the muffin tray in a baking pan. Pour about a cup of hot water on the outside of the baking pan.
Pro tip - The water will create steam in the oven and prevent the custard-based cheesecake from drying out. - Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the top is set but still slightly wobbly. Once baked remove and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes while you prepare the topping.
Blueberry filling
- In a saucepan, over medium heat, add the blueberries, sugar, lemon juice, and ¼ cup water. Cook on low to medium heat until all the sugar has dissolved. Use a vegetable masher to mash some of the fruit.
Pro tip - Mashing will add a nice thicker consistency to the topping but make sure to leave some blueberries whole. - Combine the remaining water with cornstarch. Add it to the blueberries. Continue to cook on low heat until the filling is thick and glossy.
Pro tip - Cornstarch can settle to the bottom of the water so you must stir it just before adding it to the saucepan. - Remove and cool before you pour it over the cheesecake, or serve it alongside the cheesecake.
Pro tip - The filling will thicken as it cools so keep that in mind when you take it off the heat.
Top and chill
- After 10 mins, spoon about 2 tablespoon blueberry filling over each cheesecake. Top the pan so the filling spreads evenly.
- Chill the cheesecake for at least 4 hours - preferably overnight. Unmold from the pans and garnish with a mint leaf or fresh blueberries.
Pro tip - do not try to unmold the cheesecake before chilling for at least 4 hours otherwise they will fall apart. Chilling will ensure the crust comes one in one piece too. - Enjoy!
more cheesecake recipes
How long will these mini cheesecakes keep?
These baked mini blueberry cheesecakes will last in the fridge for 3 to 5 days. Make sure to wrap it well in cling wrap to prevent it from drying out.
Can I freeze these mini cheesecakes?
Yes, you can freeze these cheesecakes in the freezer for up to three months. Make sure to wrap each well in plastic to prevent it from drying out. To thaw keep it wrapped in the refrigerator overnight. The condensation will remain on the plastic leaving the cheesecake dry.
Do I have to bake mini cheesecakes in a water bath?
Cheesecake is a custard-like batter with cream cheese in it. So it must be baked delicately. A water bath insulates the pan and ensures that the batter never gets overheated keeping that custard-like batter moist, soft, and silky.
How do I know if my cheesecakes are over-baked?
Overbaked cheesecakes often have a crack. The cake will be dry and gritty when cut. The eggs overcook so the cheesecake becomes firm and dense instead of soft and silky custard-like.
Printable Recipe
Mini Cheesecakes - Blueberry
Print Pin Rate Share by Email Share on FB Save Grow Coooking Temperature: 300°F / 150°C/ Gas Mark 2
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 335kcal
Adjust Servings Here: 10 servings
Description
Nothing beats cheesecake for dessert at any time of the year, especially these blueberry mini cheesecakes. Rich classic cream cheese batter baked over graham cracker crust then topped with homemade blueberry filling.
Video
Conversions Used
1 lb = 453 grams, 1 cup = 240 ml, 1 stick = 113g, 1 tbsp= 15 ml, 1 tsp= 5 ml,
Ingredients
Crust
- 4 oz (113 g) Graham crackers ((or digestive biscuits))
- 1 tablespoon Sugar
- 4 tablespoon Melted Butter
Cheesecake filling
- 1 lb (450 g) Cream cheese
- ½ cup (120 ml) Sour cream
- 1 Large egg
- ¼ cup (50 g) Castor sugar
- 1 tablespoon Lemon juice
- 2 tablespoon Cornstarch
Blueberry topping
- 7 oz (200 g) Blueberries
- ¼ cup (50 g) White Sugar
- 1 tablespoon Corn Starch
- 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
- ½ cup (120 ml) Water (divided)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven at 300°F / 150°C/ Gas Mark 2.
- Lightly spray a silicone mold pan or removable bottom muffin pan. Alternatively, use cupcake liners in a regular muffin pan Pro tip - you can use regular cupcake pans to make mini cheesecakes in liners or remove the liners once chilled.
Crust
- Crush the graham cracker in a food processor. Add sugar and the melted butter and stir to combine.Pro tip - You can also place them in a ziplock bag and use a rolling pin to crush them.
- Divide the mixture between 10 to 12 molds or muffin cups. Use a pastry tamper or the back of a ¼ measure cup to help press the crumbs firmly to the base. Let chill in the fridge while you make the fillingPro tip - make sure to press down firmly on the crumbs or the bottom will be a crumbly mess when you unmold later.
