Made in cupcake tins, these easy mini cheesecake use whole Oreo cookies for the crust (easy!). The cookies soften during baking for creamy, delicious bite-size servings.
This is one of several creative desserts in our collection.
Mini Cheesecakes with Cookies
We love these little cheesecakes for any gatherings like parties or holidays where handy, individual servings work best.
I make them for Valentine’s Day when everyone is craving a treat but not so much that it cancels New Years’ health resolutions.
The recipe is quick and easy: whole Oreo cookies (or any other cookie of your choice) are used instead of traditional crust and baked with the cheesecake batter until soft.
Making cheesecake can be intimidating but the muffin pan makes it simple and fool-proof.
We use sour cream in the recipe for a light, airy texture. You can replace it with plain or Greek yogurt, or use the same amount of cream cheese for a denser cake.
The universal tip for cheesecake is do not overmix it. Be sure your cream cheese is fully softened (see tips below) so it combines nicely with the other ingredients without lumps.
We recommend baking at a fairly low oven temperature of 275°F (140°C) for the best outcome, making the cheesecakes creamy instead of tough.
If you live in a high altitude region you may want to use 300°F.
How to Soften Cream Cheese
Test for softness by pressing spoon into cream cheese: when it spreads easily, it’s ready.
Food Safety: Cream cheese should not be out of fridge more than 2 hours.
1 Counter top
- Faster: Cut cream cheese into chunks. Takes 20-30 minutes to soften.
- Slower: A whole block of cream cheese may take 1-2 hours to soften.
For food safety, never keep it out of the fridge longer than 2 hours.
2 Microwave
- Heat for 10 seconds, check, heat again in 5-second intervals until soft.
3 Hot Water Bath
- Place cream cheese packet in sealed food bag or bowl and sit in bowl of hot water until softened. Check frequently.
~Melissa the Empress of Dirt ♛
Easy Mini Oreo Cheesecakes
Ingredients
- 24 cookies Oreo cookies 12 whole, 12 crushed
- 16 ounces Cream cheese Philadelphia (two 8 ounce/250 gram), full fat, softened
- ½ cup White sugar granulated
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 2 large Eggs beaten
- ½ cup Sour cream full fat
Instructions
- Heat oven to 275°F (140°C).
- Line muffin tin with paper liners and place a cookie in each one. Set aside crushed cookies.24 cookies Oreo cookies
- In electric mixer, beat cream cheese on high.16 ounces Cream cheese
- Scrape down sides and add sugar and vanilla.½ cup White sugar, 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- Gradually add beaten eggs and sour cream at low speed until combined.2 large Eggs
- Spoon equal amounts of batter over Oreo cookies in muffin tin.
- Top each cheesecake with crushed cookies.24 cookies Oreo cookies
- Bake for 22 minutes total, turning muffin tin after 11 minutes for even baking.
- Allow cheesecakes to cool thoroughly, then refrigerate for 4 hours before serving.
- Store leftovers in airtight container in fridge up to 5 days.
- Freeze covered in aluminum foil within freezer bags up to 3 months. To serve: thaw in fridge for approximately 8 hours.
Notes
- We’ve found the texture is best when the cheesecakes are fully cooled after baking and then chilled in fridge for several hours. You may also like them without the refrigeration step.
- Oreos are just one option. Any favorite cookie will do!
- Use yogurt or Greek yogurt instead of sour cream.
- Or, replace sour cream with additional cream cheese (same volume).
