Easy Mini Christmas Cheesecakes

5 from 1 vote

These Mini Christmas Cheesecakes look like cute little Santa hats, perfect for the holiday season. They are simple to make and can easily be made in advance for fuss-free entertaining.

Prep Time30

Chilling Time4

Total Time4 30

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Global

Servings: servings

Author: Margie Nomura

Ingredients

For the biscuit base:

5.25 oz digestive biscuits about 1 1/2 cups fine crumbs; or graham crackers
1.75 oz unsalted butter about 3 1/2 tbsp; melted

For the cheesecake filling:

10.5 oz full-fat soft cream cheese about 1 1/3 cups
1.75 oz confectioners' sugar (icing sugar) about scant 1/2 cup
About 1 tsp vanilla extract
5 fl oz heavy cream (double cream) about scant 2/3 cup

For the topping:

5 fl oz heavy cream (double cream) about scant 2/3 cup
Strawberries to top

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

For the biscuit base:

Tip the digestive biscuits into a food processor and blitz into fine crumbs. Add the melted butter and whizz again until you have the desired crumbly consistency. It should resemble damp sand.
Line a muffin pan with paper liners. Fill each case with a spoonful of the biscuits and pack it down well. I like to use the bottom of a small glass or the back of a spoon. Cover and chill in the fridge while you make the filling.

For the cheesecake filling:

Put the cream cheese into a large bowl and sift in the confectioners' (icing) sugar. Add the vanilla extract and whisk using an electric mixer until smooth. You can also do this using a stand mixer.
Pour in the heavy (double) cream and continue to whisk until you have a lovely and thick cheesecake mix. Alternatively, you can whisk the cream to medium peaks separately, then gently fold it through (I find the same bowl method saves on the washing up!). Taste and add a little more vanilla extract, if desired.

Build the mini cheesecakes:

Spoon the cheesecake mix onto the chilled biscuit bases and use the back of a spoon, spatula, or palette knife to spread in a smooth, even layer. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours (ideally overnight) or until set.
Once the cheesecake has set, remove from the cases and set onto a flat plate. Gently spoon and swirl the whipped cream on top, and top with a strawberry. Then pipe a little bit of cream on top of the strawberry to look like a Santa hat.

Video

Notes

Make-ahead and storage

To store: Once made, these cheesecakes will last for up to 3 days in the fridge. Keep them covered. The longer they sit, the more the strawberry juices risk running onto the cheesecakes.

To freeze: You can pop the undecorated cheesecakes in the freezer for up to 3 months. Just make sure they are well wrapped in plastic wrap. Defrost in the fridge. Decorate when ready to serve.

Make ahead: Undecorated Christmas cheesecakes are the perfect make-ahead dessert. They actually benefit from setting up overnight, then just decorate before serving (or the morning of) with the whipped cream and strawberries. Once made, they will last for up to 3 days, covered in the fridge.

Nutrition