Enter stage left, these exceptionally satisfying mini chocolate chip cheesecakes. Full of mini chocolate chips, and just bigger than those bite size tiny cheesecakes, these treats are satisfying for an afternoon coffee break. They would also be an easy base for a fun decorate your own mini cheesecake at home with sauces or toppings, as well as a party (when it’s safe to host again!) With few steps, few ingredients, and minimum cleanup, this is a great recipe to keep in your repertoire!

My mom didn’t bake a whole lot but I do have a distinct memory of her baking a full cheesecake for church lunch one day when I was a tiny thing, and adding mini chocolate chips and mini m&ms just because. I was surprised it turned out so well, and never forgot it since I wasn’t allowed to have any until lunchtime. It went fast probably, I’ll say, maybe because it was pretty with mini chocolates in it, so I remember being disappointed I didn’t get any because it had smelled so good at home!

The fact that my mom could do it, gave me some hope that maybe I could bake too and make sweet treats that other people could enjoy too. Thanks, Mom.

Since then, I’ve gone on many culinary adventures, some sweet, some savory. I hope you try these and enjoy!

Ingredients

Filling Ingredients

• 1 – 8 oz package of full fat cream cheese (or 1/2 pack full fat, 1/2 pack 1/3 fat — save the other halves for a base for a fun dip or your morning bagel brunch.) Bring to room temperature before use for even combining.
• 1/2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice (less than from 1/2 a lemon – add the rest to a cup of water and sip for hydration and refreshment as you bake!)
• 1/4 cup crème fraîche (thicker and richer, less sour than sour cream and holds better with heat)
• 1/4 cup granulated white sugar
• 1 large egg, brought to room temperature
• 1 cup mini chocolate chips (Ghirardelli makes some nice ones, I found these at Target and my local grocery store baking aisle)

Graham Cracker Crust Ingredients (and two other fun crust ideas)

• 2/3 cup crushed graham crackers from 4 graham crackers
• 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar
• 2 tbsp melted unsalted butter

OR, or, try crushing delicious Belgian Biscoff-style cookies for a little cinnamon spiced pizazz! Trader Joe’s has their own brand of these speculoos cookies if you shop there, and I’ve used them as a base in my beloved cast iron s’mores recipe!

OR, see my recipe for basil cheesecake and a yummy, flourless gluten-free date crust!!

Mini Chocolate Chip Cheesecakes – Recipe – makes 12

I found Sally’s Baking Addiction’s recipe to be a helpful reference, and I adapted it with my personal tips and preferences!

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Take out the cream cheese and egg to let settle to room temperature.
3. Start with the crust:
   • Whizz graham crackers (or your favorite cookie – see above for suggestions!) in a food processor. I use my dry Vitamix. Or, try making my tasty gluten free crust, made with dates and ground almonds.
   • Add in melted butter (can melt in the microwave in a ramekin) and sugar.* I use turbinado sugar because of the larger granule and texture helps for even combination with graham cracker crumbs, and maybe adds a little richer flavor for the crust.
4. Prepare the muffin baking pan by lining the 12 cups with silicone baking cups.
5. Press a tablespoon or so of crust mixture into each baking cup. I use my mini spatula and what it could carry, and it was a pretty good estimate of quantity.
6. Pre-bake the pan filled with crust for 5 minutes.
7. Start making filling:
   • Add softened, room temperature cream cheese, crème fraîche, and sugar to stand mixer and blend till creamy, about 1 minute.
   • Mix in lemon juice and vanilla extract, then the egg.
8. Fold in mini chocolate chips
9. Again, I used my mini spatula to add about 2 tablespoons of filling into each silicone cup with the crust that you pre-baked for 5 minutes
10. Bake for 18 minutes, check on it a minute or so before with the oven light on to see that the mini chocolate chip cheesecakes have risen, are cooked just to the edges, and that the surface isn’t cracked.
11. Remove pan and set on top of a rack to gently cool for 30 minutes.
12. Take cheesecakes and liners out, and allow to cool in the fridge for at least 2 hours.

Kitchen Tips

1. Access to a blender or food processor makes whizzing the graham crackers super easy and minimizes mess and clean up. A stand mixer can combine the cream cheese mixture simply.
2. Silicone baking cups make cleanup incredibly easy — hardly anything sticks! I have two sets of baking cups and use them as often as possible because cleaning bakeware is NOT fun for me. They’re easy to hand wash, but also dishwasher safe. Plus, when I make extra, I can pop them in the freezer as well without issue.

Notes on Cheesecake

1. While mini chocolate chips might not be a common pantry ingredient, I’ll put in my support for acquiring this humble ingredient. When making mini desserts, there’s just something about a high chance for more chocolate morsels to go into every bite. They’re fun to eat as well – or drop into cereal, muffin recipes, or to top your frothy cappuccino (shhhh).
2. I make cheesecake minis instead of a full because I can enjoy or share favorite dessert easily this way. It’s great for city dwellers like myself who don’t have spare fridges or freezers or entertain with great regularity. I don’t have a springform pan, so functionally, mini cheesecakes with the mini baking cups works best as well.
3. Some of you who follow me on my Instagram stories might have seen me attempt Japanese style cheesecakes recently. The lighter, fluffier version, which has more eggs and some flour as a different dessert altogether, exhibits qualities more akin to cake than cheese. Those desserts are lighter and fluffier as opposed to a denser New York or Chicago-style cheesecake.

New York or Chicago?

It’s a good question to ask in general, but especially with regard to cheesecake!

While fun to try making a fluffier version, in this recipe, I have to go back to my roots and favorite qualities that satisfy my cheesecake craving. Having both grown up in Chicago on readily available Eli’s cheesecake with a softer inside texture, and also really liking the denser New York tradition as well, I’d like to think my version brings some of the best qualities of each together.

Ultimately, this recipe for mini chocolate chip cheesecakes is akin to the New York style in density, but creamy like Chicago style with the inclusion of crème fraîche.

Loved this recipe? Save it on Pinterest, share, and let me know if you found other fun ways to enjoy!