These Mini Strawberry Cheesecake Cups are the perfect after dinner dessert for summer. A biscuit layer followed by a vanilla cream cheese filling and topped with lightly sweetened strawberry whipped cream. And as an extra bonus, they are only 200 calories per cheesecake cup.
Hello friends! It’s been a slow week on the blog and I have recipes waiting to write and I’m trying to get as much done as I can right now. I somehow injured my right hand (no idea how) and I’ve been unable to type this week….eeek. Not great for a blogger, right? Today, it’s feeling somewhat better so I’m bringing you these Mini Strawberry Cheesecake Cups. A perfect summer dessert.
I’m a huge fan of mini desserts like these cheesecakes, Single Serve Pumpkin Pies, my Mini Black Forest Cheesecakes, Fruits of the Forest Mini Bundt Cakes and so much more. If you love mini desserts be sure to check out the post for Ten Decadent Individual Desserts.
Ingredients
For the cheesecake filling
- 10 oz cream cheese
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup granulated white sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the base:
- 1 cup digestive biscuits graham crackers or digestive biscuits
- 4-5 tablespoon butter melted
For the topping:
- 1 cup whipped cream
- 1 cup strawberries
- 12 extra strawberries for decorating
- 2 tablespoons granulated white sugar
REMEMBER, The full recipe and ingredients can be found at the end of the post in the recipe card.
Instructions
There are several parts to this recipe, so I’ve broken it all down into smaller steps. Yes, it’s a more involved recipe with many steps, but not difficult at all. just make sure to read through all the steps carefully and take a look at the step-by-step-photos to help you out if needed.
- Preheat oven – Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 12 muffin tins with paper liners and set aside.
Prepare the biscuit layer:
- Combine biscuit crumbs and butter – In a medium sized bowl combine the biscuit crumbs with the melted butter. Mix well to combine. Equally divide the biscuit crumbs between the 12 muffin tins. Press firmly into each tin.
Make the cheesecake filling:
- Prepare the cheesecake filling – In the bowl of your electric mixer, mix the cream cheese on high speed until smooth. Add the sugar, vanilla and egg. Continue to mix until smooth. Evenly pour into the muffin tins. Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until they are set in the middle. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack.
- Cool cheesecakes – Remove from the tins and transfer to the fridge to set completely. Remove after about an hour and remove the paper liners.
Whip the strawberry whipped cream:
- Chill cream – Pour the heavy whipping cream into a medium sized bowl, cover and refrigerate for one hour.
- Make the strawberry filling – Place the strawberries in a food processor and pulse for about 20 seconds until you have chopped up strawberries. Alternatively, place the strawberries on a chopping board and finely chop them up using a large knife. Place the chopped strawberries in a fine strainer placed over a bowl. Sprinkle over the sugar and stir well. Allow the strawberries to drain for about 10 minutes. Discard the strawberry juice. (or use it as a syrup for anything you like, it’s delicious!)
- Whip the cream – Remove the heavy whipping cream from the fridge and whip on high speed with an electric mixer until it’s thick and you get stiff peaks. This will take 2-3 minutes. Be careful not to over mix or the cream will curdle (*see notes at bottom)
- Combine cream and strawberries – Fold the strawberries into the whipped cream. Gently fold in the strawberries to combine. Don’t over mix or you will deflate the whipped cream.
- Finish the cheesecakes – Place the strawberry whipped cream into a piping bag with a 1/2 inch fitted nozzle (your choice of design). Pipe strawberry whipped cream on top of each mini cheesecake. Top with a small fresh strawberry.
- Serve or store – Place the mini cheesecakes in an airtight container and store in the fridge up to three days. Serve cold.
Baking & Preparation Tips
- For the biscuit layer – I placed a heaping tablespoon of the biscuit mixture into each cup. Make sure to firmly press the crumbs into the paper liners. If they are not pressed firmly into the cups they will fall apart after baked.
- Cream cheese filling – this is very easy to make and requires very little skill. Just make sure to incorporate the ingredients correctly and mix until really smooth.
- Whipping cream (IMPORTANT) – When whipping cream, it’s very important to start with everything cold. This means the cream, the bowl and the beaters. I like to place everything in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before whipping the cream. If you have a very hot kitchen, I’d recommend keeping it in the fridge up to an hour before whipping. When whipping the cream, keep a close eye on it. If you whip it too long, it will deflate and curdle. You will know the cream is done when it becomes stiff.
- Preparing the strawberries – I sued a large knife to cut my strawberries really small. You could do this in a food processor. You are not looking for a liquid (just a finely chopped strawberry). When the strawberries are chopped, put them through a fine strainer to get as much liquid out as you can. Excess liquid will cause the whipped cream to deflate.
- Putting together the strawberry whipped cream – Gently fold the strawberries into the whipped cream. Fold only until combined. Don’t over mix.
- Time saving tips – Place the cream in the fridge to chill while you are making the cheesecakes. Once the cheesecakes are baked and need to set in the fridge, you will be able to whip the cream and make the strawberry topping.
Substitutions
- Cookie base – you can really use any kind of cookies you like for the base. I used digestive biscuits because I really like their flavour and texture. I’m aware they are not available to everyone, so use Graham wafers or vanilla wafers. They all work.
- Fresh strawberries – Don’t use frozen strawberries for this recipe because they contain too much liquid. However, you could substitute fresh raspberries or even mango if you like.
- Strawberry garnish – I had small strawberries, so they were perfect for topping this dessert. If your strawberries are big, just slice them up for the garnish. Additionally, you could leave it off all together.
