Mini Cheesecake Tarts
A single cookie makes up the crust for each of these single-serve cheesecake tarts. You can top them with whatever you like, but they are especially perfect for the 4th of July with strawberries and blueberries, or cherry and blueberry pie filling.
Servings tarts
Equipment
Ingredients
Cheesecake Tarts
- 12 Nilla Wafer Cookies see below for more traditional cheesecake crust option
- 2 8- ounce packages cream cheese softened or at room temp
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 eggs
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla
- foil cupcake liners
Optional Toppings
- canned pie filling
- fresh berries
- whipped cream
- chocolate sauce
- caramel sauce
- lemon curd
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 °F. Fill a muffin pan with 12 foil cupcake liners and place one Nilla Wafer at the bottom of each one. (*Or see below for simple traditional cheesecake crust recipe)
- With an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth and free of lumps. Add in flour and baking powder and beat to combine. Then add in eggs, one at a time, lemon juice, and vanilla. Beat to combine.
- Divide batter between 12 muffin papers, they will be quite full and that's okay! Bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. They'll puff way up during baking, but they'll settle after being chilled.
- When you take them out of the oven, place them on a cooling rack and let them cool completely. While they cool, they will sink down in the center. Don't worry- that's normal! It makes the perfect little well to fill up with the fruit filling. It's also not abnormal for these little cheesecakes to have some cracks. No stress since you'll cover up the tops with toppings! you top them, chill in the fridge for at least 4-6 hours or preferably over night.
- Top and serve.
- *Traditional Cheesecake Crust Option
- Place 24 Nilla Wafer cookies in a blender or food processor (or simply place in a zip top bag and smash until crumbs). Place crumbs in a small bowl and mix with 1 ½ tablespoons butter, melted, and ¾ teaspoon sugar. Divide mixture evenly between muffin liners (should be about heaping tablespoon each) and gently press down.
Notes
- The filling options are endless. Aside from fresh or canned fruit filling, another favorite of ours is chocolate ganache and a raspberry, or jarred caramel with a sprinkle of flakey salt.
- These are great because you really can just eat them with your hands in a few bites, kind of like a cupcake. Try canned pie filling for a no-fuss option, or a little whipped cream or cool whip with your favorite fresh fruit.
- Mini cheesecakes are a great make-ahead dessert option. Bake up your cheesecakes a day ahead of time and store, covered in cling wrap, in the refrigerator until ready to top and serve.
- To store leftovers, simply cover with plastic wrap or pop in an airtight container and pop them back in the fridge. These are best eaten within 2-3 days… if they last that long!
- I’ve always made these by placing a single Nilla wafer at the bottom of each cheesecake like my mom did. It’s incredibly quick and easy! The texture of the cookie after baking is a bit softer than a traditional cheesecake crust. If you’d like a more traditional crust, it’s super simple, just follow the recipe as outlined above.
Nutrition
Calories: 158kcal, Carbohydrates: 15g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 0.01g, Cholesterol: 78mg, Sodium: 104mg, Potassium: 55mg, Fiber: 0.04g, Sugar: 14g, Vitamin A: 397IU, Vitamin C: 0.5mg, Calcium: 36mg, Iron: 0.4mg
Calories: 158kcal
Cost: $10
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