Mini Cheesecakes with caramel sauce are completely delicious and easy to make since the cheesecake base is just 3 ingredients! If you love the classic taste and texture of a classic Cheesecake but want the simplicity of a No-Bake Cheesecake you will love this recipe!
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
Best Mini Cheesecake Recipe
We have tested scores of mini cheesecake recipes and it’s easy to say, this is THE ONE! One of my readers, Marta, shared her 3-ingredient mini cheesecake recipe with me, and I instantly fell in love with the flavor, texture, and how completely easy they were. This recipe makes 24 cupcake-sized cheesecakes.
Here, we used Marta’s cheesecake recipe, added a super-simple graham cracker crust, and drizzled sweet caramel and whipped cream over each one.
We just love mini, individual-sized desserts like Creme Brulee or Chocolate Souffle, and these mini cheesecakes are so easy and delicious that they will become one of your go-to desserts.
Mini Cheesecakes Video
Watch Natasha whip up these simple mini cheesecakes while giving you her tips on how to make them easy to make and look great for a party. Make these baby cheesecakes once and you’ll make them over and over!
Ingredients for Mini Cheesecakes:
These mini cheesecakes come together quickly and can be easily doubled to treat a whole crowd.
- Cream Cheese – room temperature so it mixes evenly. We use regular cream cheese bricks for the best texture and taste. Light or whipped won’t create the same flavor.
- Eggs – room-temperature eggs are the secret to making the batter
- Sweetened Condensed Milk – the secret ingredient, making the cheesecake perfectly sweetened and creamy smooth
- Crust – graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and cinnamon combine to make the perfect cheesecake crust. For gluten-free mini cheesecakes, substitute GF graham crackers or omit the crust.
- Topping – we used our easy Caramel Sauce (you won’t want store-bought after trying it!), using just 4 ingredients. If you want some variety, you can also try the strawberry topping in our Mini Strawberry Cheesecake recipe.
How to Make Mini Crusts
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 24-count standard-sized muffin tin with cupcake liners.
- Combine graham cracker crumbs, butter, and cinnamon in a bowl until evenly moistened.
- Spoon the mixture evenly into the lined muffin tins, and press the crumbs into the base and slightly up the sides.
How to Make Mini Cheesecakes
- Whisk the cream cheese and eggs (by hand or with a hand mixer) on high speed for 5 minutes, or until smooth, scraping down the bowl as needed. Add condensed milk and mix on LOW speed for 2 minutes to avoid adding air bubbles that can cause the cheesecakes to crack when baking.
- Divide the batter evenly over the 24 crusts, filling each one about 3/4 full (or with a level ice cream scoop), and bake at 350˚F for 15 minutes. The cheesecakes should be set but still have a very slight jiggle in the center. Do not overbake.
- Cool the cupcakes in the muffin tin to room temperature before spooning Caramel Sauce over each one. Refrigerate the cooled and topped cheesecakes for 2 hours. Then, dollop homemade whipped cream (see directions below) and dust with cinnamon, if desired.
Pro Tip
Avoid overbaking. Due to their small size, mini cheesecakes cook much faster than traditional Cheesecakes, so it’s easy to overbake. Take them out of the oven when the edges are set and the center may have a very slight wobble. Also, cracking is a sign of overbaking.
How to Make Whipped Cream Topping
- Combine 1 cup cold heavy cream, 1 Tbsp sugar, and 1/2 tsp of vanilla in a large mixing bowl (preferably a chilled bowl). Beat the ingredients together with an electric mixture or hand mixer on high speed for 2 minutes or until fluffy. Using a piping bag with a star tip, pipe the whipped cream over each cupcake.
Make-Ahead
You can completely assemble, decorate, cover, and refrigerate overnight. In fact, ours tasted and looked perfect the next day. We just love make-ahead desserts!
- To Refrigerate: Cover in an airtight container and refrigerate for 3 days
- Freezing: Before topping with sauce or whipped cream, flash-freeze cheesecakes by placing them on a sheet pan in the freezer. When frozen, store it in a covered container or ziptop bag in a single layer, being sure to get the air out of the container.
- To Serve: Thaw in the fridge overnight.
These mini cheesecakes are so easy to make and so incredibly creamy and delicious! Make them a day ahead to take one “to-do” off your list before hosting friends and family, because these cheesecake cupcakes are truly the perfect party dessert!
