Mini Cheesecake for Two (2024)

32 minutes

Home > Recipes > Desserts > Cake > Mini Cheesecake for Two

4.86 from 28 votes

by Lisa Longley

|

posted: 01/09/15

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy

Jump to Recipe

by Lisa Longley

|

posted: 01/09/15

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy

Jump to Recipe

This cute little Mini Cheesecake is just perfect for you and your date . . . or if you don’t have a date for Valentine’s Day, just eat the whole thing yourself, and I won’t tell! If you are looking for a small cheesecake recipe, this is the one for you!Mini Cheesecake for Two (2)

Mini Cheesecake for Two (3)

This past September Nathan and I celebrated our 10 year wedding anniversary. Just the other day, I looked at him and said that I would have never imagined how much stress kids add to a marriage. I mean, sure, I saw my parents fight, but surely it never had anything to do with us!

Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t trade our kids for the world. Andultimately they have totally enriched our marriage and brought us together time and time again. But for the love of fish sticks, my dear lord. It is exhausting rearing these small little people who are full of demands and hungry all the time. It’s like a clown show around her most days, so no kidding it takes a toll on a marriage!

Mini Cheesecake for Two (4)

So one of my non resolution resolutions for the New Year (because making actual resolutions is just setting myself up for disappointment and frustration when I don’t do it) was to date my husband more. We have like zero babysitters. Yes, we have kind friends who are willing to sit for us in a pinch, but they also have little kids, and I hate to ask. So we are trying to do more date nights at home. The first one was actually on New Years Eve. We put on some jazz music (btw, with Alexa, who I begrudgingly love, but that’s a whole other post), we made some amazingly delicious and decadent food, and just cooked together. We ate most of it standing in our kitchen because I can’t time a meal correctly to save my life, but then we took the last bits and sat in front of our fireplace. It was low key and kind of magical.

And it really felt like a date.

Mini Cheesecake for Two (5)

I told Nathan right away that I want to recreate that date night for Valentine’s Day. Only this time, I want to serve this cheesecake at the end. This teenie tiny mini cheesecake for two was first created back in September to celebrate Nathan’s birthday. Nathan is a cheesecake connoisseur, and it got his stamp of approval. It’s just his style, uncomplicated and doused in cherries.

NOTES FOR THIS SMALL CHEESECAKE RECIPE

  • When you are making a cheesecake, the cream cheese has to be at room temperature. Don’t microwave your brick of cream cheese. Just be patient, leave it on the counter for a couple hours (I like at least four) and do the same with your egg.
  • This isn’t a lot of cream cheese to blend. It will want to just stick to the sides of the bowl. So make sure to scrape it down and blend again at least one time. You want it to be smooth.
  • I got my mini cheesecake pans (four inches) from Target, but you can find them on Amazon as well.
  • The cherry sauce is made with water and not juice. This was a recipe from my mom (that I’m 99% sure came from a cherry can). Her recipe called for juice, but I didn’t have any and just used water. It was the perfect amount of sweetness for the cheesecake. If you would like it sweeter, replace it with cranberry juice.
  • Or just buy cherry pie filling. I won’t tell.

Mini Cheesecake for Two (6)

Mini Cheesecake for Two (7)

Prep: 10 minutes minutes

Cook: 22 minutes minutes

Total: 32 minutes minutes

If you are looking for a small cheesecake recipe, this is the one for you!

print pin it rate

Ingredients

For the Cheesecake

  • 8 oz cream cheese room temperature (see note)
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla

For the Cherry Sauce

  • 1/2 cup water see note
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 TBSP corn starch
  • 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp almond extract
  • 1 cup frozen cherries thawed

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

  • Beat the brick of cream cheese until it is smooth. Scrape down the sides, and beat for another 30 seconds. Beat in the sugar, then the vanilla, and then the egg.

