Mini Lemon Cheesecakes

Mini Lemon Cheesecakes have a homemade graham cracker crust topped with a creamy cheesecake swirled with lemon curd. They are a perfect portion sizes and a great dessert to serve to a crowd!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 25

Resting Time 2

Total Time 2 55

Servings mini cheesecakes

Calories 340kcal

Author Ellie Haley

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 Lemon Curd:

⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon (75 grams) granulated sugar
¼ cup (48 grams) lemon juice fresh squeezed
1 large (50 grams) egg
1 large (15 grams) egg yolk
6 tablespoons (90 grams) unsalted butter cubed and softened

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 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon lemon juice fresh-squeezed

For Topping (optional):

2 large egg whites
2 tablespoons (18 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 Lemon Curd:

In a medium heat-proof bowl whisk together the sugar, lemon juice, egg, and egg yolk.
Place the bowl over a small saucepan of simmering water and add the butter.
Let the mixture cook over low heat for about 15 minutes, whisking occasionally.
You will know the curd is ready when a thermometer reads 180 degrees (F) or when it is the consistency of mayonnaise.
Remove the curd from the heat and cover the surface of the curd with plastic wrap. Place the curd in the fridge while you make the filling.

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, vanilla, and lemon juice. Mix until fully combined.
Fill each liner up almost to the top.
Add about ½ tablespoon of the lemon curd to the top of each cheesecake. You will have some curd left over. Use a knife to swirl the curd into the cheesecake filling.
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 (optional):

Add the egg whites and sugar to a heat proof bowl. Set bowl over a saucepan of simmering water.
Whisk constantly for about 8-10 minutes. The sugar should be dissolved and it should reach 175 degrees (F).
Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer and beat on high for about 6 minutes or until the mixture reaches stiff peaks.
Transfer the meringue to a piping bag and pipe your desired amount on top of each cooled cheesecake.
Use a kitchen torch to toast the meringue.

Notes

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 cheesecake cool in the oven and then in the fridge, it will set up and be a perfect consistency.
The provided nutrition information is an estimate. The calorie accuracy is not guaranteed.

Nutrition