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Santa Hat Mini Cheesecakes Recipe

★★★★★

4.9 from 115 reviews
  • Author: Thomas
  • Total Time: 42 minutes
  • Yield: 24 mini cheesecakes 1x

Description

These Santa Hat Mini Cheesecakes are a festive and delightful holiday dessert featuring a rich cream cheese filling atop a buttery graham cracker crust, topped with fluffy whipped cream and fresh strawberries shaped like Santa hats. Perfect for parties and gatherings, they are bite-sized, easy to make, and sure to impress guests with their charming appearance.

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

Whipped Cream Topping

  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • ¾ cup powdered sugar

Decoration

  • Whole strawberries, tops removed

Instructions

  1. Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a mini muffin pan with mini cupcake liners.
  2. Make the Crust Mixture: In a mixing bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs and melted butter until the mixture resembles wet sand.
  3. Form Crust: Scoop about 1 tablespoon of the crumb mixture into each muffin liner and press evenly using fingertips to pack tightly.
  4. Bake the Crust: Bake the crusts for 5 minutes and allow them to cool while preparing the cheesecake batter.
  5. Lower Oven Temperature: Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F for baking the cheesecakes.
  6. Mix Cream Cheese and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and granulated sugar together on low speed until well combined and smooth.
  7. Add Remaining Filling Ingredients: Add eggs, sour cream, and vanilla extract to the cream cheese mixture and beat for about 1 minute until smooth and creamy.
  8. Fill Muffin Liners: Spoon a generous teaspoon of the cheesecake batter onto each crust, filling to the top of the liners.
  9. Bake Cheesecakes: Bake for 15-17 minutes until set, then remove from the oven and let cool completely. If needed, bake in batches.
  10. Make Whipped Cream: In a medium bowl, beat heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar with a hand mixer until stiff peaks form. Transfer to a piping bag.
  11. Pipe Whipped Cream: Pipe the whipped cream onto the center of each cooled mini cheesecake.
  12. Add Strawberry Hats: Place a whole strawberry, flat side down, on top of each whipped cream, gently pressing it into place.
  13. Top with Whipped Cream: Add a small dollop of whipped cream to the tip of each strawberry to complete the Santa hat look.
  14. Chill and Serve: Refrigerate the mini cheesecakes until ready to serve to allow flavors to meld and whipped cream to set.

Notes

  • You can prepare the crust and cheesecake batter ahead of time and bake in batches if you don’t have multiple mini muffin pans.
  • Ensure cream cheese and eggs are at room temperature for a smooth batter.
  • Use fresh, firm strawberries for best appearance and taste.
  • Refrigerate leftover cheesecakes and consume within 3 days for optimal freshness.
  • For a lighter version, substitute sour cream with Greek yogurt and reduced-fat cream cheese, though texture may vary slightly.
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 22 minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Keywords: mini cheesecakes, holiday dessert, Santa hat cupcakes, Christmas treats, cream cheese dessert, festive cheesecake, graham cracker crust

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Find it online: https://mealmagicplace.com/santa-hat-mini-cheesecakes-recipe/