  • Pour into 4 inch springform pan . Bake for 22 minutes until the edges are lightly golden and the middle still has a wiggle to it. Turn the oven off and leave the cheesecake in with the door closed for a half hour. Take the cheesecake out and leave it on the counter 10 minutes. Before putting it in the refrigerator, gently run a thin knife between the edges of the pan and the cheesecake. Cover and refrigerate for at least four hours before serving.

  • Before serving the cheesecake, combine the water, sugar, and corn starch, and cinnamon in a small saucepan over medium low heat. Stir continuously until fully combined.

  • Add the almond extract and cherries. Continue to cook, breaking up the cherries slightly until the the sauce is a deep dark red color.

  • Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly before topping the cheesecake and serving.

Notes

Make sure that your brick cream cheese is brand name, full fat, and completely room temperature. It takes about 4 hours in my house of it sitting on the counter.

The cherry sauce can also be made with juice instead of water, and it will be slightly sweeter. For me, water made it perfectly sweet enough to top the cheesecake, but if you like things sweeter, go with juice.

Author: Lisa Longley

Mini Cheesecake for Two (9)

did you make this

Mini Cheesecake for Two

I'd love to see what you made! Tag me @lisasimplejoy and hashtag it #simplejoyrecipes!

You might also like

Chocolate Covered Cherry Monkey Bread

Vanilla Bean Cheesecake

Mini Cheesecake for Two (12)

This post contains affiliate links, if you click on them and then make a purchase, I make a small amount of money at no additional cost to you. Thank you in advance for supporting Wine & Glue.

Mini Cheesecake for Two (13)

Mini Cheesecake for Two (14)

10EasyDinners

MEAL PLAN LIKE A BOSSdownload my free top 10 easy dinner ebook!

Mini Cheesecake for Two (15)

Hi! I'm Lisa Longley, and I am committed to giving you simple dinner ideas and recipes that are easy to make; recipes that will fill your home with joy. I am the owner and author of SimpleJoy.com and I'm so glad that you are here.

Reader Interactions

    LEAVE A COMMENT

  1. Linda says

    Mini Cheesecake for Two (16)
    I made these in a cupcake pan, with the paper wrappers, and it made 12, with a little bit leftover that I put into a small ramekin and finished in the toaster oven. I used some crumbled peanut butter cookies for the crusts, then added a tablespoon of cocoa and a tablespoon of peanut butter……they came out great! We especially like them with some chocolate sauce drizzled over the tops…..yummy.

    Reply

    • Mini Cheesecake for Two (17)Lisa Longley says

      I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed them!

      Reply

  2. Ginny says

    This was quick and easy. Just the right size. I don’t know if others feel this way, but I sure wish the recipe was up front and the info and ads after. All I need is the recipe and it long and tedious to always scroll through a mass of info that not needed. Another option is to put a hyperlink to the recipe.

    Reply

    • Mini Cheesecake for Two (18)Lisa Longley says

      This is the reason we have a jump to the recipe button at the top of the post.

      Reply

  3. Rebecca says

    Thank you! I have 4” pans and needed a recipe with bake times. Also, a date night suggestion. Swap with another couple once a month. One month, you and your hubby go to dinner while your friends watch and feed the kids. Swap it out the next month. When you get back, hang out with your friends awhile for grown up conversation. That’s what we did, and it was so much fun! Win win!

    Reply

    • Mini Cheesecake for Two (19)Lisa Longley says

      That’s what we did for years!! Thankfully, these days my oldest is a teen and a fantastic babysitter.

      Reply

  4. Lisa says

    Can you make this cheesecake in two ramekins instead?

    Reply

    • Mini Cheesecake for Two (20)Lisa Longley says

      Unfortunately, I haven’t tested that.

      Reply

  5. Karen says

    It looks like the crust is made with chocolate crumbs, but no ingredients are given.

    Reply

    • Mini Cheesecake for Two (21)Lisa Longley says

      What you are seeing is the bottom of the mini springform pan.

