Mini New York Cheesecakes with Graham Cracker Crusts

Mini New York cheesecakes bring a rich, cream cheese–forward filling to individual graham cracker crusts. This recipe makes twelve portions in a standard muffin tin, with plain tops that let the cheesecake flavor and creamy interior stand out.

The filling sets in the oven, then becomes dense and creamy during a full chill. Follow the measured portions and visual baking cues below, and allow 5 hours 55 minutes from preparation to serving, including cooling and at least 4 hours in the refrigerator.

What Makes These New York–Style Cheesecakes?

Cream cheese leads the filling: two blocks supply the body, while a small amount of sour cream softens the texture and adds a mild tang. Whole eggs set the mixture through baking. After chilling, the center should feel rich and smooth, with enough structure to hold its own shape.

For a fuller style comparison, read New York vs. Philadelphia Cheesecake: Key Differences. This version keeps the topping optional so the baked filling remains the focus.

Bake from Scratch’s New York–style cheesecake lesson explains how cream cheese, eggs, and sour cream contribute to the rich filling. Its full-size cake uses a different baking setup; the muffin-tin instructions here are specific to these smaller portions.

Mini New York Cheesecakes

A mini New York cheesecake recipe for twelve baked muffin-tin portions with thin graham crusts and a cream-cheese-forward sour cream filling. Serve plain or add fruit at the table.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Additional time 5 hours hrs 5 minutes mins

Total Time 5 hours hrs 55 minutes mins

Servings: 12 mini cheesecakes

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Calories: 226

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Graham Cracker Crusts

• 1 cup finely crushed graham crackers 120 g
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 42 g, melted
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar 12 g
• 1/8 teaspoon fine salt

New York Style Cheesecake Filling

• 16 ounces full-fat block cream cheese 454 g, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar 100 g
• 2 large eggs about 100 g without shells, at room temperature
• 1/3 cup full-fat sour cream 80 g, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon fine salt

Equipment

• standard 12-cup muffin tin (not a mini muffin pan)
• 12 paper cupcake liners
• mixing bowls
• electric mixer
• rubber spatula
• kitchen scale and measuring cups
• small flat-bottomed cup
• Wire rack

Method

 

1. Heat a conventional oven to 325°F (163°C). Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. Combine the fine graham crumbs, melted butter, crust sugar, and crust salt. Divide evenly, about 14–15 g or 1 packed tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon per liner. Press into flat, compact bases with a small flat-bottomed cup. Prebake for 6 minutes; cool in the tin for 10 minutes.
2. Beat the softened block cream cheese with the filling sugar on medium-low until smooth, scraping the bowl and beaters. Blend in room-temperature sour cream, vanilla, and filling salt. Add the eggs one at a time on low, stopping when each is incorporated. Finish with a few gentle spatula folds; do not whip the batter.
3. Divide the filling evenly among the cooled crusts, approximately 60 g or a scant 1/4 cup each. Leave about 1/4 inch below each liner rim; standard cups vary, so distribute by weight rather than overfilling one cup. Bake on the middle rack at 325°F for 20–24 minutes. Look for set edges and a small center that quivers together when the pan is gently nudged. A liquid ripple needs another minute or two.
4. Turn off the oven and rest the tin inside for 10 minutes with the door ajar. Transfer to a wire rack for 45 minutes, then refrigerate the tin loosely covered for at least 4 hours. Seal more tightly once fully cold. Peel the liners from chilled cheesecakes. Serve plain, or add a few berries or a small spoonful of fruit sauce just before serving.

Notes

• Keep covered at 40°F (4°C) or colder for up to 4 days. Refrigerate within 2 hours after baking; add optional fruit at serving.
• Freeze fully chilled plain cheesecakes, individually wrapped and sealed airtight, for up to 1 month for best quality. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
• Serve chilled; no reheating is needed.

Ingredients for Mini New York Cheesecakes

Graham cracker crusts

Fine graham crumbs bind more evenly than large cracker pieces. Melted unsalted butter, a little sugar, and a pinch of salt make a thin base. Press firmly across the bottom rather than pushing crumbs up the sides; a short prebake gives the base a head start. Exact amounts appear in the recipe card.

Rich cheesecake filling

Use full-fat cream cheese sold in blocks. Tub spreads can have different moisture and stabilizers. For these mini cheesecakes with sour cream, use full-fat sour cream and let it, the eggs, and the cheese lose their refrigerator chill before mixing. The cheese should yield easily to a spatula. Sugar, vanilla, and salt round out the flavor.

Optional toppings for serving

Fresh berries or a small spoonful of fruit sauce can be added to individual portions at the table. They are serving additions, outside the core formula; the cheesecakes also work plain.

How to Make Mini New York Cheesecakes

For baked mini cheesecakes in a muffin tin, use a standard pan rather than a mini muffin pan. The filled-liner photo shows the space to leave below the rim.

Save This Mini Cheesecakes With Graham Cracker Crust

Save this muffin-tin recipe for a dessert you can bake and chill before guests arrive.