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+ servings
A mini strawberry cheesecake with a bite removed.
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4.84 from 6 votes

Mini Strawberry Cheesecake Cups

This mini strawberry cheesecake recipe is the perfect treat for strawberry season, made in a muffin pan with cupcake liners! Made with graham cracker crumbs, topped with creamy cheesecake filling, and loaded with strawberry topping and fresh strawberries! Great for a special occasion, these mini cheesecakes are sure to be a hit and is an easy recipe to make!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Chill time3 hours
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 12
Calories: 226kcal

Equipment

  • Food processor or blender
  • Stand mixer with paddle attachment and whisk attachment, or handheld mixer
  • Rubber spatula

Ingredients

Graham Cracker Crust

  • ¾ cup graham cracker crumbs 75g (about 10-12 sheets)
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar 38g
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter melted (29g)

Cheesecake Layer

  • 12 ounces full-fat cream cheese room temperature
  • ½ cup granulated sugar 100g
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 large egg
  • ¼ cup sour cream room temperature (57g)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract

Strawberry Sauce

  • 300 grams strawberries about 10 large strawberries
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 25g
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 4 large strawberries small dice (to go on top of the strawberry sauce)

Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 2 ounces cream cheese cold
  • ¼ cup powdered sugar 30g
  • ½ cup heavy whipping cream cold (120ml)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 325℉/163℃ and line a standard muffin tin with cupcake liners.

Graham Cracker Crust

  • Add the graham crackers to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until fine crumbs are formed.
  • Transfer the crumbs to a bowl, add the melted butter and sugar and mix until the crumbs are completely moistened.
  • Add one heaping tablespoon of crumbs to each muffin well, then press it down to compact using the bottom of a drinking glass or spoon.
  • Bake the crust for 5 minutes, then remove and cool completely.

Cheesecake Layer

  • Combine the sugar and cornstarch, then add it to the bowl of a stand mixer along with the softened cream cheese. Mix on low speed until smooth, then scrape down the sides.
  • Whisk the egg and drizzle it into the cream cheese with the mixer on low speed until combined. Scrape down the sides again.
  • Add the vanilla and sour cream and fold the mixture into the batter using a rubber spatula until combined.
  • Use a cookie scoop to evenly disperse the cheesecake among the graham cracker crusts in the muffin tin. Spread the cheesecake evenly.
  • Bake the mini cheesecakes for 15-18 minutes until the cheesecakes gets lightly puffy and still has a slight jiggle in the center.
  • Place on a wire rack to cool for one hour, then transfer to the fridge for at least 2-3 hours to finish setting.

Strawberry Sauce

  • Hull and quarter the strawberries and add it to a medium saucepan with the sugar.
  • Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the juices release and the strawberries begin to break down.
  • Transfer the mixture to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth, then put back into the saucepan.
  • Mix together the cornstarch and water, then add the the strawberry sauce and mix for 30 seconds over medium heat. Transfer to a bowl to cool completely.

Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting

  • Add the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and mix on low to combine, then switch to high speed to get it really smooth. Scrape down the sides.
  • With the mixer on low, drizzle in the heavy cream until combined, scrape the sides one more, then increase the speed to high until still peaks form.

Assembly

  • Remove the mini cheesecakes from the muffin tin. An offset spatula helps with easy removal.
  • Add one tablespoon of the strawberry sauce to the top of each chilled mini cheesecake and spread it to meet the edges.
  • Hull and finely dice the remaining strawberries, then nestle them into the strawberry sauce on each mini cheesecake.
  • Add the whipped cream frosting to a piping bag fitted with a piping tip (I used a 1M open star tip) or to a zip top bag and pipe the frosting onto the top of each mini cheesecake.
  • Garnish with a mint leaf or halved strawberry (optional), and serve!

Notes

Store the assembled mini cheesecakes in the fridge (covered or uncovered) for up to 5 days. Note that the fresh strawberries will begin to deteriorate after about 3 days. 
To freeze the mini cheesecakes, allow them to chill in the fridge, then wrap each in a piece of plastic wrap and place in a sealed container or zip top bag for three months. Unwrap and thaw in the fridge, then top with the strawberry sauce, strawberries and whipped cream cheese frosting.
Keep the mixer or hand mixer speed on the lowest setting when making the cheesecake batter. Adding too much air can cause the cheesecakes to crack and bake unevenly. 
 

Nutrition

Calories: 226kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 46mg | Sodium: 259mg | Potassium: 161mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 396IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 128mg | Iron: 0.5mg