Mini Christmas Cheesecakes with Cranberries
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (for crust)
- 16 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (for filling)
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar (for topping)
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C) and line a standard muffin tin with paper liners. In a small bowl, mix together the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and one tablespoon of sugar until the mixture resembles wet sand. Press about one tablespoon of the mixture into the bottom of each liner and bake for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and 1/2 cup of sugar until smooth and creamy. Add the sour cream and vanilla extract, mixing until fully incorporated. Add the eggs one at a time, beating on low speed just until combined. Be careful not to overmix at this stage to avoid adding too much air to the batter.
- Divide the cheesecake batter evenly among the 12 muffin liners, filling each about three-quarters of the way full. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the edges are set but the centers still have a slight jiggle. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool in the tin for 30 minutes before transferring them to the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours.
- While the cheesecakes are chilling, combine the cranberries, orange juice, and 1/4 cup of sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until the cranberries burst and the sauce thickens. Stir in the orange zest and remove from heat. Let the sauce cool completely before using.
- Once the cheesecakes are fully chilled and firm, spoon a generous tablespoon of the cooled cranberry sauce onto the top of each mini cheesecake. Carefully remove them from the paper liners if desired, or serve them right in the liners for easy cleanup.