Delicious Mini Cheesecake Cups are easy to make and perfect for any occasion! They feature a graham cracker crust that is topped with a sweet, creamy cheesecake filling. Great topped with fresh berries, pie filling, melted chocolate, chopped nuts or enjoy plain!
Mini cheesecake cups have it all! Not only are they incredibly tasty - the combination of a luscious filling with a crunchy graham cracker bottom is out of this world amazing. They're also easy to make and look so pretty! The perfect treat for Valentine’s Day, Mother's Day or 4th of July parties. These are naturally vegan and can easily be made gluten free.
Ingredients needed
Just a handful of simple ingredients is all that's needed to make this mini cheesecakes recipe. Here's a note about each one:
- Vegan butter or coconut oil: To bind the crust together.
- Graham cracker crumbs: If you'd like to keep this recipe vegan and gluten free, be sure to read the label of your graham crackers.
- Sugar: Use a pure cane 1-to-1 sugar substitute or regular cane sugar to perfectly sweeten the crust and filling.
- Vegan cream cheese: The main ingredient for that wonderful creamy filling.
- Nondairy whipped cream: We like coconut whipped cream to keep this recipe dairy free, however any whipped cream will work.
- Cornstarch: Helps to thicken the filling.
- Lemon juice: Adds a subtle tartness to balance out the sweetness.
- Vanilla extract: For extra flavor.
How to make this recipe
Prep: Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line about 10 muffin wells with paper liners. Spray the muffin liners with nonstick spray to keep the cheesecake from sticking. Alternatively, you can use lined or unlined silicone muffin wells, lightly sprayed with nonstick spray.
Crush graham crackers: Make sure to crush the graham crackers into very fine crumbs. You can do this by placing them in a baggie and using a rolling pin to roll and crush them or by grinding them in a food processor.
Make the crust: Prepare the vegan graham cracker pie crust by mixing the melted vegan butter, crushed graham crackers, and pure cane sugar together.
Transfer crust: Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the graham cracker pie crust into each muffin well and press down with the spoon to pack into the bottom.
Make the filling: In a separate bowl, mix the vegan cream cheese, coconut whipped cream, pure cane powdered sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and vanilla.
Add filling to pan: Use a spoon to scoop a heaping tablespoon of the vegan cheesecake filling into each graham cracker filled muffin well. Bake for 15-20 minutes and then remove from the oven. Allow them to cool and then refrigerate for at least 2 hours or preferably overnight.
Expert tips
- For 1 cup graham cracker crumbs, you'll need about 9 to 10 full sheets of graham crackers.
- Freshly squeezed lemon juice will yield the best flavor.
- Pop the mini cheesecakes in the fridge for about 15 minutes before serving to make it easier to peel off the muffin liners.
- We love these served chilled, making them a great make ahead dessert. Make them up to a day in advance. Cover and refrigerate before adding topping. If you'd just like to get a head start on the crust, that can be made up to 2 days ahead of time. Cover and refrigerate before adding the filling.
Frequently asked questions
When done, the tops will look set. It's fine if the center is still a bit jiggly. They will continue to set up as they cool and will set even more after being refrigerated.
The pan that works best for making mini vegan cheesecakes is a regular-sized muffin pan. Do not use a jumbo or mini muffin pan.
Yes, to make these without the paper liners, lightly spray silicone muffin wells. It won't work as well, but you could also grease a regular muffin tin with nonstick spray. After chilling the baked cheesecakes for 15 minutes or longer, run a knife around the edge of the cheesecake and pop them out of the pan.
Yes, these can be frozen. After they have cooled completely, place them in a freezer bag or airtight container and freeze them for up to 2 months. Defrost in the refrigerator before serving.
More topping options
We love these simply topped with freshly chopped strawberries and blueberries or enjoyed plain, but there are so many topping options to satisfy any craving. Here's some ideas:
- A drizzle of melted dairy free chocolate
- Nondairy whipped cream with slices of banana
- Chopped nuts
- A dollop of cherry pie filling
- Strawberry or blueberry sauce
Storage recommendations
Store leftover mini vegan cheesecake cups, covered, in the refrigerator for up to about 3 days.
More vegan dessert recipes
Mini Cheesecake Cups
Ingredients
Vegan Graham Cracker Pie Crust
- 4 tablespoon melted vegan butter or coconut oil
- 1 cup crushed vegan & gluten free graham cracker crumbs
- ¼ cup purecane 1-1 sugar substitute or regular cane sugar
Vegan Cheesecake Filling
- 8 oz vegan cream cheese
- 4 oz non-dairy whipped cream
- ½ cup purecane powdered sugar or regular powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350. Line about 10 muffin wells with paper liners. Spray the muffin liners with nonstick spray to keep the cheesecake from sticking. Alternatively, you can use lined or unlined silicone muffin wells, lightly sprayed with nonstick spray.
- Prepare the vegan graham cracker pie crust by mixing the melted vegan butter, crushed graham crackers, and purecane sugar together. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the graham cracker pie crust into each muffin well and press down with the spoon to pack into the bottom.
- In a separate bowl, mix the vegan cream cheese, coconut whipped cream, purecane powdered sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and vanilla.
- Use a spoon to scoop a heaping tablespoon of the vegan cheesecake filling into each graham cracker filled muffin well. Bake for 15-20 minutes and then remove from the oven. Allow them to cool and then refrigerate for at least 2 hours or preferably overnight.
- For easier peeling of the muffin liners, pop the mini cheesecakes in the fridge for 15 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
The recipes on Peanut Butter and Jilly can easily be adapted to fit a vegan lifestyle, a gluten-free lifestyle, or both depending on the ingredients you use. Please review the ingredients lists carefully and refer to our recommendations in the Notes of the recipe card to make this recipe compatible with your needs. Nutrition information provided is an estimate, and will vary based on specific brands of ingredients used and cooking methods.
MW says
What brand cream cheese you use
Jillian says
I love miyokos!
Cindy says
What do you use for coconut whipped cream? Just a can of coconut milk whipped? Could I use TruWhip?
Jillian says
I used TruWhip 🙂
MW says
Looks great! What brand cream cheese did you use?