I am so excited about this recipe. I mean how can you not be when we are talking about dessert?!! If only I would have thought about this sooner. The last few months of 2013 were like a hosting extravaganza at our house for some reason. It seemed like every weekend we were cooking dinner for friends, and the idea of a dessert like this that could be made in advance, tastes delicious, and is also automatically the perfect serving size would have been a big hit.
Oh well, next time! For now we’ll just have to enjoy these ourselves, and let me tell you what - that’s gonna be no problem at all. :)
(Note: For my thoughts on refined sugar…check out my chocolate chip cookie recipe.)
Check out these Blueberry Cheesecake Bars too!
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Individual Cheesecakes (with sugar)!
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup whole-wheat graham crackers (about 4 large crackers, crushed into crumbs (Mi-del is a brand that is 100% whole-wheat or Annie’s makes a partially whole-wheat option))
- 3 tablespoons butter (melted)
- 8 oz cream cheese (softened)
- ¼ cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Recommended Toppings
- strawberries
- whipped cream (homemade (see notes for recipe link))
- chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin tray with paper liners and set aside.
- Mix together the graham cracker crumbs and butter thoroughly. Evenly distribute crumbs into the liners (about one heaping tablespoon each) and press down firmly. This is a great job for little fingers:) Bake until the crust is lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare the filling by using an electric mixer/whisk to mix together the cream cheese, sugar, eggs, heavy cream and vanilla. Beat on medium speed for several minutes until well combined.
- Turn the oven down to 300 degrees F and spoon the cream mixture evenly into prepared muffin cups. Bake until set, about 18 to 20 minutes.
- Cool on wire racks and chill in a single layer in the fridge. Just before serving fill the top of the muffin cups with whipped cream and other toppings. For the best results, I would not recommend adding the whipped cream in advance.
Joie Mays says
I am very new to cheesecake, so I followed the directions exactly as written. It turned out more like a cottage cheese cake. The second time I whipped the cream cheese, then added the rest of the ingredients in one at a time (in the same order I would a cake). It turned out amazing. I just thought I would mention my experience in case someone else is not too familiar with cheesecake.
Gwyn Kubiak says
If I combine all of this, will it make the equivalent of 1 standard size cheesecake? Excited to try this recipe!
Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says
Hi there. We've not tried this as an individual cheesecake but I do imagine it would be close. :) Let us know if you try.
Sherri says
I just made these cupcakes with coconut palm sugar and they are excellent.
Emily says
Can you freeze these without the topping? It would be so handy to make a whole bunch!
Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says
Sure.
Linda says
Ok I finally made these and for some reason I just can not bare to use sugar unless I have to! Don't get me wrong I love my sweets but when cooking it is hard for me. SO I USED HONEY for these and they came out DELIOUS!!! so decadent. I have yet to put fruit or cream on the top yet because I am in love with them just the way the are! thanks for a great wholesome recipe
Klara says
Hi Linda, how did you substituted sugar for honey? We love to try these but without the sugar:) thank you Klara
linda says
I used 1/4 a bit more of honey. I did cook it 5-7 minutes longer
but lower temp 300 so they don't burn. You really can't make it wrong...they were delicious.
Klara says
Thank you, I appreciate it!:)
Megan says
I wrote down this recipe today to make and wanted to add a suggestion. The cupcake liners shown in the picture most likely are those that contain chemicals such as bleaching agents, dyes, and quilon (a heavy metal). When these chemicals are heated they release harmful trace elements into your cheesecake (or other baked goods).
For this reason, I recommend using unbleached non toxic cupcake liners, such as the If You Care brand found at Earthfare.
Lindsay says
I also made these for Valentine's Day and there were a HUGE hit! We had leftovers tonight and I'm totally hooked. We'd been snowed in for a few days and I realized I didn't have heavy cream. So, I followed an internet suggestion and created a substitute of melted butter, non-fat milk and flour. I was a little nervous going in but it was a big win!! Thank you!!