      Reply

  6. Carol says

    IS THERE NO CRUST

    Reply

    • Mini Cheesecake for Two (22)Lisa Longley says

      Correct.

      Reply

older comments

Mini Cheesecake for Two (2024)

FAQs

What causes mini cheesecakes to sink in the middle? ›

Cheesecake may sink in the middle due to overbeating the batter, which incorporates too much air, or drastic temperature changes causing it to rise and fall rapidly. Also, if it's underbaked, the middle may collapse. Cooling gradually can help prevent sinking.

How do you know when mini cheesecakes are done? ›

Divide the batter between all the liners. It's about 1 Tablespoon per cheesecake. Bake until the edges are set and the centers only slightly jiggle, about 18–20 minutes.

Is it cheaper to make cheesecake or buy it? ›

Cheesecake is not expensive to make. It's cheap. Really, it is — you just have to know a few handy tips to trim that price down.

How do you keep the bottom of a cheesecake from getting soggy? ›

You've got to par-bake it

The key to avoiding that dreaded, mushy bottom crust when baking a cheesecake is pre-baking the crust (via Allrecipes). Also known as blind-baking, this practice ensures that the crust will crisp up and be able to resist soaking up all of the moisture from your cheesecake filling as it cooks.

Is it better to overcook or undercook cheesecake? ›

Avoid Overcooking

DON'T overbake. Overbaking a cheesecake can cause cracks on the surface. The center of the cheesecake should still be a little wobbly, the filling still pale, and the outer ring slightly puffy and firm.

Why do mini cheesecakes crack? ›

It may crack if it's too dry. Many people overbake their recipes to “play it safe”. The golden rule is if it no longer trembles in the center, it will set firmly in the refrigerator. Tap the pan on the sides and if the center has firmed up like jello, remove the cake from the oven.

Do you cut cheesecake with a hot or cold knife? ›

Dip a sharp knife into hot water.

Fill a tall container with hot tap water, and dip the knife's blade in hot water. The hot water will ensure that your knife will move smoothly through the cheesecake.

Why does my cheesecake crumbly when I cut it? ›

You might have opened the oven door too soon, letting in a cold draft. Or once you removed your cheesecake from the oven, you were tempted to rush it into the refrigerator for the overnight chill. Either way, the shock of cold to a still-warm cheesecake causes cracks.

Why does my cake sink a little in the middle? ›

Cakes sink in the middle due to several factors, including overmixing of the batter, opening the oven door too soon, or not baking at the right temperature. Expired leavening agents or incorrect proportions of ingredients can also cause sinking.

Why is my cheesecake wet in the middle? ›

You might worry a runny middle means raw cheesecake, but it's totally safe and normal. The center will firm up as it cools on a cooling rack, resulting in the smooth surface you want. Test Kitchen Tip: Cheesecakes made with sour cream should jiggle a little more and will have a larger soft spot in the center.

What makes cheesecake deflate? ›

Don't overmix ingredients.

This way you will be able to blend your ingredients very easily without overmixing. When the batter is overmixed, too much air is added and will cause your cake to rise in the oven and then collapse and crack when being removed.

Can you put an undercooked cheesecake back in the oven? ›

The best way to check for an undercooked cheesecake is to place an electronic thermometer in the middle of the cheesecake once it's baked. If it's at 150 degrees Fahrenheit, that means it's cooked. If it doesn't, place it back into the oven to bake further.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Roderick King

Last Updated:

Views: 6646

Rating: 4 / 5 (71 voted)

Reviews: 86% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Roderick King

Birthday: 1997-10-09

Address: 3782 Madge Knoll, East Dudley, MA 63913

Phone: +2521695290067

Job: Customer Sales Coordinator

Hobby: Gunsmithing, Embroidery, Parkour, Kitesurfing, Rock climbing, Sand art, Beekeeping

Introduction: My name is Roderick King, I am a cute, splendid, excited, perfect, gentle, funny, vivacious person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.