Description
Santa Hat Mini Cheesecakes are a delightful and festive single-serving dessert perfect for holiday gatherings. Featuring a graham cracker crust topped with creamy cheesecake, fluffy whipped cream, and a fresh strawberry to resemble a Santa hat, these bite-sized treats are both easy to make and visually charming.
Ingredients
Scale
Crust
- 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
- 10 tablespoons salted butter, melted
Cheesecake Filling
- 2 (8 ounce) blocks cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Topping
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- Whole strawberries, tops removed
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a mini muffin pan with mini cupcake liners to prepare for the crust.
- Make Crust: In a mixing bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs and melted butter until the mixture resembles wet sand and is fully combined.
- Form Crust in Muffin Tins: Scoop about 1 tablespoon of the graham cracker mixture into each lined muffin tin. Use your fingertips to press the crumbs evenly and firmly into the bottom to form a crust.
- Bake Crust: Bake the crust in the preheated oven for 5 minutes. Remove and let them cool while preparing the cheesecake filling.
- Reduce Oven Temperature: Lower the oven temperature to 325°F (163°C) for the cheesecake baking.
- Prepare Cheesecake Filling: In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and granulated sugar. Beat on low speed using a hand mixer until well incorporated and smooth.
- Add Remaining Filling Ingredients: Add eggs, sour cream, and vanilla extract to the cream cheese mixture. Beat on medium speed for about 1 minute until the batter is smooth and creamy.
- Fill Muffin Tins: Spoon a generous teaspoon of the cheesecake batter over each baked crust, filling each liner right up to the top.
- Bake Cheesecakes: Bake the cheesecakes for 15-17 minutes or until set. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. If necessary, make the cheesecakes in batches.
- Make Whipped Cream: In a medium bowl, beat the heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar with a handheld mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. Transfer the whipped cream to a piping bag.
- Assemble Santa Hats: Pipe a dollop of whipped cream onto the center of each cooled cheesecake. Place a whole strawberry on top of the whipped cream, flat side down. Pipe a small dollop of whipped cream on the tip of the strawberry to complete the Santa hat look.
- Chill: Refrigerate the mini cheesecakes until ready to serve to let flavors meld and the whipped cream firm up.
Notes
- These mini cheesecakes are perfect for holiday parties as bite-sized, festive treats.
- Make sure cream cheese and eggs are at room temperature for a smooth, lump-free cheesecake batter.
- Use fresh, firm strawberries for the best presentation and flavor.
- The crust can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator to save time.
- Store finished cheesecakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 mini cheesecake
- Calories: 67 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 41 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.2 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 5 g
- Fiber: 0.1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 19 mg