More Mini Dessert Recipes
Once you try this mini cheesecake recipe, we bet you’ll fall in love with bite-sized desserts, especially when hosting! Here are a few of our favorite mini desserts to serve at your next party.
- Pavlovas
- Mini Pumpkin Pies
- Baklava Cups
- Eton Mess
- Raspberry Mousse Cups
- Vanilla Cupcakes
- Coconut Balls
Mini Cheesecakes with Caramel Sauce
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs, from 12 whole crackers*
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
For the Mini Cheesecakes:
- 16 oz cream cheese, from two 8oz packages, softened
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 14 oz sweetened condensed milk
Topping Ingredients:
- 1 cup caramel sauce
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream, chilled
- 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon to garnish, optional
Instructions
How to Make the Crust:
- Prep: Preheat Oven to 350˚F. Line a 24-count muffin tin with standard cupcake liners.
- In a bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs, 6 Tbsp melted butter, and 1/2 tsp cinnamon. Stir to evenly moisten crumbs.
- Divide crumbs between 24 cupcake liners (about 1 Tbsp in each). Push crumbs into the base and slightly up the sides using a small spoon or your fingers.
How to Make Mini Cheesecakes:
- In a large mixing bowl, beat together 16 oz cream cheese and 3 eggs with on high speed 5 minutes, until blended and smooth, scraping down bowl as needed. Add condensed milk and mix on low speed** until blended (2 min).
- Divide cheesecake mix evenly between cupcake liners – about 3/4 full (or a level ice cream scoop in each one) and bake at 350˚F for 15 min. They should be set with a very slight jiggle in the center. Don't over-bake. If you notice them starting to crack in the oven, they are over-baking.
- Cool to room temp in baking dish then spoon 1/2 to 1 Tbsp caramel sauce over each one. Refrigerate 2 hrs or until fully chilled then top with whipped cream using a piping bag with large star tip. Lightly dust with cinnamon if desired. Serve with or without liners.
How to Make Whipped Cream:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 cup cold heavy cream, 1 Tbsp sugar and 1/2 tsp vanilla and beat together with an electric mixer on high speed for 2 minutes or until whipped and fluffy.
Notes
**Cooks Tip: Mixing the condensed milk on LOW speed helps knock out excess air bubbles which can cause the cheesecakes to crack.
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
Love your recipes. Only problem is the measurements they confuse me. Need help with that . Love your bubbly attitude and smile.
Hi Hajra, have you seen our post on measuring? Check it out HERE! I hope this helps!
Hi Natasha! I super love your recipes. Thank you so much! Though I have one question about this mini cheesecakes, may I know the estimated ounces per cheesecake? Thank you!
Hi Maria, I have never weighed them that way so I’m not sure.
I’m doing a dessert table for my son’s wedding and we are doing everything in mini or bite size muffins.do you think these will work , how long do you think I should bake them and do you think they will freeze? We are cooking for 250 so we need to start early.
Hi Connie, I bet that could work in a smaller size without testing it I imagine the time won’t change by much but watch it closely towards the end. I haven’t tried freezing mini cheesecakes, but I imagine these would freeze and thaw fine. I suggest thawing in the fridge and definitely add the topping before serving and not ahead of time.
Hi Natasha, can I use this same recipe to make just 1 big cheesecake? If so, is there anything different I must do?
Hi Tracey! Yes, you can follow this recipe HERE – we made a full size just like it, simply change to toping to caramel sauce.
Do these need to be refrigerated?
Or can they be left at room temperature?
Hi Valeria, yes, these need to be refrigerated. You can completely assemble, decorate, cover, and refrigerate overnight. Ours tasted and looked perfect the next day. We just love make-ahead desserts!
Auuggh!! Help!! I’m rating the recipe 5 stars because it’s me not the recipe!! My cheesecake was a bubbled mess when I mixed the condensed milk on the lowest speed my hand mixer has!! It cracked, the crust tasted a little burnt and my caramel was super salty!!! I have a big mixer, should I use that instead? I used unsalted butter, sea salt, and the correct measurements. I used 1/4 cup heavy cream and 1/4 cup, 2% Milk. Is the milk where I went wrong? Should I have used whole milk or the half and half, which I didn’t have? Advice please!!! I want to try this recipe again!
Hi Jenna, if it cracked and the crust tasted burnt, it’s most likely due to overbaking. Make sure not to bake on convection mode. I would always suggest making the recipe as written without making adjustments the first time. Without testing those substitutions, I am assuming that could have been the culprit as well.
