These mini strawberry cheesecakes feature a buttery graham cracker crust, a velvety cream cheese filling, and a sweet homemade strawberry topping.
Baking cheesecake in a standard muffin tin gives you all the rich, creamy texture of a classic baked cheesecake without the stress of setting up a water bath.
Best of all, while a full-sized cheesecake requires over an hour in the oven, these mini cheesecakes bake in just 15 minutes! Because of their individual size, they cook evenly, cool down in a fraction of the time, and set up beautifully without cracking.
They are naturally make-ahead friendly, making them ideal for spring gatherings, dinner parties, or keeping in the fridge for a quick personal treat throughout the week.
One reader, Ciara, commented: “Wow, so delicious! They were really easy to make and look really cute. The cheesecake is rich but not too sweet. Will definitely be making again. ★★★★★”
For more cheesecake recipes, check out my bananas foster cheesecake, lemon meringue cheesecake, and vanilla cheesecake.
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Why this recipe works
- Fast 15-Minute Bake: Skips the long 60+ minute bake time of standard cheesecakes for a quick, stress-free dessert.
- Fresh or Frozen Berries: Works perfectly with fresh strawberries or frozen strawberries straight from the freezer with no thawing needed.
- No Water Bath Needed: Baked low and slow in a lined muffin tin for a smooth, crack-free surface without boiling water.
- Perfect Make-Ahead Dessert: Preps quickly and sets up in the fridge, saving you time on the day of your event.
- Simple Pantry Staples: Made with straightforward, accessible ingredients you likely already have on hand.
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
Full measurements are located in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
For the Graham Cracker Crust
Graham Crackers: Fine crumbs form the base. Digestive biscuits, tea biscuits, or vanilla wafers work as a direct replacement.
Granulated Sugar: Adds a slight sweetness to bind the crust (optional).
Melted Butter: Unsalted butter holds the crust crumbs together.
For the Creamy Cheesecake Filling
Cream Cheese: Full-fat block cream cheese at room temperature ensures a dense, silky texture. I use Philadelphia cream cheese.
Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the cream cheese base without overpowering it.
Sour Cream: Full-fat sour cream adds lightness and a subtle tang to balance the sweetness.
Eggs: Large room-temperature eggs bind the filling and build structure.
Vanilla Extract & Kosher Salt: Enhance and balance the classic cheesecake flavor.
For the Strawberry Topping
Strawberries: Fresh or frozen strawberries work great. If using frozen, add them directly to the pan without thawing first!
Granulated Sugar: Brings out the natural juices of the berries as they cook.
Lemon Juice: Fresh lemon juice cuts through the sweetness and brightens the fruit.
Cornstarch & Water: 1 teaspoon of cornstarch mixed with 1 teaspoon of cold water to form a smooth slurry that thickens the sauce without lumps.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Bake the Crust
1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a muffin tin with paper liners. Pulse graham crackers in a food processor (or crush in a Ziplock bag with a rolling pin) until fine crumbs form.
2. In a small bowl, combine crumbs, melted butter, and sugar until evenly coated.
3. Scoop crumbs into each paper liner, pressing down firmly to form a flat base. Bake for 5 to 6 minutes until lightly golden. Remove from the oven and let cool. Lower the oven temperature to 280°F (140°C).
Make & Bake the Cheesecake Filling
4. In a large bowl, using an electric hand mixer on low speed, beat the room-temperature cream cheese, salt, vanilla extract, granulated sugar, and sour cream until smooth and creamy.
5. Add room-temperature eggs one at a time, mixing on low speed just until incorporated after each addition. Do not over-mix.
6. Divide batter evenly among the muffin liners, filling each about three-quarters full. Gently tap the pan on the counter to release trapped air bubbles.
7. Bake at 280°F (140°C) for just 15 minutes, or until the edges are set but the centers have a subtle wobble. Turn off the oven, prop the door open slightly, and let them sit inside for 5 minutes.
8. Remove from the oven, cool completely at room temperature, then wrap tightly and refrigerate for at least 3 hours to set completely.
Make the Strawberry Topping
9. In a saucepan, add the halved strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice, and mix over medium-high heat.
10. Decrease the heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes, mixing occasionally.
11. Mix the cornstarch in a small bowl with a little bit of water and pour it into the strawberry mixture, mixing constantly. Simmer for another 2-3 minutes until the mixture thickens.
12. Remove from heat and let cool completely. Top each chilled mini cheesecake with strawberry sauce right before serving.
Expert Tips
- Use Room-Temperature Ingredients: Cold cream cheese or eggs cause lumps in the batter. Over-mixing to smooth out cold ingredients incorporates excess air, which makes mini cheesecakes puff up and sink in the center.
- Keep Mixer on Low Speed: Blend on low speed once the eggs are added to avoid whipping unwanted air into the filling.
- Chill Before Topping: Let the cheesecakes set fully in the fridge before adding the strawberry sauce so the bases stay firm and cold.
Troubleshooting & FAQ'S
Since these bake in just 15 minutes, keep a close eye on them near the end. The outer ring of each mini cheesecake should look set and matte, while the very center should still have a slight wobble when you tap the muffin tin. They will finish setting completely as they chill in the fridge.
Sinking or cracking usually happens from over-mixing or baking at too high a temperature. Mixing on high speed incorporates excess air into the batter, which expands in the oven and then collapses as it cools.
To prevent this, keep your mixer on low speed, add your eggs one at a time just until incorporated, and let them sit in the propped-open oven for 5 minutes after baking.
