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    Home » Recipes » Cake

    Published: May 11, 2021 by Ellie Haley · This post may contain affiliate links · 10 Comments

    Mini Creme Brûlée Cheesecakes

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Mini Creme Brûlée Cheesecakes are the best of two dessert worlds. They have a homemade graham cracker crust, a vanilla cheesecake filling, and a crunchy burnt sugar topping.

    Several mini creme brûlée cheesecakes. One is cut in half

    How to make creamy cheesecake:

    I think that cheesecake is best when it is extra creamy and there are a few steps that you can take to ensure you get the creamiest cheesecake possible.

    • Beat at a low speed. Beating your cheesecake filling at a low speed will prevent air bubbles from forming. It takes a bit longer, but it is worth it in the end.
    • Make sure your ingredients are at room temperature. If all of your ingredients are at room temperature they will combine a lot easier and it will prevent lumps from forming.
    • Scrape down the bowl. I scrape down the bowl often while making the cheesecake filling. This ensures that everything is getting well combined.
    • Don’t over-bake. A lot of times we think cheesecake isn’t done baking because it is still jiggly, but this is when we want to stop the baking process. If you let the cheesecakes cool in the oven and then in the fridge they will set up and be a perfect consistency.
    Looking down on a mini cheesecake that is cut in half

    Ingredients for Mini Creme Brûlée Cheesecakes:

    Ingredients for homemade graham cracker crust:

    • Graham Crackers. They need to be finely crushed. I always use a food processor to do this.
    • Salt. Salt is a must in baked goods. It will help to balance out the sweetness and improve the overall flavor.
    • Granulated Sugar. We’ll use a small amount of sugar to sweeten up the graham cracker pie crust.
    • Unsalted Butter. I always make sure to use unsalted butter when baking because there is no “standard” for the amount of salt they can add to butter. So if you add salt to a recipe and then use salted butter you could end up with a very salty end product.

    Ingredients for cheesecake filling:

    • Cream Cheese. The cream cheese needs to be at room temperature to prevent lumps in your cheesecake.
    • Granulated Sugar. This will add flavor and sweetness to the cheesecake bars.
    • Eggs. It will be easier to incorporate the eggs into the batter if they are at room temperature.
    • Heavy Cream. Heavy cream will help make the cheesecake extra creamy.
    • Vanilla Extract. Vanilla is a must in baked goods just like salt. Real vanilla adds a better flavor than imitation vanilla.

    Ingredients for creme brûlée topping:

    • Granulated Sugar. We will use a kitchen torch to caramelize the sugar on top of each mini cheesecake.
    All of the ingredients needed for this recipe

    How to make Mini Creme Brûlée Cheesecakes:

    HOMEMADE GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST

    STEP 1: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees (F). Line a 12 cavity cupcake tin with cupcake liners and set it aside.

    STEP 2: In a medium bowl mix the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, salt, and sugar until well combined. The mixture should be the texture of wet sand.

    The ingredients for a homemade graham cracker crust in a bowl

    STEP 3: Use the bottom of a clean cup to firmly press about 1-1 ½ tablespoons of the crumb mixture into each liner.

    The graham cracker crusts before being baked

    STEP 4: Bake the crusts for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove the pan from the oven and allow to cool completely.

    CHEESECAKE FILLING

    STEP 1: Turn the oven down to 300 degrees (F).

    STEP 2: In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese and sugar together on low speed until fully combined and smooth. Don’t overmix or you’ll add too much air into the mixture.

    STEP 3: Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well and scraping down the sides of the bowl between each addition.

    STEP 4: Add the heavy cream and vanilla. Mix until fully combined.

    The cheesecake filling in a bowl

    STEP 5: Fill each liner up almost to the top. The cheesecakes won’t rise much, so you can fill them up most of the way.

    STEP 6: Bake the cheesecakes for 15 minutes. Turn the oven off and allow the cheesecakes to sit in the oven for 30 minutes. Crack the oven door open and allow to sit until cooled to room temperature.

    STEP 7: Transfer cheesecakes to the fridge until ready to serve.

    Creme Brûlée Topping

    STEP 1: Remove the mini cheesecakes from the fridge and top each with 1 teaspoon of sugar.

    STEP 2: Using a handheld torch melt the sugar until it turns a caramel color with some darker spots. Allow the cheesecake to sit for a few moments and the sugar will harden.

    STEP 3: If you don't have a torch you can place the cheesecakes under the broiler until the sugar is melted.

    A straight on shot of a creme brûlée cheesecake that is cut in half

    Can I make mini cheesecakes ahead of time?

    Absolutely! BUT I would freeze or refrigerate the Mini Creme Brûlée Cheesecakes before you add the sugar topping as the topping with get sticky and no longer be crunchy. You can remove the mini cheesecakes from the freezer about an hour before you are ready to serve and you can toast the tops when you are ready to serve.

    A close up of a mini cheesecake

    More Mini Cheesecake Recipes

    • Mini Cinnamon Roll Cheesecakes- These mini cheesecakes are topped with a cinnamon-sugar swirl.
    • Mini Lemon Cheesecakes- Mini lemon cheesecakes swirled with lemon curd.
    • S'mores Mini Cheesecakes- Chocolate cheesecakes topped with a toasted marshmallow.
    • Mini Salted Caramel Cheesecakes- Mini cheesecakes topped with salted caramel.
    Looking down on a mini creme brûlée cheesecake that is cut in half

    Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning, at no extra cost to you, I may earn a commission if you click a link and buy something.