How To Serve These Cheesecakes
These make a fantastic after dinner dessert. I often make small desserts for after dinner because they are the perfect size after a big meal. Alternatively, you could eat two..lol. And they are so beautiful, they would make a great addition to a celebration like a bridal shower, a baby shower, a birthday, graduation or any special day you can think of . I mean just look at these pretty little cheesecake cupcakes!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can cheesecake be frozen?
Yes, you can freeze a baked cheesecake. For this recipe, I recommend only freezing the cheesecake part. Wrap the individual cheesecakes in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer proof container and freeze up to one month. Defrost in the fridge. Top when defrosted.
What’s the difference between a baked cheesecake and cheesecake?
The main difference is that a cheesecake contains no eggs. Most of the remaining ingredients will remain the same. A cheesecake (no bake), will be refrigerated to set as opposed to baked in the oven.
Are baked cheesecakes served warm or cold?
Cheesecake, of any kind, are better served cold. The consistency is better and I believe they taste better cold.
Mini Strawberry Cheesecake Cups
These Mini Strawberry Cheesecake Cups are the perfect after dinner dessert for summer. biscuit layer followed by a vanilla cream cheese filling and topped with lightly sweetened strawberry whipped cream. And as an extra bonus, they are only 200 calories per cheesecake cup.
Servings: 12 mini cheesecakes
Calories: 199kcal
Ingredients
For the cheesecake filling:
- 10 oz cream cheese
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup granulated white sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the base:
- 1 cup digestive biscuits graham crackers or digestive biscuits
- 4-5 tablespoon butter melted
For the topping:
- 1 cup whipped cream
- 1 cup strawberries
- 12 extra strawberries for decorating
- 2 tablespoons granulated white sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 12 muffin tins with paper liners and set aside.
Make the biscuit layer:
- In a medium sized bowl combine the biscuit crumbs with the melted butter. Mix well to combine. Equally divide the biscuit crumbs between the 12 muffin tins. Press firmly into each tin.
Make the cheesecake filling:
- In the bowl of your electric mixer, mix the cream cheese on high speed until smooth. Add the sugar, vanilla and egg. Continue to mix until smooth. Evenly pour into the muffin tins. Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until they are set in the middle. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack. Remove from the tins and transfer to the fridge to set completely.
- Remove after about an hour and remove the paper liners.
Make the strawberry whipped cream:
- Pour the heavy whipping cream into a medium sized bowl, cover and refrigerate for one hour.
- Place the strawberries in a food processor and pulse for about 20 seconds until you have chopped up strawberries. Alternatively, place the strawberries on a chopping board and finely chop them up using a large knife. Place the chopped strawberries in a fine strainer placed over a bowl. Sprinkle over the sugar and stir well. Allow the strawberries to drain for about 10 minutes. Discard the strawberry juice. (or use it as a syrup for anything you like, it's delicious!)
- Remove the heavy whipping cream from the fridge and whip on high speed with an electric mixer until it's thick and you get stiff peaks. This will take 2-3 minutes. Be careful not to over mix or the cream will curdle (*see notes at bottom)
- Fold the strawberries into the whipped cream. Gently fold in the strawberries to combine. Don't over mix or you will deflate the whipped cream.
- Place the strawberry whipped cream into a piping bag with a 1/2 inch fitted nozzle (your choice of design). Pipe strawberry whipped cream on top of each mini cheesecake. Top with a small fresh strawberry.
- Place the mini cheesecakes in an airtight container and store in the fridge up to three days. Serve cold.
*A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.
Notes
- For the biscuit layer – I placed a heaping tablespoon of the biscuit mixture into each cup. Make sure to firmly press the crumbs into the paper liners. If they are not pressed firmly into the cups they will fall apart after baked.
- Cream cheese filling – this is very easy to make and requires very little skill. Just make sure to incorporate the ingredients correctly and mix until really smooth.
- Whipping cream (IMPORTANT) – When whipping cream, it’s very important to start with everything cold. This means the cream, the bowl and the beaters. I like to place everything in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before whipping the cream. If you have a very hot kitchen, I’d recommend keeping it in the fridge up to an hour before whipping. When whipping the cream, keep a close eye on it. If you whip it too long, it will deflate and curdle. You will know the cream is done when it becomes stiff.
- Preparing the strawberries – I sued a large knife to cut my strawberries really small. You could do this in a food processor. You are not looking for a liquid (just a finely chopped strawberry). When the strawberries are chopped, put them through a fine strainer to get as much liquid out as you can. Excess liquid will cause the whipped cream to deflate.
- Putting together the strawberry whipped cream – Gently fold the strawberries into the whipped cream. Fold only until combined. Don’t over mix.
- Time saving tips – Place the cream in the fridge to chill while you are making the cheesecakes. Once the cheesecakes are baked and need to set in the fridge, you will be able to whip the cream and make the strawberry topping.
Nutrition Facts
Mini Strawberry Cheesecake Cups
Amount Per Serving (1 mini cheesecakes)
Calories 199
Calories from Fat 126
% Daily Value*
Fat 14g22%
Saturated Fat 8g50%
Trans Fat 1g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 4g
Cholesterol 53mg18%
Sodium 147mg6%
Potassium 76mg2%
Carbohydrates 16g5%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 11g12%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 492IU10%
Vitamin C 7mg8%
Calcium 39mg4%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Thanks For Stopping by & Hope To See You Soon!