Cheeesecake filling
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, with the whisk paddle attachment, combine cream cheese and sour cream. Then, add the sugar. Followed by the cornflour and vanilla extract.Pro tip - The cream cheese must be at room temperature. Otherwise, the batter will be lumpy. And if necessary, place a warm bowl on top of the cream cheese to help thaw faster.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, making sure to incorporate each well. Divide the batter between the prepared pans over the chilled cookie crumbs.Pro tip - We want each egg to incorporate well but we do not want to incorporate too much air into the batter. Otherwise, the top will crack when baking. So, do not overmix.
- Double boiler - Place the muffin tray in a baking pan. Pour about a cup of hot water on the outside of the baking pan. Pro tip - The water will create steam in the oven and prevent the custard-based cheesecake from drying out.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the top is set but still slightly wobbly. Once baked remove and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes while you prepare the topping.
Blueberry filling
- In a saucepan, over medium heat, add the blueberries, sugar, lemon juice, and ¼ cup water. Cook on low to medium heat until all the sugar has dissolved. Use a vegetable masher to mash some of the fruit. Pro tip - Mashing will add a nice thicker consistency to the topping but make sure to leave some blueberries whole.
- Combine the remaining water with cornstarch. Add it to the blueberries. Continue to cook on low heat until the filling is thick and glossy. Pro tip - Cornstarch can settle to the bottom of the water so you must stir it just before adding it to the saucepan.
- Remove and cool a little before you pour it over the cheesecake. Pro tip - The filling will thicken as it cools so keep that in mind when you take it off the heat.
Top and chill
- After 10 mins, spoon about 2 tablespoon blueberry filling over each cheesecake. Top the pan so the filling spreads evenly.
- Chill the cheesecake for at least 4 hours - preferably overnight. Unmold from the pans and garnish with a mint leaf or fresh blueberries.Pro tip - do not try to unmold the cheesecake before chilling for at least 4 hours otherwise they will fall apart. Chilling will ensure the crust comes one in one piece too.
- Enjoy!
Recipe Notes & Tips
- Always have your ingredients at room temperature. If necessary delay it by a few minutes just so they thaw. Cold ingredients will give a lumpy or curdled cheesecake batter.
- For the crust, you can use graham crackers but you can try any of your favorite brands of cookies such as Oreos, biscoff or digestive.
- Use good quality cream cheese such as Mascarpone or Philadelphia as they are thicker in consistency as compared to low-fat cream cheese which can affect the consistency of your baked batter.
- You can thaw cream cheese in the microwave at 50% power for 10 secs at a time but do not melt it as it does alter the taste and texture.
- Place eggs in warm water to thaw – room temperature eggs mix well in the cheese batter and works best for consistency
- Never over mix, a cheesecake batter at this will incorporate air and lead to cracking on the top.
- Not all cheesecakes need to be baked in a water bath but since cheese is so delicate a water bath helps it bake gently leaving that custard-like creaminess.
- When baked let the cheesecake cool in the pan. Once cold they will release easily without breaking or crumbling. Fresh cheesecakes are delicate and can break easily.
- The filling recipes are from scratch and easy to make in less than 5 minutes. But you can certainly use store-bought ready-to-use fruit fillings.
- If you don't want to use a fruit filling you can also top each cheesecake with whipped cream and fresh fruits instead
Nutrition Information
Serving: 150- gCalories: 335- kcalCarbohydrates: 30- gProtein: 6.2- gFat: 21.5- gSaturated Fat: 12.5- gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0- gMonounsaturated Fat: 0- gTrans Fat: 82- gCholesterol: 334- mgSodium: 306- mgPotassium: 0- mgFiber: 1.2- gSugar: 18- gVitamin A: 0- IUVitamin C: 0- mgCalcium: 0- mgIron: 0- mg
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
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John
Hi Veena, I am planning on making these Christmas Eve with a 12-count silicone pan. My wife mentioned since I’ll only use 6 of my cups, I should fill the empty cups with a little bit of water...is she on to something there or is this just an older wives’ tale (literally). Any help you can offer would be appreciated and I’m looking forward to Christmas cheesecakes! Thank you!
Veena Azmanov
Hey John. your wife is right!
I don't know the exact science about his but I believe the reason we add water is to protect the dry empty silicon cups. That way they won't get ruined.
I do the same and have been doing that for as long as I can remember.
Merry Christmas to you and yours - Enjoy your Christmas cheesecakes
John
Thank you so much!
John
Do you know how much water each cup gets? Thank you, you are SAVING Christmas !!
Veena Azmanov
Oh! Just a few tablespoons John. Don't add too much. You don't want to create too much steam either.