White Chocolate Mini Cheesecakes With Fresh Raspberries

Good things come in small packages.

Not a bad philosophy especially  if you are a foodie who loves to indulge in all things sugar.

It is my mantra.

It keeps me from wearing pants with drawstrings. 

I am using a mini cheesecake pan.  It is deeper than a mini muffin pan. 

 Isn't it nifty?

Don't worry if you don't have one.  You can also use a mini muffin pan.  Your cheesecakes will be more on the petite side plus you will double the number of cheesecakes. 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Make crumbs out of a stack of graham crackers.  You can use a food processor......

-or-

You can crush the crackers in a sealed freezer bag with a rolling pin.......also known as the anger management method.  Both work.  Depends on your mood.

Mix the graham crackers and sugar together and add melted butter.  Butter makes everything taste good.  

Stir until it looks like wet sand.

Spray the mini cheesecake pan with non-stick baking spray and press a heaping tablespoon of graham cracker mixture into each cup. 

 Pack down the crumbs with your fingers.

Place cream cheese in a large bowl.  Mix until creamy then add sugar, the egg, and the lemon zest. 

The lemon zest brightens the flavors without tasting 'lemony'.  

Add some vanilla....and white chocolate which has been melted. 

I was in a three way tug-of-war with my boys as to who gets to lick the bowl of white chocolate.  I lost.

Place two heaping tablespoons of batter into each mini cheesecake cup. 

And bake for 14 minutes. 
 

Top the chilled cheesecakes with fresh raspberries and let the party begin.

White Chocolate Mini Cheesecakes

With Fresh Raspberries

Print This Recipe!

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

3 tablespoons sugar

1/3 stick unsalted butter, melted

8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature

2 Tablespoons sugar

1 large egg at room temperature

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 ounces good quality white chocolate, melted

fresh raspberries for garnish 

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar and butter and press a heaping tablespoon into each cheesecake cup. 
• Place cream cheese in a large bowl. Mix until creamy. Add sugar. Mix until combined. Add egg, lemon zest and vanilla, followed by the white chocolate. Mix until combined.
• Place two heaping tablespoons of batter into each mini cheesecake cup.
• Bake for 14 minutes.
• Let cool to room temperature then chill for 1 hour or until ready to serve.
• Top each with fresh raspberries.

Yields 12 mini cheesecakes
 

Note: If using mini muffin pans, the oven temperature should be reduced to 350 degrees. Bake the cheesecakes for 10 minutes. Use a little less than 1 tablespoon of graham cracker crumbs and 1 heaping tablespoon of batter per mini muffin cup. Yields approximately 24 mini cheesecakes.