This recipe is so good!! I live in Australia, i used butternut snap biscuits as the base and my goddddd – so delicious.
That’s a great idea, Sophie! Thank you so much for sharing that with me!
Could I add a little sour cream to these or will it mess up the filling texture?
Thanks
Hi Chelsea, I bet that could work! Here’s what one of our readers wrote: “It worked! I used 5 packs of cream cheese, 6 eggs, 1/2 cup of sour cream, and 2 cans of condensed milk. Baked for an hour at 325 until just barely turning golden on top. Next time I would do 1.5 cans of the sweetened condensed milk for less sweetness. Thanks for the inspiration! This is my new favorite cheesecake now!” I hope that helps!
Hi Natasha,
Super love your recipes, they give me so much confidence to continue whipping out great dishes for my family! Anyway, is there a substitute for the condensed milk in this recipe?
Thank you for your good comments, Sarhani. The condensed milk is the secret ingredient of this recipe and I have not tried any substitute for this yet.
Hello Natasha,
Thanks for sharing your recipes! I have tried lots of them and I have become your fan. 😊
I want to make these cheesecakes but only for a dozen. Should I use 1 or 2eggs for the cheesecake?
Many thanks! Stay safe.
You’re so welcome, Mari. You may adjust the serving size and ingredients by clicking on “Jump to recipe” and click the # of servings to adjust.
These mini cheesecakes are the best! So easy to make and absolutely delicious. The caramel sauce is so yummy.
I’m so glad you enjoyed that Jodeez! Thank you for that wonderful review!
Natasha! I made this recipe and it was such a hit! Everyone loved them!
I was wondering can we make this in a springform pan instead of in cupcake molds?
Hi Rosario, I haven’t tried making this as a full-size cheesecake so I don’t know how it would rise. This is our go-to springform recipe for cheesecake.
Super easy and fast, they were amazing thanks! Followed exact!
I’m so happy you liked that Jennifer! Thank you for that awesome feedback!
definitely gonna try this again!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed that!
hii Natasha,
Firstly i want to say every time i make any of your recipes it always comes out AMAZING and SUPER DELICIOUS. This is the first time I’ve ever made like a cheesecake and it came out super creamy and super delicious i did it the exact way you did. The best and most creamiest cheesecake I’ve ever had. YOU ARE AN AMAZING PERSON NATASHA I CAN’T THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR ALL THESE WONDERFUL RECIPES.
That’s just awesome Amirah! Thank you for the wonderful review!
Hi! I was wondering if this recipe would work for a 10 inch springform pan, instead of making 24 mini ones?
Hi Andrea, I haven’t tried making this as a full-size cheesecake so I don’t know how it would rise. This is our go-to springform recipe for cheesecake.
Hi Natasha! I love every recipe of yours and have always had a great result. But this time something went wrong.
I just made the mini cheesecakes exactly as the recipe but when i took them out of the oven they were a little cracking and a minute later a big hole in the center forms.
Whats do you think that happens?
Hi Maria, I have not had that experience but I’d be more than happy to troubleshoot! Was anything altered in the recipe? Was it baked all the way? I would also recommend checking your oven temp to be sure it is calibrated.
Hi Natasha
Just made the cupcakes, after I took them out the oven I noticed half of the cupcake start to shrink in the middle, I made them exactly like your video, the only thing I did different I took a 24 cupcake pan. Not sure what I did wrong
Hi Bettina, shrinking in the middle is usually due to over baking. Make sure to bake on regular conventional mode and not convection.
I’ve made these cheesecakes a few times already and I am making them today as well. They are so so yummy and so easy to make! Thank you for this recipe.
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
I halved the recipe bc I am not really a cheesecake person, but wanted to try this since it’s a cupcake size cheesecake. The outcome didn’t taste like cheesecake, as all I can taste is the condensed milk. Maybe I did something wrong, but I don’t think I’m making this again. The only thing I liked was the whipped cream topping.
Hi, I wonder if it was due to a modification – the recipe is simple but should taste like cheesecake. I always suggest making the recipe as is before modifying for the first time.
Is the cheesecake mixture supposed to be runny before putting in the pan? The only cheesecake I’ve ever made is thicker.
Hi Stacia, I suggest watching the video to see if your texture was the same as mine. I hope that helps.
Hi! Can I use this recipe to make mini Oreo cheesecake?
Hello Apple, that sounds like a delicious dessert however I haven’t tried it personally to advise of the measurements. If you do an experiment please share with us how it goes!