Mini Cheesecakes!

With my easy cheesecake recipe, you'll never want to buy a cheesecake again! I take this a step further and make them mini! Using either a muffin pans with cute liners or mini muffin pans {or if you're like me, use both!} these will be a big hit. I have also made this recipe "low fat" by substituting the real {and delicious} ingredients with fat free or reduced fat and it turns out just as good! Top these off with chopped blueberries or strawberries or even chocolate chips and nuts and you have the perfect dessert or treat!

Ingredients:

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

5 tablespoon sweet cream butter, melted

2 cups ricotta cheese

2 cups cream cheese, softened at room temperature

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

3 eggs

1 ½ cups fresh blueberries or strawberries 

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325°. Place 12 baking cups in a muffin pan.

Put the crumbs into a medium bowl and stir in the butter. Spoon tablespoons of the crumb mixture into the cups, pressing firmly into the bottom. Chill until set.

In a large bowl, beat the ricotta until smooth. Add the cream cheese, vanilla, and confectioners’ sugar, blending until smooth. Slowly add the eggs, blending well. You will notice that the batter has tiny lumps like the ricotta, this is ok because it will melt when baked.

Spoon the mixture into the cups almost to the top of the liner. Bake for 25 minutes.

At this time, I like to chopped up my strawberries and wim with Splenda or Powdered Sugar (just enough to cover the berries) to make them a little sweeter and makes almost like a syrup with the berries.

Remove pan from oven and cool for 5 minutes then remove little cheesecakes and cool on a rack. Chill until time to serve. Serve topped with fruit. Let's eat!