Looking for an easy 4th of July dessert? These fun red, white and blue mini cheesecakes are simple, creamy and perfect for a small crowd.
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I love cheesecake and it is one of my favourite desserts to bake and eat! But a whole cheesecake serves A LOT of people! I have a few whole cheesecake recipes:
- LEMON MERINGUE CHEESECAKE
- BLOOD ORANGE CHEESECAKE
- STRAWBERRY RHUBARB CHEESECAKE
- PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE WITH CAJETA SAUCE
These red, white and blue mini cheesecakes are portable, self serving and yields 12 mini cheesecakes. Mini cheesecakes are also WAY easier to make than a whole cheesecake - they are made in a muffin tin!
Ingredients
- Graham cracker crumbs
- Salted butter
- Cream Cheese - this recipe uses two 8 ounce blocks of cream cheese.
- Granulated Sugar
- All purpose flour - a little bit of flour helps against cracks in the cheesecake.
- Sour cream - this helps the cheesecake be very creamy.
- Vanilla extract
- Eggs - this recipe uses 2 eggs
- Red and blue gel food colouring - I like to use Americolor or Wilton gels.
- Heavy cream
- Powdered sugar
- Sprinkles
How to make cheesecake in a muffin tin
Line your muffin cups with cupcake wrappers and spray them with cooking spray. This will make sure the wrappers don't stick to the cheesecakes. Divide the crust mixture between the cupcake liners and bake the crusts.
Make the filling and divide the batter evenly into 3 bowls. Leave one white, colour one red and the other blue. Layer the colour batters onto the cooled crusts starting with a tablespoon of blue batter in each cup, then a tablespoon of white, then a tablespoon of red.
Bake the cheesecakes for 20 minutes and then turn off the oven and leave them in the oven with the door closed for another 10 minutes. Take them out of the oven and let them cool at room temperature on a wire rack and then refrigerate them. When the cheesecakes are cool, remove them from the pan and decorate with the whipped topping and sprinkles.
Tips for making perfect mini cheesecakes
- Bake the cheesecakes slow - Bake them at 300°F for 18-20 minutes until the cheesecakes are set around the outside and slightly giggly in the centers.
- Do not open the oven - It's tempting to open the oven, but don't! Drafts and temperate changes can cause your cheesecake to fall or crack. Only open the oven door after 18 minutes to see if they are giggly in the centers.
- Cool slowly - Turn the oven off and leave the cheesecakes in the oven with the door closed for another 10 minutes. This helps bring the temperature down slowly. Then let the cheesecakes cool to room temperature on a wire rack in their muffin tin.
- Refrigerate - Once the cheesecakes have cooled to room temperature, refrigerate them in their muffin tin. Remove them from their tins once they are cooled, and decorate them. Store them in the refrigerator until they are ready to serve.
Here are a few other summer desserts
- PEACH CREAM PIE WITH ALMONDS
- RHUBARB STREUSEL MUFFINS
- STRAWBERRY CREPE CAKE
- LEMON LOVERS TRIFLE
- BLACK FOREST TRIFLE
📋 Recipe
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Red, White and Blue Mini Cheesecakes
Equipment
- one 12 cup muffin tin
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
- 2 tablespoons salted butter melted
Fillling
- 16 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- ½ cup sour cream room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 2 drops red gel food colouring
- 2 drops blue gel food colouring
Whipped Cream
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream cold
- 6 tablespoons powdered sugar
- Sprinkles or flags for decoration
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F and add cupcake liners to a 12-cup muffin tin. Spray the cupcake liners with non stick baking spray and set aside.
- Combine the graham cracker crumbs and melted butter. Divide the mixture between the 12 cupcake liners and press into the bottoms. Bake the crusts for 5 minutes. Remove them from the oven and allow to cool in the cupcake pan while you make the filling.
- Reduce the oven to 300°F. In a large bowl, mix the cream cheese, sugar and flour together. Add the sour cream and vanilla extract and beat to combine. Scrap down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the eggs one at a time and mix thoroughly after each addition.
- Divide the batter equally between 3 bowls. Leave one white and colour one red and another one blue.
- Layer the batters into the crusts starting with about a tablespoon of the blue batter. Make sure to use all the blue batter and divide it equally into each cupcake liner. Then add about a tablespoon of white batter on top of the blue batter, then about a tablespoon of red.
- Bake the cheesecakes for about 15 minutes, then turn off the oven and leave them in the oven with the door closed for another 10 minutes.
- Remove the cheesecakes from the oven and let them continue to cool on a wire rack in their tin; about 20 minutes. Move them to the fridge to finish cooling and then remove them from their muffin tin.
- To make the whipped cream, add the heavy cream and powdered sugar to a large mixing bowl. Whip on high speed until stiff peaks form. Pipe the whipping cream onto the tops of the cheesecakes. Top with sprinkles and a flag.
- Refrigerate the cheesecakes in an airtight container. Cheesecakes are best for about 3 days.
Notes
- Bake the cheesecakes slow - Bake them at 300°F for 18-20 minutes until the cheesecakes are set around the outside and slightly giggly in the centers.
- Do not open the oven - It's tempting to open the oven, but don't! Drafts and temperate changes can cause your cheesecake to fall or crack. Only open the oven door after 18 minutes to see if they are giggly in the centers.
- Cool slowly - Turn the oven off and leave the cheesecakes in the oven with the door closed for another 10 minutes. This helps bring the temperature down slowly. Then let the cheesecakes cool to room temperature on a wire rack in their muffin tin.
- Refrigerate - Once the cheesecakes have cooled to room temperature, refrigerate them in their muffin tin. Remove them from their tins once they are cooled, and decorate them. Store them in the refrigerator until they are ready to serve.
Did you try this recipe? Comment below to let me know ☺️