    Like this post? Visit my Recipe page to see more like it!

    Mini Creme Brûlée Cheesecakes

    Mini Creme Brûlée Cheesecakes have a homemade graham cracker crust, a vanilla cheesecake filling, and a crunchy burnt sugar topping.
    5 from 7 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 25 mins
    Resting Time 2 hrs
    Total Time 2 hrs 35 mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 12 mini cheesecakes
    Calories 247 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    For Crust:

    • 6 sheets graham crackers crushed
    • pinch of salt
    • 1 ½ tablespoons (18 grams) granulated sugar
    • 3 tablespoons (42 grams) unsalted butter melted

    For Filling:

    • 2 blocks (454 grams) cream cheese room temperature
    • ¾ cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
    • 2 large eggs room temperature
    • ⅓ cup (75 grams) heavy cream room temperature
    • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

    For Topping:

    • ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar

    Instructions
     

    For Crust:

    • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees (F). Line a 12 cavity cupcake tin with cupcake liners and set aside.
    • In a small bowl combine the graham cracker crumbs, salt, sugar, and melted butter. Mix until fully combined. The mixture should be the texture of wet sand.
    • Use the bottom of a clean cup to firmly press about 1-1 ½ tablespoons of the crumb mixture into each liner.
    • Bake the crusts for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove the pan from the oven and allow to cool completely.

    For Filling:

    • Turn the oven down to 300 degrees (F).
    • In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese and sugar together on low speed until fully combined and smooth.
    • Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well and scraping down the sides of the bowl between each addition.
    • Add the heavy cream and vanilla. Mix until fully combined.
    • Fill each liner up almost to the top.
    • Bake the cheesecakes for 15 minutes. Turn the oven off and allow the cheesecakes to sit in the oven for 30 minutes. Crack the oven door open and allow to sit until cooled to room temperature.
    • Transfer cheesecakes to the fridge until ready to serve.

    For Topping:

    • Remove cheesecakes from the fridge and top each with 1 teaspoon of sugar.
    • Using a handheld torch melt the sugar until it turns a caramel color with some darker spots. Allow the cheesecake to sit for a few moments and the sugar will harden.
    • If you don't have a torch you can place the cheesecakes under the broiler until the sugar is melted.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1mini cheesecakeCalories: 247kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 3.6gFat: 13.2gSaturated Fat: 7.1gCholesterol: 64mgSodium: 171mgPotassium: 64mgFiber: 0.5gSugar: 20.9gCalcium: 23mgIron: 11mg
    Keyword cheesecake, creme brulee, homemade graham cracker crust, mini cheesecake, mini creme brulee cheesecakes
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Caitlyn says

      January 26, 2021 at 11:37 am

      5 stars
      Amazing!! Super siMple recipe Yet GREAT taste. Creme brulee is my favorite dessert and cheesecake is my husbands so these will be a reGular in our house.

      Reply
    2. Vanessa says

      February 05, 2021 at 4:11 pm

      5 stars
      Loved it so much! Just a great recipe and the perfeCt combination of melting cheesecake and a crunchy sugar crust.

      For a little fresh twist just add a splash of lemon juice to the batter.

      Reply
    3. Alexis says

      November 11, 2021 at 2:47 pm

      Hi!
      If i am making these a day before i want to Serve them, should i wait until the day of to do the brulee toPping? Or can i go ahead and do the topping the day before? Thanks!

      Reply
      • Ellie Haley says

        November 11, 2021 at 3:00 pm

        I would wait until the day of! As close to when you want to serve as possible. If you leave it too long the sugar will get sticky instead of crunchy

        Reply
    4. AleXis says

      November 20, 2021 at 8:17 am

      5 stars
      These were a hit! Thank you for the wonderful recipe 🙂

      Reply
      • Ellie Haley says

        November 20, 2021 at 8:18 am

        So glad you enjoyed them!

        Reply
    5. Nehal says

      January 25, 2022 at 5:57 pm

      5 stars
      GoinG to make these for my sisters bday next week since cReme brulee cheesecake is Her favourite! I am wondering if there is a way to convert this recipe for a standard 9 inch baking pan. Thanks!

      Reply
      • Ellie Haley says

        January 25, 2022 at 8:11 pm

        I’ve never made these any other way than mini, so I’m not sure what the necessary conversions would be!

        Reply
    6. Danielle says

      March 14, 2022 at 11:03 am

      CAn this recipe make a whole cheeSecake instead of the minis? Are what are the adjustments .. loved the minis so much but wish to bake a whoke cake 😬

      Reply
      • Ellie Haley says

        March 14, 2022 at 11:40 am

        I’ve never tried but I’m sure you could! If I were going I would do 1 1/2 of the crust recipe and double the filling. I’d bake at 275F with a water bath for about 2 hours. Let me know how it goes!

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Ellie!

    I am a classically trained pastry chef with a deep desire to bring delicious and beautiful recipes to the homes of others. I aim to make being in the kitchen approachable instead of intimidating

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