Description
Delightful Cherry Cheesecake Cups bring creamy indulgence and sweet-tart charm to dessert lovers seeking a perfect handheld treat. Silky cream cheese nestles beneath luscious cherry topping, promising a blissful moment of pure culinary joy you won’t want to miss.
Ingredients
Scale
Dairy:
- 16 oz cream cheese
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
Fruits and Sweet Ingredients:
- 2 cups fresh cherries
- 1/2 cup cherry preserves
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Dry and Base Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F and line a muffin tin with paper liners, ensuring even spacing for uniform cheesecake cups.
- Melt butter and combine with graham cracker crumbs, pressing the mixture firmly into the bottom of each liner to create a compact, sturdy base.
- Beat cream cheese in a large mixing bowl until smooth and creamy, eliminating any potential lumps for a silky texture.
- Gradually incorporate sugar, sour cream, and heavy cream into the cream cheese mixture, stirring until completely integrated and uniformly blended.
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition to maintain a consistent batter structure.
- Fold in flour, vanilla extract, and salt, gently stirring to distribute ingredients evenly without overmixing.
- Pour cheesecake batter into prepared graham cracker crusts, filling each cup approximately 3/4 full.
- Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until centers are almost set but still slightly jiggly when gently shaken.
- Remove from oven and allow cheesecake cups to cool completely at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
- While cooling, prepare cherry topping by gently heating cherry preserves and fresh cherries in a small saucepan until slightly thickened.
- Once cooled, refrigerate cheesecake cups for at least 2 hours to set completely.
- Before serving, generously spoon warm cherry topping over each chilled cheesecake cup.
Notes
- Check cream cheese temperature to ensure smooth blending without lumps at room temperature for about 30 minutes before starting.
- Press graham cracker crust firmly and evenly to create a stable base that prevents crumbling when biting into the cheesecake cup.
- Use a water bath technique to prevent cracking by placing the muffin tin in a larger pan filled with hot water during baking for more even heat distribution.
- Substitute graham crackers with gluten-free alternatives like almond flour or crushed gluten-free cookies for those with dietary restrictions, maintaining the same crumbly texture.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 22 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 335
- Sugar: 27 g
- Sodium: 145 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg