mini crème brûlée cheesecakes combine two dessert
Mini crème brûlée cheesecakes give you silky vanilla cheesecake under a thin crackly sugar lid, baked in a muffin tin in about 50 minutes.
Mini crème brûlée cheesecakes take the custard you love and set it on a buttery graham crust, then finish each one with a thin lid of burnt sugar. Total time is about 50 minutes, plus chilling.
The trick is baking them low. At 300°F (150°C) the filling stays smooth instead of puffing and cracking, and the centers should still wobble like set gelatin when you pull the pan out.
You'll need a kitchen torch for the topping, or a broiler and a very watchful eye. Either way, torch them right before serving so the sugar stays crisp.
About the Ingredients
1 cup (100g) graham cracker crumbs
About 8 whole sheets, crushed. Digestive biscuits or shortbread crumbs work just as well and taste a little richer.
3 tbsp (42g) salted butter, melted
Salted is fine here since the crust needs the salt. Unsalted works too, just add a pinch of salt to the crumbs.
16 oz (450g) full-fat cream cheese, room temperature
Full-fat only. Low-fat or whipped cream cheese makes a loose filling that never sets properly.
1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
Plain white sugar, not brown. Brown sugar adds moisture and the tops won't crust as cleanly.
2 large eggs, room temperature
Cold eggs shock the batter and cause lumps. Leave them on the counter for 30 minutes first.
1/3 cup (80ml) heavy cream
Heavy cream, 35 percent fat or higher. Half-and-half will make the filling thin.
1 tsp vanilla extract
Real extract, not imitation. A scrape of vanilla bean paste is a nice upgrade if you have it.
1/4 tsp fine salt
Just a pinch. It keeps the cheesecake from tasting flat.
6 tbsp (75g) superfine or granulated sugar, for the topping
Superfine sugar melts into an even glassy layer. Regular granulated works, it just takes a few extra seconds under the torch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I make mini crème brûlée cheesecakes ahead of time?
Yes, and they're better that way. Bake and chill them up to 3 days ahead, then torch the sugar right before serving so the top stays crisp.
Q: Can I make these without a kitchen torch?
Yes. Set the oven to broil and put the rack about 6 inches from the element. Watch them the whole time, 1 to 2 minutes, because sugar goes from amber to burnt fast.
Q: Why did my cheesecakes crack on top?
Usually overbaking or too much air beaten into the batter. Mix on low after the eggs go in, and pull them while the centers still wobble.
Q: Do I really need a water bath for these?
No. Baking at 300°F (150°C) in a muffin tin gives you the same gentle heat without the water bath hassle.
Q: How do I know when they're done without a timer?
Nudge the pan. The edges should look set and dry while the middle jiggles like set gelatin. That wobble is your signal.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Heat oven and line tin
Heat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
2. Make the crust
Mix graham crumbs and melted butter until it looks like wet sand. Press about 1 tablespoon into each cup and pack it flat with the back of a spoon.
3. Beat the filling
Beat cream cheese and 1/2 cup sugar on medium until smooth, about 2 minutes. Scrape the bowl down once.
4. Add eggs and cream
Add eggs one at a time on low, then the cream, vanilla, and salt. Stop mixing the moment it's smooth, or you'll beat in air.
5. Fill the cups
Divide the batter over the crusts, filling each cup about three-quarters full. Tap the pan on the counter twice to pop surface bubbles.
6. Bake low and slow
Bake 22 to 26 minutes. They're done when the edges look set and the centers wobble slightly, like set gelatin, when you nudge the pan.
7. Cool and chill
Cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then move to a rack. Refrigerate at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
8. Torch the tops
Sprinkle 1/2 tablespoon sugar over each chilled cake. Torch in short passes until the sugar bubbles and turns amber, about 30 seconds each. Let them sit 2 minutes so the sugar hardens.
Tips & Tricks
- Room temperature cream cheese is not optional. Cold blocks beat into lumps that never smooth out, and you'll see them in the baked cakes.
- Don't overbake. The centers should jiggle slightly when you nudge the pan. If they look fully firm in the oven, they're already past done.
- Chill completely before torching. Warm cheesecake plus hot sugar equals a melted puddle instead of a crisp lid.
- Sprinkle sugar in a thin, even layer. A thick pile burns bitter on top while the bottom stays gritty.
How to Store mini crème brûlée cheesecakes combine two dessert
Refrigerator
Store untorched cheesecakes covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. Torch them just before you serve.
Freezer
Freeze untorched cheesecakes in the liners for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before torching.
Reheating
Don't reheat these. Cold is the point. A torched top softens after a few hours, so re-torch leftovers for 10 seconds if you want the crackle back.
Torch these mini crème brûlée cheesecakes right before you carry them out, and let everyone crack the sugar with the back of a spoon. Crispy on, stress off — happy cooking!
Mini Crème Brûlée Cheesecakes – Easy Creamy Bites
Mini crème brûlée cheesecakes give you silky vanilla cheesecake under a thin crackly sugar lid, baked in a muffin tin in about 50 minutes.
🧂 Ingredients
- 1 cup (100g) graham cracker crumbs
- 3 tbsp (42g) salted butter, melted
- 16 oz (450g) full-fat cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/3 cup (80ml) heavy cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp fine salt
- 6 tbsp (75g) superfine or granulated sugar, for the topping
📋 Instructions
- 1Heat oven and line tin — Heat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
- 2Make the crust — Mix graham crumbs and melted butter until it looks like wet sand. Press about 1 tablespoon into each cup and pack it flat with the back of a spoon.
- 3Beat the filling — Beat cream cheese and 1/2 cup sugar on medium until smooth, about 2 minutes. Scrape the bowl down once.
- 4Add eggs and cream — Add eggs one at a time on low, then the cream, vanilla, and salt. Stop mixing the moment it's smooth, or you'll beat in air.
- 5Fill the cups — Divide the batter over the crusts, filling each cup about three-quarters full. Tap the pan on the counter twice to pop surface bubbles.
- 6Bake low and slow — Bake 22 to 26 minutes. They're done when the edges look set and the centers wobble slightly, like set gelatin, when you nudge the pan.
- 7Cool and chill — Cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then move to a rack. Refrigerate at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
- 8Torch the tops — Sprinkle 1/2 tablespoon sugar over each chilled cake. Torch in short passes until the sugar bubbles and turns amber, about 30 seconds each. Let them sit 2 minutes so the sugar hardens.
