Single Serve Cheesecakes

Single Serve Cheesecakes

The other day, Dana and I were watching TV and it suddenly hit me.  I have never made cheesecake on the website.  I had to remedy the situation immediately.  So I went to the store and picked up the ingredients.  I then noticed that I did not have a spring form pan and was unable to make a standard cheesecake.  So I looked around to see what I had.  Then it hit me.  Why don’t I make individual cheesecakes using parchment paper. So I did.

Single Serve Cheesecakes – (adapted from Joy of Baking)

  • Pre-requisites
    • Parchment Paper
    • sheet pan
    • butter or non-stick spray
  • Crust
    • 1 cup crushed graham wafer crumbs
    • 1 tbs granulated white sugar
    • 4 tbs unsalted butter, melted
  • Filling
    • 2 – 8 oz packages of cream cheese, room temperature
    • 2/3 cup granulated white sugar
    • 2 large eggs, room temperature
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/2 cup sour cream

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.

For the cheesecake pans, I used four sheets of parchment paper cut 4 inches wide to make four individual cups.  This makes four perfect little cheesecakes that are easy to get out of the forms.  The reason is that the parchment just peels off the cheesecakes.

Use parchment to make the pans

I wrapped the parchment around a can that was the diameter that I wanted.  In this case it was a large can of pineapple chunks.

Form the rings around a can or jar

Then I stapled the edges together.  At first I was going to use tape, but then I realized that the tape would melt. So then I grabbed my trusty stapler and made four perfect cups.

A perfect ring

Place the parchment cups on a greased cookie sheet.

In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, butter and sugar.

Mix up the crust ingredients

Once mixed, equally divide the mixture between the four parchment cups.  Then using a smaller diameter can than the one that you used to form your parchment cups, stamp down the crust.

Stamp down the crust with a can or jar

Make sure to hold the parchment cups down while you stamp the crust.  Having a good seal on the bottom will make it so that the filling does not ooze out.

The Filling

In the bowl of your mixer, beat the cream cheese on low until it is smooth.  Add the sugar and continue beating.  Make sure to scrape the bowl down a couple of times while your are mixing.  Then add the eggs one at a time.  Once the eggs are mixed in, add the vanilla and sour cream.  Continue to mix until everything is incorporated.

Distribute the filling evenly between the four rings

At this time either spoon the filling evenly between the cups, or transfer the mixture to a plastic bag and pipe the mixture into each of the cups.

Cook until solid around the edges

Bake the cups for 30-35 minutes or until firm around the edges and a little wobbly in the middle.  Let cool on a wire rack.  Once cool transfer to the refrigerator and chill for at least 2 hours.

Unwrap the cheesecakes and serve

To serve – unwrap the parchment paper and serve with a garnish.  I melted some chocolate and swirled it over the cake before I unwrapped it.  Then I topped it with a strawberry.

Mini Cheesecakes

The cheesecake was creamy and delicious.

The Cheesecake

The cakes were a little big for a single serving, but everyone did their best to eat them.  I will definitely be making these again.

Rex

Rex is an avid griller, barbecuer and bacon enthusiast. He is the Pitmaster for the Rex BBQ competition team. Rex was also featured on the TV show American Grilled. If you have any questions or wish to have Rex decode your favorite dish, click on the ASK REX link in the menu above.

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8 thoughts on “Single Serve Cheesecakes

  1. Look at you with your Magyver cheese cakes! These are awesome Rex and you gave perfect step by step instruction. Made your garlic cheese bread thing tonight. It’s cooling right now, can’t wait.

    1. Chris – Saw on twitter that the bread roll came out great. Glad you like the MacGyver cheese cakes. I alway wanted to try little cheesecake, but I never got around to buying little pans. Now I don’t have to spend the money.

  2. this was so brilliant i had to pin it. i am in my kitchen preparing to make this for my dh. 🙂 he turns 27 tomorrow. I am absolutely including this in my blog some time this week. 😀

  3. I made these for Valentine's Day and they were so yummy! My husband loves cheesecake but I don't like making him a 9" full size. (high cholesterol) These are perfect! Love your idea about using Parchment Paper, worked like a charm. Will post on my blog next time I make them. We ate them up before I could take a picture. 🙂

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