It’s an understatement when I say that I’ve really been looking forward to these mini caramel cheesecakes. I usually get excited about a recipe I make the day before when I prep, but this one. This one got me really excited.
I love cheesecake! Like, a lot. Although making them gives me a tinge of stress. Probably because I build up my expectations so high. But I always say tasting the final product is worth all those baking jitters.
I’ve been on a caramel kick as the season changes so I thought it would go perfectly with these cheesecakes. I also knew it was going to be a struggle to stop myself from eating one slice after another so my lack of self-discipline in the sweets arena necessitated cheesecake minis. Or cheesecake cupcakes, if that sounds better. For some reason it’s more effective for me to control the size of my portions than it is to limit myself from over indulging when I really enjoy something.
It took me three days the eat them all. That’s progress. Seriously, how do people have the will power to just eat on piece of cheesecake? I’m pretty sure it’s an impossibility for me.
MINI CARAMEL CHEESECAKES
Ingredients
- 2 oz. packages of Philadelphia cream cheese, softened
- 7 sheets of graham crackers, crushed
- 3/4 cup of sugar + 1.5 teaspoons of sugar, divided
- 3.5 tablespoons of butter, melted
- 1/4 cup of sour cream
- 1 tablespoon of flour
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon of lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- Caramel sauce, to taste
Directions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- In a medium mixing bowl, mix the crushed graham crackers with 1.5 teaspoons of sugar and a pinch of salt. Pour the butter over top and mix until all ingredients are incorporated.
- Line a muffin tin and press a heaping tablespoon of graham cracker crust into the bottom of each.
- Bake for 5 minutes to allow them to set.
- In a separate mixing bowl, whisk 3/4 cups of sugar, the cream cheese and lemon zest using an electric mixer. Mix until smooth and creamy then incorporate each egg one at a time.
- Add the vanilla and sour cream and mix until combined.
- Use a spoonful of cream cheese mixture to fill each cupcake liner then carefully shimmy the muffin tin to settle the filling into the crust.
- Drop a couple dollops of caramel sauce and use a toothpick for a marbled effect.
- Bake for 25 minutes then remove the tray from the oven and all the cheesecake minis to cool completely.
- Chill in the refrigerator while the cheesecakes set. A few hours will do, but overnight is best.
- Enjoy!