Gluten-Free Mini Cheesecakes
Updated
When I need a dessert that always impresses without much fuss, I turn to these gluten-free mini cheesecakes. They’re rich and creamy with a classic graham cracker crust, but in a perfectly portioned size that makes them easy to serve at parties or family gatherings
“Perfect every time and so easy to make for the person who comes to dinner and wants dessert too!”
– Julie
I’ve always loved making gluten-free cheesecake, but baking it in muffin tins is so much easier and less fussy than a full-sized version. With a simple gluten-free graham cracker crust and a smooth, creamy cheesecake filling, these little treats come together in half the time and without the need for a springform pan or water bath. They’re also the perfect handheld dessert for holiday parties! Everyone gets their own individual cheesecake, and you don’t have to worry about slicing or serving.
Gluten-Free Baking Tips
- Use room-temperature cream cheese. Make sure cream cheese and other ingredients are room temperature to create a smooth, lump-free batter.
- Don’t over mix. Once the eggs are added to the batter be sure not to over mix. This helps prevent cracks and sinking.
- Avoid opening the oven door too early. Sudden changes in temperature can cause the cheesecakes to sink.
Gluten-Free Mini Cheesecakes
Equipment
- 1 muffin tin regular sized (12 cup) muffin tin
Ingredients
- 1¼ cup gluten-free graham cracker crumbs, I use Schär Honeygrams (1 package is enough) or homemade gluten-free graham crackers to make the crumbs
- 2 tbsp light brown sugar, packed
- 5 tbsp butter, melted
- 16 oz. cream cheese , Two 8 oz packages, room temperature
- ½ cup sour cream, room temperature
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 tsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.
- To make the crust: crush the Honeygrams in a food processor or by placing the cookies in a plastic storage bag and crushing them with a rolling pin or your hands. Stir together the crumbs, brown sugar, and melted butter. Add about 1 ½ tablespoons of the mixture into the bottom of each muffin liner and press down to make a crust.
- Beat the room temperature cream cheese with a mixer on low-medium for 1-2 minutes, until fluffy. Beat in room temperature sour cream, egg, sugar, vanilla, and lemon juice. To avoid lumps make sure your ingredients are room temperature. See tips in recipe notes on how to quickly bring ingredients to room temperature.
- Using a greased cookie scoop, evenly divide the cheesecake filling among crusts, filling the muffin liners to the top. Bake for 20 minutes, until they just begin to brown. When you bring the cheesecakes out of the oven they will be puffy, but sink once they cool. Cool completely and then cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours to overnight. Allow to thaw for 2-3 minutes before removing from the muffin pan. Serve plain or with your favorite toppings.
Notes
- This recipe is made in a standard 12-cup muffin tin, so they’re mini compared to a full 12-inch cheesecake. If you want to make them in a mini muffin tin, reduce the bake time to about 10–12 minutes and use about 1 tsp of crust mixture and 1 tbsp of filling per cup.
- You can quickly bring cold ingredients to room temperature by placing them in a bowl of warm water for 2–3 minutes.
- For an extra-smooth texture, bake the cheesecakes in a water bath, though it’s not required.
- Don’t worry if cracks appear on top. As the cheesecakes cool, they naturally sink down, and the cracks usually fill in on their own.
- Readers have had success substituting with lactose-free cream cheese, lactose-free sour cream, and Greek yogurt sub for the sour cream. Add 1 tsp of lemon juice or white vinegar to the yogurt to sour it a bit.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How To Make Gluten-Free Mini Cheesecakes
Gather the ingredients: Gather all the ingredients together. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.
Make the crust: Crush 1¼ cups of gluten-free graham crackers in a food processor or by sealing them in a plastic bag and crushing with a rolling pin. Stir in 2 tbsp of packed light brown sugar and 5 tbsp of melted butter until combined. (photo 1)
Pack the crust: Add about 1½ tbsp of the mixture into the bottom of each muffin liner and press down firmly to form the crust. (photo 2)
Make the filling: In a large mixing bowl, beat two 8-oz packages of room-temperature cream cheese with a hand or stand mixer on low-medium speed for 1–2 minutes, until fluffy. (photo 3)
Beat until smooth: Mix in ½ cup of room-temperature sour cream, then beat in 2 large room-temperature eggs, ½ cup of granulated sugar, 2 tsp of pure vanilla extract, and 1 tsp of lemon juice until smooth. (photo 4)
(Tip: Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature to prevent lumps.)
Portion the filling: Using a greased cookie scoop or spoon, evenly divide the filling over the prepared crusts, filling each liner to the top. (photo 6)
Bake the cheesecakes: Bake for 20 minutes, until the cheesecakes are just starting to turn golden at the edges. They will look puffy when they come out of the oven, but will sink slightly as they cool. (photo 7)
Cool and serve: Cool completely at room temperature, then cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight. Let them sit for 2–3 minutes before removing from the muffin pan. Serve plain or add your favorite toppings like fresh fruit, caramel, or cookie crumbs. (photo 8)
Topping Ideas For Cheesecakes
There are so many ways you can top these mini cheesecakes! They are delicious served as plain cheesecakes, but they are so fun to decorate with your favorite cheesecake toppings.