Sarah F says
I made these for Valentine's Day, and they were a big hit! A nice taste of indulgence without overindulging. I didn't have heavy whipping cream on hand, so I used Stonyfield plain yogurt like a previous commenter recommended. They turned out great!
Maggie says
I made these to bring in for Valentine's Day at work. At least three people have told me they were delicious. Since I'm in Florida, I was able to get some fresh, in-season strawberries, and I topped each one with a couple of slices.
Tiffany W. says
I made these last week and they were perfect. I've actually never made cheesecake before so this seemed like a good way to try it. They have a wonderful consistency once chilled. They are rich so one (with some topping) is just perfect. I would recommend using unsalted butter when using the whole wheat graham crackers since they're not as sweet as the "normal" ones. Thank you so much for posting this recipe.
Joleen says
Made these yesterday and we had them as our Super Bowl dessert! They were terrific! Served them with fresh blueberries.
Stacey says
I made these tonight and they are fantastic! Not overly sweet but just sweet enough. Thanks for a delicious and easy recipe!
Nicole says
Anyone try theses in mini muffin tins?
tiffany says
Per your more recent post about Stonyfield, would this work with substituting yogurt for the heavy cream?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hello Tiffany. Yes, I think that will work. Please share your results. :) ~Amy
Sarah says
Great recipe, yum!
I think that including a link to your thoughts about sugar was a good idea, so I am surprised to STILL see people commenting about the sugar here. Wish people would relax a bit. Love your ideas!
Angela says
The cream cheese needs to be at room temp, or cheesecake will end up lumpy....found that out the hard way:(
Stacy says
This should get added to the recipe. I don't make cheesecake normally so I didn't know this... wish I would have read this comment before making them!
Lauren C says
I made these last night for the family. My husband LOVED them, and he isn't much of a foodie, so that is a huge compliment. I will definitely make this recipe again. Thanks!
Karen says
Lisa, thank you so much for everything you do--your site has inspired me to make the switch to real foods for my family and your recipes and advice have made this process SO much easier! I make the graham crackers recipe from weelicious.com with my 4 year od and its lots of fun and delicious. Can't wait to try this recipe with my homemade graham crackers! Thanks again!!
Andrea says
I made these last night for dessert! I am 8 months pregnant and have been craving cheesecake. They were very good! Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Diana says
Hi, how do you make the whipped cream? I didnt see a receipe for it. Im excitied to make these for my daughters class for Valentine's Day =)
Melissa B says
Ro make whipped cream you just literally whip heavy cream with a mixer. You can add a little sugar slowly if you want sweetened whipped cream. Note that it t will not be "stabilized" like restaurants but if you google a recipe you can find how to use gelatin to make it not get weepy when it gets to room temp. Otherwise make sure you keep them chilled once output whipped cream on them
bethany says
I am wondering if I could sustitute something for the eggs? My daughter is allergic. I usuall use flaxseed & water, but have never tried it in cheesecake.
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Bethany. Other readers have suggested silken tofu as an egg replacement in cheesecake. It is not something we have used, so we can't speak to it beyond that. Always look for organic soy products. This might help: http://thedaringkitchen.com/food-talk/baking-without-eggs. ~Amy
Smita says
Looks delicious.....can't wait to try it! What brand of heavy cream and cream cheese do you use? Thanks!
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Smita. Nancy's brand is a good choice for cream cheese. In general, though, look for brands of both with no additives/preservatives. ~Amy
laramealor.com says
Whole wheat graham crackers Perfect!! I would have not thought of that. Thanks for sharing!
http://www.laramealor.com/free-pain-12-naturally-innovative-solutions/
April says
I cannot wait to try these! My girls will love these little cheesecakes! We watch the sugar too, but it really is not going to kill you to have some once in a blue moon.
mishi says
I have seen the you use chocolate chips on occasion. I'm just wondering what kind you use.
