Description
Mini Christmas Cheesecakes are delightful, festive treats perfect for holiday celebrations. These individual cheesecakes feature a buttery graham cracker crust and a creamy cream cheese filling, swirled with red and green gel food coloring to create a vibrant, merry appearance. Topped with whipped cream and holiday sprinkles, they provide a perfect balance of flavor and decorative charm for any Christmas dessert table.
Ingredients
Scale
For the crust:
- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
For the filling:
- 16 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- Red gel food coloring
- Green gel food coloring
For topping:
- Whipped cream
- Holiday sprinkles
Instructions
- Prepare crust: Preheat oven to 325°F and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. In a small bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter until evenly mixed. Press about 1 tablespoon of mixture firmly into the bottom of each muffin liner. Bake crusts for 5 minutes, then remove and set aside.
- Make filling: In a large bowl, beat softened cream cheese and sugar until smooth and creamy. Add sour cream and vanilla extract; mix until fully incorporated. Slowly add eggs one at a time, mixing on low speed just until combined.
- Color batter: Divide the batter evenly into three bowls. Leave one bowl plain, add red gel food coloring to the second, and green gel food coloring to the third bowl. Stir each until color is evenly distributed.
- Layer batter: Alternate spoonfuls of plain, red, and green batter into each muffin cup, layering to create a festive swirled effect. For cleaner layers, chill each color layer for 5 minutes before adding the next.
- Bake cheesecakes: Bake for 16 to 18 minutes or until centers are set but still slightly jiggly. Remove from oven and let cool in pan for 20 minutes.
- Chill: Refrigerate the cheesecakes for at least 2 hours to fully set before serving.
- Add toppings: Just before serving, top each mini cheesecake with whipped cream and holiday sprinkles for a festive finish.
Notes
- For clean color layers, chill each color layer for 5 minutes before adding the next to prevent colors from blending.
- You can substitute chocolate cookie crumbs for the graham cracker crust to create a darker, more chocolatey base.
- Be careful not to overbake; centers should remain slightly jiggly to ensure creamy texture.
- These mini cheesecakes should be stored in the refrigerator and consumed within 3-4 days for best freshness.
