Mini Huckleberry Cheesecakes
Buttery graham cracker crust, creamy lemon filling & juicy fresh huckleberries, all in mini size.
Servings: 12 mini cheesecakes
Equipment
- Stand mixer with paddle attachment or electric beaters
- Muffin tin & paper liners
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs* (from 8 full sheets)
- 4 tablespoons (2 ounces) salted butter melted
Cheesecakes
- 16 ounces cream cheese soft, room temperature
- ½ cup sugar
- ⅓ cup full-fat plain greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 2 eggs
- ¾ cup huckleberries fresh or frozen
Optional Huckleberry Compote
- 1 cup huckleberries fresh or frozen
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Prepare a muffin tin with paper liners. Preheat oven to 350° F.
- Make the crust: In a bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs with melted butter, stirring until evenly hydrated.
- Add about one tablespoon of mix to each muffin cup, firmly pressing into each liner. Bake for 5 minutes.
- Make the cheesecake: Beat cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or with electric beaters until soft and creamy, 1-2 minutes.
- Add sugar; cream until light and fluffy, one additional minute.
- Add yogurt, vanilla, lemon juice, and lemon zest, mixing until incorporated. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl and give it a quick mix. Beat in eggs, one at a time, mixing gently just until combined.
- Remove from mixer and fold huckleberries in lightly by hand. Pour or scoop batter into muffin cups, filling them all the way to the top.
- Bake until cooked through and just a tiny bit of jiggle is left, 17-21 minutes.
- Cool: Allow cheesecakes to cool 10-15 minutes before removing from pan. Then, cool them at room temperature for about another 30 minutes. Finally, chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving.
- While baking, make huckleberry compote (optional): Add berries, sugar, and lemon juice to a heavy-bottomed sauce pan. Cook until berries break down and mixture thickens, about 5-7 minutes. Cool completely.
- Serve: Once cheesecakes are fully cool, top with optional huckleberry compote and whipped cream**, or serve as-is. Best eaten cold.
Notes
*Graham cracker crumbs: You can crush graham crackers using a food processor, or simply seal them in a freezer bag and run a rolling pin over them a few times until you get fine crumbs.
**Whipped cream: My favorite way to make a small amount of whipped cream is to add 1/2 cup heavy cream + 1 tablespoon sugar to a tall jar, then use a milk frother to blend it until soft peaks form. So easy!