These mini sugared cranberry cheesecakes are simply amazing! They are perfect for parties and will be a hit at your holiday party this season! They are bite sized and have the amazing flavor of a New York Cheesecake without all the work! They bake in 20 minutes and you don’t need a fancy springform pan...just a 12 cup cupcake pan. It’s best to prepare these the night before so they have the opportunity to set in the fridge. Once they have had the proper amount of time to set, you can fill them with jam and remove the liner much more easily. You could easily top these cheesecakes with fresh fruit but please take the time to make some sugared cranberries for the topping! If you love the combination of sweet and tart, you will the taste of the sugared cranberries on top! They are also easy to make the night before and can be used to garnish cocktails as well.
Crust 2/3 cup graham cracker crumbs (about 5 whole crackers) 1 ½ Tablespoons of sugar 3 tablespoons of butter, melted Pinch salt Filing
2 – 8oz packages cream cheese – completely softened at room temperature
1/2 cup of sugar 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract 2 large eggs – room temperature
1/4 cup of cup sour cream – room temperature Pinch of salt
Topping Seedless raspberry jam
Preheat oven to 325°F and place the rack in the center position. Line a muffin tin with 12 liners. Set aside.
For the crust
Combine the graham crumbs, 1 ½ tablespoons of sugar and melted butter in a bowl. Divide the mixture evenly among the muffin liners and press it down with the bottom with the back of a spoon. Set aside.
For the filling 1. Place the softened cream cheese in a large bowl and beat with a mixer on medium until creamy and smooth, about 1-2 minutes. Add sugar, salt and vanilla. Mix until thoroughly combined, with the mixer on medium low. Scrape the bow to make sure it all combined well. 3. Add the eggs, one at a time, with the mixer on low, beating well after each addition. Scrape as needed. Add the sour cream and mix until incorporated. Give the bowl one last scrape to be sure the ingredients are thoroughly combined.
4. Spoon the mixture evenly into the muffin tins over the crust. 5. Bake for about 18-20 minutes or until centers are almost set. The cheesecakes will rise during baking and are likely to crack a bit. Remove from the oven and set on a rack to cool completely.
6. Chill the cheesecakes in the muffin tin for at least 2 hours or overnight, before removing from the tin and topping.
7. The cheesecakes will sink in a bit after being chilled in the fridge. Fill in with seedless raspberry jam and top with sugared cranberries.
8. Remove chilled cheesecakes from liners and place on a serving tray. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
Sugared Cranberries
2 cups sugar, divided 1 (12-ounce) bag fresh cranberries
1. Combine 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar is completely dissolved. 2. Stir in cranberries until well coated. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to wire rack; let dry for at least 1 hour. The cranberries will be nice and sticky after drying for an hour. 3. Roll cranberries in remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar until well coated; let dry for at least 1 hour.