Description
These festive mini cheesecakes are creamy, colorful, and perfect for the 4th of July or summer gatherings. With a simple crust, smooth filling, and fresh berry topping, they’re a make-ahead dessert that looks great and tastes even better.
Ingredients
- Crust:
- 1 cup crushed vanilla wafers or graham cracker crumbs
- 2 tablespoons white sugar
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
- Filling:
- 2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, room temperature
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Zest of 1 lime (optional)
- Topping:
- 1 (21 oz) can cherry pie filling (optional)
- Fresh strawberries, sliced
- Fresh blueberries
- 1/2 cup cold heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon sour cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C). Line two 12-cup mini muffin tins with paper liners or grease well.
- In a bowl, mix crumbs, sugar, butter, and optional vanilla. Spoon 1 teaspoon into each cup and press down.
- Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar, then eggs one at a time. Mix in vanilla and lime zest if using.
- Fill muffin cups with cheesecake batter nearly to the top. Tap pan gently to remove air bubbles.
- Bake 15–18 minutes until set. Cool at room temp, then chill at least 30 minutes.
- Top with cherry pie filling, or whipped cream and fresh berries for a red, white & blue finish.
Notes
- Can be made a day in advance and refrigerated.
- Freeze plain cheesecakes for up to 1 month. Thaw and top before serving.
- Use piping bags for neat whipped cream application.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 mini cheesecake
- Calories: 135
- Sugar: 9g
- Sodium: 90mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 11g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 40mg
Keywords: patriotic mini cheesecakes, red white and blue mini cheesecakes, 4th of July desserts homemade, cheesecake dessert recipe, red white and blue cheesecake dessert