Mer and Meg's Escapades

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Mama’s Mini Cherry Cheesecakes

Meaghan Smith

These mini cheesecakes are my jam! They signify my childhood and now adulthood. Growing up I didn’t even realize how lucky I was to always have mini cheesecakes whenever I wanted them. This is my Mom’s recipe and she makes them for potlucks, holidays, birthdays, really any celebration you can think of. My brother has always requested my Mom to make them the most and now every time my Mom visits she makes them for my husband too, as they are his favorite and “no one can make them better than her”. I feel like the proverbial torch has been passed on to me now, to be the mini cheesecake maker, whenever my Mom is not in town. These are my go to dessert to make for any occasion!

OH AND LET’S NOT FORGET THIS IMPORTANT TIP - whatever you do, please, please, please make sure your cream cheese and eggs are at room temperature! Ha! Laughing but serious, I learned this the hard way when I made them for the first time in college away from home and they did NOT turn out like I was eagerly anticipating! So learn from my mistakes and ALWAYS make sure your ingredients are room temperature. K? Great! Enjoy, Friends!

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Ingredients

  • Two 8 ounce packages of cream cheese, softened

  • 2/3 cup of sugar

  • 1/2 tsp almond extract

  • 3 eggs, at room temperature

  • 12 Nilla Wafer Cookies

Cheesecake Topping

  • 1 cup sour cream

  • 3 tbsp sugar

  • 1 tsp vanilla

  • 1 can of cherry pie filling

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven roll 350F degrees

  2. Line muffin tin and place one Nilla wafer cookie at the bottom of each muffin tin

  3. Beat together all remaining cheesecake filling ingredients until fluffy - cream cheese, sugar, almond extract, and adding one egg at a time until well combined

  4. Pour the filling mixture into muffin tins and bake for about 25-30 mins

  5. While the cheesecakes are baking, stir together topping ingredients of sour cream, sugar and vanilla

  6. Once cheesecakes are done baking (should be slightly brown on top, when you take them out they should start to deflate to create a well for the topping) spread the sour cream mixture over the hot cheesecakes 

  7. Let cool and top them with cherry pie filling

  8. Chill in refrigerator for a few hours before serving