- Fresh berries
- Strawberry reduction
- Lemon curd
- Whipped cream
- Canned cherry pie filling
- Chocolate sauce
- Caramel sauce
Serving Suggestions
These gluten-free mini cheesecakes are so versatile when it comes to serving. You can keep them simple with a topping of fresh berries, add a drizzle of raspberry coulis, or sprinkle crushed gluten-free snickerdoodles for extra crunch. They’re perfect for birthdays, holiday dessert tables, or even bridal showers since they feel special but are easy to grab and enjoy. If you’re putting together a festive dessert table, gluten-free king cake is a beautiful addition alongside these mini cheesecakes.
Storage Instructions
These mini cheesecakes are the perfect make-ahead dessert. Once the cheesecakes are completely cooled, cover and refrigerate. Store them in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Do not remove the cupcake wrappers or add your favorite toppings until just before serving.
You can freeze them either left wrapped in the cupcake liners or unwrapped, placed in a freezer-safe container. Make sure you freeze them plain without adding any topping. They can be frozen for up to 1 month. Simple defrost overnight in the refrigerator or on the counter at room temperature for 5-10 minutes.
My celiac kiddo AND her very picky, non-celiac sibling LOVED these mini cheesecakes! I’m not a great chef, but these were really easy to make. I did the water bath (optional) and they turned out perfectly. So delicious! Will be making many times in the future.
This recipe is not accurate. 1.25 cups cracker crumbs is equivalent to 20 tbsp of crumbs. Add 2 tbsp of brown sugar and 5 tbsp butter and there are 27 tbsp of crumb mixture. It tells you to put 1.5 tbsp of crumb mixture in each cup. 27 divided by 1.5 is 18. So the crumb mixture fills 18 cupcakes, not 12. That is a huge discrepancy. Baking requires precision, and it’s really annoying to me when the measurements in recipes are so wildly off. The taste was good but please correct the measurements.
Hi Coco, Thanks for taking the time to point this out and for explaining your calculations. You’re right that baking relies on precision, and I understand why the discrepancy was frustrating. Measuring crumb mixtures by tablespoons can vary a bit depending on how finely the crackers are crushed and how firmly the crust is packed into the liners, but your feedback is helpful and I’ll definitely revisit that section of the recipe to make the yield and portioning clearer.
I made these for my daughters 30th birthday garden party and they were a hit 😁
These turn out so nicely. I’ve made them quite a few times, the last time for a large group of women at a weekend retreat. I used lemon curd and Bonne Maman preserves as the toppings, each could choose. I don’t use as much crumbs as called for, as I think it’s excessive. I like the brand of graham crackers that you use, they taste pretty good on their own and they’re available at my grocery store. I’m making another large batch for an open house at the art center later this month.
These are amazing! I used Kinnikinnick Graham Style Crumbs, doubled the recipe, and used foil liners to make them festive for NYE. Followed your recipe to a “T” and they came out perfectly light, fluffy, and decadently delicious! The crisp crust and heavenly, pillowy filling were a lovely contrast. SO much better than the “no bake” recipe I used to make. Thank you so much, Audrey!
Lovely recipe. How long should I cook the GF cheesecakes in a Texas Muffin Pan?
Hi, I recommend baking for an extra 5 to 10 minutes at a slightly lower temperature
Could this be made with fat-free or low-fat cottage cheese?🍡🍡
Hi, we haven’t tested it with that substitution.
I made it like that and it is definitely not as creamy that way, but still lovely. Thank you.
Thanks for letting us know!
Looking forward to assembling and baking up these to fine Christmas dessert receipts for a family Christmas get together with a collection of of delicious foods and treats… so much deliciousness to share and enjoy❄️!
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all! From MG!
I just made these mini cheesecakes and everyone LOVED them. I followed the recipe exactly and used a regular cupcake pan. The batter made a few more than it said it would. I added some sweetened fresh berries on top! SOOOOO GOOD. This will be my go to dessert when I offer to bring one to a party. Thank you.
These were phenomenal! I made them for Thanksgiving and baked them both in regular muffin tins and mini muffin tins so I could offer bite size ones in addition to normal dessert sized ones. Everyone loved them and raved about their flavor. Most chose the canned cherry pie filling over the berries or thinned jam I had as other topping choices. Will likely be a new standard for our holiday gatherings. Was very easy to do following her directions.
Just made these for Thanksgiving dessert and they were a hit with everyone. I swapped out the sugar with coconut sugar and I added a small amount of maple syrup + coconut sugar in place of the brown sugar. Will definitely make again.