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A miniature elderberry cheesecake with elderberry sauce dripping down the side
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Mini Elderberry Cheesecakes

All the indulgence of cheesecake, in a tiny little package. These mini cheesecakes are rich and creamy with bursts of tart elderberry and a gorgeous sauce to bring it all together.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Chill Time2 hours
Total Time2 hours 40 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: easy, elderberry, foraged
Servings: 12 mini cheesecakes
Author: Karie Kirkpatrick

Equipment

  • Muffin tin & paper liners
  • Stand mixer or electric beaters

Ingredients

Graham cracker crust

  • 1 cup graham cracker crumbs 7-8 full sheets
  • 2 ounces (4 Tbsp) salted butter melted

Elderberry cheesecakes

  • 16 ounces cream cheese super soft, room temperature
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • zest of 1 lemon
  • 2 eggs
  • ½ cup elderberries fresh or frozen

Elderberry sauce

  • 1 ½ cups elderberries fresh or frozen
  • ½ cup water
  • 2-3 tablespoons sugar

Instructions

  • Prep: Preheat oven to 350° F (180° C). Line a muffin pan with paper liners.
  • Make the crust: In a small bowl, mix 1 cup graham cracker crumbs with 2 oz melted butter until the crumbs are evenly hydrated.
    Distribute evenly into prepared muffin tins, about 1 Tbsp of mixture per tin. Lightly press mixture into muffin liners (a ¼ cup measuring cup is about perfect for this!), and bake for 5 minutes. Remove to a cooling rack while you make the filling.
  • Make the filling: Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or electric beaters, cream 16 oz cream cheese until soft and smooth. Then mix in ½ cup sugar, ⅓ cup yogurt, 1 tsp vanilla, 2 tsp lemon juice, and the zest.
    Gently add 2 eggs, one at a time, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed, and mixing just until combined. Be gentle here - you don't want to incorporate too much air at this stage.
  • Add berries: Fold in ½ cup fresh or frozen elderberries, by hand, until well distributed.
  • Bake: Fill muffin cups to the top with filling and bake until just set with the slightest jiggle in the center, about 17-21 minutes.
    Remove to a cooling rack. After about 15 minutes, carefully take the cheesecakes out of the muffin tin and cool at room temperature for another 15-30 minutes. Then chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
  • Make elderberry sauce: While cheesecakes are cooling, make the (optional) sauce.
    Cook 1 ½ cup elderberries with ½ cup water over medium-low heat in a heavy-bottomed sauce pan until the berries break down and get juicy, about 8-10 minutes. Stir frequently to prevent burning or sticking.
  • Strain and sweeten: Strain berry mixture through a coffee filter or cheesecloth, squeezing out as much juice as possible. You should end up with around ¼ cup of elderberry juice.
    Pour juice back into a saucepan, add 2 Tbsp of sugar, and cook over low heat, stirring often, until thickened, 2-5 minutes. Taste and add more sugar if desired.
  • Cool & serve: After cheesecakes are completely cool, serve cold, spooning elderberry sauce on top.