Mini Chocolate Cheesecakes with Oreo Crust
Get your dose of chocolate in the form of mini chocolate cheesecakes with Oreo crust! They are rich, creamy and topped with a decadent ganache. This personal sized dessert is perfect for Valentine’s Day or whenever you’re entertaining guests.
If you’re a regular here, then you know my obsession with mini desserts (remember these mini apple pies in a muffin tin?) I love taking popular recipes and sizing them down to make individual servings. For Valentine’s Day I made my chocolate cheesecake into mini cakes! They’re just as delicious as they look with plenty of chocolate in each bite.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Individual size. Mini desserts are the best because they are personal size! No need to slice and serve.
- Layers of chocolate. On top of the Oreo crust is a rich layer of chocolate cheesecake and a decadent spread of ganache.
- Perfect texture. The cheesecake filling is light and creamy, which complements the thick cookie crust well.
- Tested recipe. I used my classic chocolate cheesecake recipe for inspiration and adjusted as necessary to work for a muffin pan!
Ingredient Notes
- Cream cheese: Use block-style cream cheese. It has less air than the tub-style. This will make a thick, stable filling.
- Sour cream: Fill-fat sour cream is a must for the best tasting cheesecake! Bring to room temperature before using.
- Oreos: For the crust, crush up some cookies (including the cream filling). You’ll need about 1 1/2 cups crumbs.
- Cocoa powder: Dutch-process is preferred for this recipe, but unsweetened works too.
- Chocolate chips: Choose a good-quality chocolate, such as Ghirardelli. It is melted and used in the cheesecake filling and ganache topping.
- Heavy cream: To make the ganache, heavy cream is heated up to melt the chocolate.
Refer to the recipe card for ingredient details and measurements.
Recipe Variations
Make a different crust. If you don’t have Oreos, try chocolate graham crackers. You can also use regular graham crackers or vanilla wafers.
Experiment the toppings. Caramel sauce or strawberry coulis are delicious options. You can also do just a dollop of whipped cream and fresh berries!
Add espresso. To enhance the chocolate flavor, add 1 Tablespoon of espresso powder to the melted chocolate. You can also add 1 Tablespoon cooled espresso to the batter.
Use a different pan. This recipe is adapted from my chocolate cheesecake recipe made in a 9-inch springform pan and chocolate cheesecake bars baked in an 8×8 square baking pan.
How to Make Mini Chocolate Cheesecakes
- Make the Oreo crust. Crush cookies until fine crumbs form. Add melted butter and mix until combined. Divide mixture among muffin cups.
- Bake crust at 325 F for 5 to 7 minutes or until firm. Cool completely.
- Melt chocolate for filling. Place chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl and heat at 50% power level. Stop to stir every 20 seconds until smooth. Cool slightly.
- Make the filling. Beat cream cheese until light and fluffy. Mix in the sugar and cocoa powder until combined. Mix in sour cream and vanilla.
- Mix in eggs, one at a time. Fold in the melted chocolate and stir until combined.
- Divide batter among muffin cups, filling each about three-quarters full. Bake at 325 F for 16 to 18 minutes. Turn off the oven, crack the door and cool for 20 minutes. Remove pan from the oven and cool to room temperature before chilling for 4 hours.
- Make the ganache. Heat heavy cream until scalding hot, but not boiling. Pour over chocolate and let the mixture sit for 5 minutes. Stir until smooth.
- Spread ganache over chilled cheesecakes. Chill for 20 minutes or until set. Garnish with whipped cream before serving.
Expert Tips
Use good quality ingredients. This makes all the difference in taste and texture. I strongly encourage full-fat ingredients for a rich flavor and soft texture. Also, choose good quality chocolate. It provides most of the flavor and it’s easier to melt than the cheap variety.
Bring ingredients to room temperature. Not only does this make them easier to combined, but it creates a consistent batter. As a result, the cheesecake filling will be perfectly creamy.
Cool completely and chill before serving. In order to get the right texture, cheesecake has to cool in the oven before coming to room temperature. It’s also necessary to chill the cake for at least 4 hours before serving. It helps improve the texture and the cake keeps for longer.
Make Ahead and Storage Tips
Make ahead the mini cheesecakes 24 hours in advance. They keep well when covered in the refrigerator. I suggest adding the whipped cream right before serving.
Store cakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Freeze for up to 3 months. Individually wrap the cheesecakes in plastic wrap to prevent them from drying out. Place in an airtight container and freeze. When ready to eat, defrost in the refrigerator.
Recipe FAQ
The batter probably had too much air in it, which happens if it’s over-mixed. It’s also possible the cheesecakes were underbaked.
I haven’t tested it, but it should work! Reduce baking time for the crust to 4 minutes and the filling to 10 to 12 minutes.
Try the jiggle test. Gently shake the muffin pan. If the cheesecakes are set around the edges, but jiggle in the center, then they are done!
Related Recipes
Looking for more decadent desserts? Try these next!
Did you love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card below and if you REALLY loved it, consider leaving a comment further down the page.
Get the Recipe: Mini Chocolate Cheesecakes
Ingredients
Oreo Crust
- 1 ½ cups Oreo crumbs, about 15 cookies
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Cheesecake
- ½ cup (85 g) good quality semisweet chocolate chips
- 2 cups (16 oz) block-style cream cheese, room temperature
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (30 g) unsweetened cocoa powder, (Dutch process works too)
- ¼ cup (60 g) full-fat sour cream, room temperature
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
Chocolate Ganache
- ½ cup (85 g) semisweet chocolate chips
- ¼ cup (60 ml) heavy cream
- Whipped cream and chocolate shavings for garnish
Instructions
Oreo Crust
- Preheat the oven to 325° F. Line a 12 cup muffin pan with paper liners. Set aside.
- Add crushed Oreos and melted butter to a bowl. Stir until the mixture resembles wet sand.
- Fill each muffin cup with 1 tablespoon of crumbs. Use the bottom of a small glass or ¼ cup measuring cup to press firmly into the bottom.
- Bake crust for 5 to 7 minutes or until firm. Remove from the oven to cool.
Cheesecake
- Melt the chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl. Heat on 50% power level for 90 seconds, stopping to stir every 20 seconds until smooth.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat cream cheese on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add sugar and cocoa powder. Beat until well combined, about 1 minute. Add the sour cream and vanilla, then mix again until combined. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary. Avoid over-mixing.
- Use a rubber spatula to fold in the melted chocolate by hand until the mixture is uniform.
- Divide batter among prepared muffin cups with graham cracker crust, filling each cup about three-quarters full. Tap the pan gently on the counter to remove air bubbles.
- Bake at 325° F for 16 to 18 minutes or until the tops are set. Turn the oven off, crack open the oven door and let the cheesecakes cool in the oven for 20 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature, then cover and place in the refrigerator to chill for 4 hours or overnight.
Chocolate Ganache
- Heat cream and chocolate chips in the microwave on 50% power level, stopping to stir every 20 seconds until melted. Allow to cool slightly and stir until smooth.
- Spoon a couple teaspoons over each cheesecake. Use an offset spatula to spread to the edges.
- Chill the mini cheesecakes for 15 minutes or until ganache is set. Garnish with whipped cream and chocolate shavings before serving.
