These mini cheesecakes are creamy, delicious, and contain less sugar than similar recipes. They are easy to make and gluten-free which makes them the perfect dessert for your next gathering.

Mini cheesecakes were a family favorite when I was growing up. My mom made them for holidays, family parties, and baby showers. She passed her recipe along before she died and my brother, aunt, and I still make them! 

The original recipe used vanilla wafers for the crust and canned pie filling for the topping.

I’ve done a little experimenting over the years and have swapped those ingredients for ones that contain less sugar and other unnecessary, highly processed ingredients. 

They are just as delicious as my mom’s and I’m pretty sure she might even like them better. 😉

Tammy’s Tips for Making Mini Cheesecakes

Graham Cracker Crust – I used Simple Mills Sweet Thins to make a graham cracker crust that is baked for 5 minutes instead of using vanilla wafers.

I have a gluten sensitivity, so I love using Simple Mills because they are gluten-free and they contain simple ingredients. 

If you are short on time, you could skip the graham cracker crust step. 

Instead, place two Simple Mills graham crackers in the bottom of each liner, then top with cheesecake batter.

You don’t need to bake the crackers ahead of time. Your cheesecakes will still be delish, but the crust will be softer. 

Sugar – When I lived in Germany, my German friends told me that when they follow an American recipe, they always cut the sugar. At the time, I didn’t pay much attention to that.

Now, when I follow a recipe that calls for sugar, I almost always decrease the sugar. No one ever notices! I didn’t add any sugar to the graham cracker crust and decreased the amount my mom’s recipe called for in the cheesecake batter.

Cream Cheese – Be sure to use full-fat cream cheese for this recipe. Reduced fat does not work well.

Toppings – These mini cheesecakes are yummy on their own, but are even more delicious with a topping.

The original recipe called for a can of cherry pie filling. Most canned cherry pie filling has artificial colors and flavoring, modified food starch, and a boatload of added sugar. All things we try to minimize around here.

My granddaughter is very sensitive to artificial colors. Her sleep and behavior are affected for several days if she has the smallest amount of food containing artificial colors.

Instead of the pie filling, my family loves topping them with my homemade 3-Ingredient Strawberry Chia Jam.

Any flavor of homemade chia jam works. We’ve also tried chocolate ganache. Everything we have tried has tasted amazing. The possibilities are endless and it’s fun to experiment!

Storage – Store in refrigerator for up to 4 days. They also freeze well. Just be sure to freeze without topping.

 

It brings me so much joy to see my mom’s recipes being passed down to my kids and my grandchildren. I love that I can tweak a few things when necessary, but not change the overall outcome of the recipe. 

I hope you enjoy these mini cheesecakes as much as my family does. If you try this recipe, please let me know.

You can leave a comment and/or a rating below, and be sure to tag me on Instagram. I love hearing from you and seeing your creations! 

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