Yes! You can use frozen strawberries straight into the saucepan without thawing them first. Because frozen berries release extra liquid as they heat up, simply simmer the sauce for an additional 2 to 3 minutes until the cornstarch thickens it into a glossy topping.
Storing
Store plain or topped mini cheesecakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freezing
Freeze the plain baked mini cheesecakes without the strawberry topping for up to 3 months. Wrap closely in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then add fresh strawberry topping before serving.
Dietary Swaps & Variations
Gluten-Free: Replace graham crackers with certified gluten-free graham crackers or gluten-free digestive biscuits.
Berry Swap: Swap strawberries for blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries using the same topping technique.
Cookie Crust: Replace graham crackers with crushed Oreos or Biscoff lotus cookies.
The Pan Scaling Guide
Mini Muffin Pan: Press crumbs into mini muffin liners. Bake crust for 4 minutes at 350°F (180°C). Divide batter and bake at 280°F (140°C) for 10 to 12 minutes until set.
Equipment
- Standard muffin tin
- Paper cupcake liners
- Food processor (or Ziplock bag with rolling pin)
- Electric hand mixer
- Small saucepan
More mini cheesecake recipes
Mini cheesecake bites- Made with an Oreo crust and topped with homemade salted caramel sauce.
Mini oreo cheesecakes- Loaded with crushed Oreos in the crust, filling, and whipped cream topping.
Mini pumpkin cheesecakes- A fall favorite made with a Biscoff cookie crust and spiced pumpkin filling.
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📖 Recipe
Mini Strawberry Cheesecakes
Ingredients
Crust:
- 1 cup Graham crackers
- 3 tablespoon Butter melted, unsalted
- 1 tablespoon Granulated sugar optional
Filling:
- 12 oz Cream cheese room temperature
- ½ cup Granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup Sour cream
- 2 Eggs
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
Strawberry topping:
- 8 oz Strawberries fresh or frozen
- ¼ cup Sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoon Lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Cornstarch
Instructions
Bake the Crust
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a muffin tin with paper liners. Pulse graham crackers in a food processor (or crush in a Ziplock bag with a rolling pin) until fine crumbs form.
- In a small bowl, combine crumbs, melted butter, and sugar until evenly coated.
- Scoop crumbs into each paper liner, pressing down firmly to form a flat base. Bake for 5 to 6 minutes until lightly golden. Remove from the oven and let cool. Lower the oven temperature to 280°F (140°C).
Make & Bake the Cheesecake Filling
- In a large bowl, using an electric hand mixer on low speed, beat the room-temperature cream cheese, salt, vanilla extract, granulated sugar, and sour cream until smooth and creamy.
- Add room-temperature eggs one at a time, mixing on low speed just until incorporated after each addition. Do not over-mix.
- Divide batter evenly among the muffin liners, filling each about three-quarters full. Gently tap the pan on the counter to release trapped air bubbles.
- Bake at 280°F (140°C) for just 15 minutes, or until the edges are set but the centers have a subtle wobble. Turn off the oven, prop the door open slightly, and let them sit inside for 5 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, cool completely at room temperature, then wrap tightly and refrigerate for at least 3 hours to set completely.
Make the Strawberry Topping
- In a saucepan, add the halved strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice, and mix over medium-high heat.
- Decrease the heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes, mixing occasionally.
- Mix the cornstarch in a small bowl with a little bit of water and pour it into the strawberry mixture, mixing constantly. Simmer for another 2-3 minutes until the mixture thickens.
- Remove from heat and let cool completely. Top each chilled mini cheesecake with strawberry sauce right before serving.
Notes
- Room-Temperature Ingredients: Ensure your cream cheese, sour cream, and eggs are at room temperature before mixing. Cold cream cheese causes lumps, and over-mixing cold batter to smooth them out incorporates air bubbles that cause the cheesecakes to sink in the center.
- Low & Slow Bake: Baking at 280°F (140°C) allows the mini cheesecakes to bake through evenly without a water bath. Check them right at the 15-minute mark—the edges should look set while the center has a slight wobble.
- Cooling Process: Do not skip resting the cheesecakes in the turned-off oven with the door propped open for 5 minutes. A sudden drop in temperature when pulling hot cheesecakes directly into cool room air can cause the surfaces to crack or drop in the middle.
- Strawberry Topping: You can use fresh or frozen strawberries. If using frozen, add them directly to the saucepan without thawing—just simmer for an extra 2 to 3 minutes until the cornstarch thickens the juices into a glossy sauce.
- Easy Paper Wrapper Removal: Always chill the cheesecakes in the refrigerator for at least 3 to 4 hours before peeling off the paper liners. Attempting to unwrap them while warm will cause the soft edges to stick and tear.
- Storing & Freezing: Store plain or topped mini cheesecakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To freeze, wrap plain, un-topped cheesecakes tightly in plastic wrap and foil for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and add the strawberry topping right before serving.
Jo says
I have one suggestion for the recipe. Can you please note how much water to mix with the cornstarch for the strawberry topping?
RichandDelish says
Hi! For one tsp of cornstarch mix with about 2-3 tsp of water.
Jodi says
Can you use paper cups in the tins?
RichandDelish says
If they fit, it should work!
Jo says
Nevermind- It says use paper liners in the recipe I missed that!
Ciara says
Wow! So delicious. They were really easy to make and look really cute. I couldn’t believe how easy this recipe was. The cheesecake is rich but not too sweet. I also like that it would be easy to customize the topping. Will definitely be making this one over and over this summer. Thanks!
RichandDelish says
I'm so glad you liked it! Thank you for your sweet comment!
YUKTHA SATHEESAN says
😍 wow! so delicious 😋