Lisa says
The pictured chocolate chips are Enjoy Life brand :)
Laura says
Thanks for sharing these! What a great idea for a party. I agree wholeheartedly about real sugar (in moderation) being appropriate for dessert foods. So many options for toppings - and cheesecake is one of those things that is so rich it's best in small bites!
Michele says
Where do you get the Mi-del graham crackers?
Shawna says
If you didn't want to use graham crackers you could make an almond crust with ground almonds and butter. There are quite a few recipes on Pinterest. That is what I do since I am not eating any grain at this time.
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Michele. Lisa probably found them at Earth Fare.~Amy
Jayne says
Thank you so much for posting! You are doing such a great job with your family. We have tried so many of your recipes without fail. I am not 100% real food but we are slowly getting there and are atleast aware of what we are putting into our bodies. Can't wait to make this treat for my husband who LOVES cheesecake!
ap says
Grass fed gelatin would be a great addition to these. Also, if you are going to use sugar there is better stuff out there than the "white stuff".
Alesha says
I was wondering can these little delights be frozen? I would love to make a bunch and be able to freeze them and take them out as needed.
Shawna says
I would think they would do fine frozen. I haven't run across a cheesecake recipe that doesn't freeze well.
Denise says
We (my hubby and I and 13 yr old daughter) are on a mission to eliminate all processed foods and eat real food as much as we possibly can. I've been reading your website for days and it is amazing. But I'm a little confused! Haven't you cut out white sugar along with white bread, white pasta etc.? This is the second recipe I've seen in two days where you use sugar? Is it ok in moderation? Is it real food? I've been sticking to raw honey and pure maple syrup for sweetness. Can I still use white or brown sugar?
Lisa says
Denise - I shared a link above with my thoughts on refined sugar (and when I think it's appropriate to "indulge"). I am not sure what the other recipe was, but out of the hundreds of recipes on my site only a few call for refined sugar because I think a homemade treat is okay every now and then (and light years better than a factory-made, artificial one!).
Lisa Profenna says
Yum! Chilled with your berry sauce would be delicious as well!
Lisa says
I agree - berry sauce would be a great addition! :)
Amy says
Looks Great! I've been making these for years and have tried to improve it health wise. I have not made them since giving up refined white sugar in the house (the occasional treat outside of the house is ok, but no white sugar in the house). We do use raw Turbinado (organic) sugar to bake with when honey or other sweeteners just won't do. I find that you don't need as much of the raw sugar as what the recipe usually calls for. In fact, with my favorite pumpkin muffin recipe, I use half of what they suggest and it is plenty sweet, still moist and very delicious. I'll have to try these with the raw sugar and experiment with how much sugar to put in.
Lisa says
Sounds like a good experiment, although with only a quarter cup of sugar in all 12 servings there's not too much room for improvement in my opinion! That's about a teaspoon per serving.
Michelle says
Could we use maple syrup or honey in place of the sugar?
Lisa says
Michelle - Since the consistency is so different I am not sure how that would come out for you...but you could definitely try it! Maybe try it on a half batch so you don't waste ingredients if it doesn't work.
Celeste says
Do you ever subsitute with coconut sugar instead? Also I just came across the yogurt subsitution chart, maybe that might work instead of the heavy cream.
Lisa says
I have tried coconut sugar before, but I honestly use sugar so infrequently I just stick to the regular (organic) white stuff that I used to bake with in the old days. :)
Briana says
Do you think half and half would work in place of the heavy cream? I bought some (organic) the other day instead of heavy cream since it didn't contain carrageenan.
Lisa says
Briana - I think it would, but I have not tried it.
Briana says
I used half and half with great results!
Pat Ahearn says
Hi Just printed the Individual cheesecakes and wondered about the calorie count of this if you have it?? PAT
Lisa says
We honestly don't feel counting calories is part of eating real food (not to mention it can take the enjoyment out of eating!). We just eat a variety of whole foods (including lots of veggies and few desserts) and be sure to stop eating when we feel full. When we do this the rest falls into place!