Mini Lemon Cheesecakes with Lemon Curd
Mini Lemon Cheesecakes with Lemon Curd
Ingredients
For the Ginger Snap Crust
- 1 1/2 cups ginger snap cookies, crushed
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
For the Lemon Cheesecake Filling
- 16 ounces cream cheese, softened, cut into cubes
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Topping
- 1 cup lemon curd, store-bought or homemade
- 1/2 cup heavy cream, chilled, for whipped cream
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar, for whipped cream
Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 325
- 2
For the crust: Place ginger snap cookies in a large resealable bag and crush them finely using a rolling pin. Transfer crushed cookies to a medium bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar and melted butter. Mix until well combined.
⏱️ 10 min
- 3
Spoon about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the crust mixture into each paper liner. Using a small tamper or the back of a spoon, firmly press the crust down into the bottom of each liner.
⏱️ 5 min
- 4
Bake the crusts for 8-10 minutes, or until fragrant and lightly golden. Remove from oven and let cool slightly while preparing the filling.
⏱️ 10 min•🌡️ 325
- 5
For the filling: In a large bowl, combine 3/4 cup granulated sugar and lemon zest. Rub the zest into the sugar with your fingers to release the lemon oils and infuse the sugar with flavor.
⏱️ 5 min
- 6
Add cubed cream cheese to the lemon-sugar mixture. Beat with an electric hand mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
⏱️ 5 min
- 7
Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until just incorporated. Do not overmix.
⏱️ 3 min
- 8
Stir in the freshly squeezed lemon juice and vanilla extract until combined.
⏱️ 2 min
- 9
Spoon the cheesecake batter evenly over the pre-baked crusts in the muffin tin, filling each liner almost to the top.
⏱️ 5 min
- 10
Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until the edges are set and the centers are slightly jiggly. The cheesecakes will puff up during baking. Remove from oven and let cool completely in the muffin tin on a wire rack. Once cooled, transfer to the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight.
⏱️ 25 min•🌡️ 325
- 11
Once chilled, carefully remove the mini cheesecakes from the muffin tin. Top each cheesecake with a generous spoonful of lemon curd.
⏱️ 5 min
- 12
For the whipped cream (optional): In a cold bowl with cold beaters, whip heavy cream and powdered sugar on high speed until stiff peaks form. Pipe or spoon a dollop of whipped cream on top of the lemon curd, if desired. Serve chilled.
⏱️ 5 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Mini Lemon Cheesecakes with Lemon Curd
Ingredients
For the Ginger Snap Crust
- 1 1/2 cups ginger snap cookies, crushed
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
For the Lemon Cheesecake Filling
- 16 ounces cream cheese, softened, cut into cubes
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Topping
- 1 cup lemon curd, store-bought or homemade
- 1/2 cup heavy cream, chilled, for whipped cream
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar, for whipped cream
Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 325 - 2
For the crust: Place ginger snap cookies in a large resealable bag and crush them finely using a rolling pin. Transfer crushed cookies to a medium bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar and melted butter. Mix until well combined.
⏱️ 10 min - 3
Spoon about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the crust mixture into each paper liner. Using a small tamper or the back of a spoon, firmly press the crust down into the bottom of each liner.
⏱️ 5 min - 4
Bake the crusts for 8-10 minutes, or until fragrant and lightly golden. Remove from oven and let cool slightly while preparing the filling.
⏱️ 10 min•🌡️ 325 - 5
For the filling: In a large bowl, combine 3/4 cup granulated sugar and lemon zest. Rub the zest into the sugar with your fingers to release the lemon oils and infuse the sugar with flavor.
⏱️ 5 min - 6
Add cubed cream cheese to the lemon-sugar mixture. Beat with an electric hand mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
⏱️ 5 min - 7
Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until just incorporated. Do not overmix.
⏱️ 3 min - 8
Stir in the freshly squeezed lemon juice and vanilla extract until combined.
⏱️ 2 min - 9
Spoon the cheesecake batter evenly over the pre-baked crusts in the muffin tin, filling each liner almost to the top.
⏱️ 5 min - 10
Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until the edges are set and the centers are slightly jiggly. The cheesecakes will puff up during baking. Remove from oven and let cool completely in the muffin tin on a wire rack. Once cooled, transfer to the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight.
⏱️ 25 min•🌡️ 325 - 11
Once chilled, carefully remove the mini cheesecakes from the muffin tin. Top each cheesecake with a generous spoonful of lemon curd.
⏱️ 5 min - 12
For the whipped cream (optional): In a cold bowl with cold beaters, whip heavy cream and powdered sugar on high speed until stiff peaks form. Pipe or spoon a dollop of whipped cream on top of the lemon curd, if desired. Serve chilled.
⏱️ 5 min