Mini Lemon Blueberry Cheesecakes
Print RecipeIf you're looking for mini cheesecakes that feel special but don't take all day, these lemon blueberry cheesecake bites are just the thing. Bright, creamy, and bursting with fresh lemon zest and a pretty blueberry swirl.
Servings: 12 standard muffin size
equipment (affiliate links
- Blender for crushing graham crackers OR
- ziplock bag with rolling pin
- hand mixer or
- electric citrus juicer helpful if scaling recipe up
- 12-cup muffin tin & paper liners OR
- 24-well mini muffin tin & paper liners
- skewer or toothpick for swirl
Ingredients
For the crust
- ¾ c. (85 g.) graham cracker crumbs finely crushed
- 3 tbsp. (42 g.) salted butter melted
- 2 tbsp. (25 g.) granulated sugar
For the filling
- 8 oz. (225 g.) cream cheese softened
- ½ c. (60 g.) powdered sugar sifted if lumpy
- 1 tbsp. (15 g.) fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp. lemon zest from 1 lemon
- ½ tsp. vanilla extract
- ⅛ tsp. salt
- ¼ c. (60 g.) heavy cream
- 1 large egg room temperature
- ⅓ c. blueberry preserves warm
For the blueberry swirl
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Line your muffin tin (standard or mini) with cupcake liners.
- Mix the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and sugar until it resembles wet sand. Press a heaping tablespoon (for standard) or about 1–1½ teaspoons (for mini). Bake 4-5 minutes, then let cool slightly.
- In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla, and salt; mix well. Pour in the heavy cream and beat until combined. Add the egg last and mix on low speed just until smooth—try not to overmix, as that can cause cracks.
- Spoon the filling into the crusts, filling each about ¾ full. Dollop a heaping teaspoon of slightly warmed blueberry preserves on top, then gently swirl with a toothpick or skewer for a pretty marbled look.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes (standard size) or 12-15 minutes (mini size), until the edges are set but the centers still have a slight jiggle. Cool in the pan for 30 minutes, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours (overnight is even better for the flavors to settle).
- To serve: Remove from the liners.Just before serving, top each with an optional swirl of whipped cream, a fresh blueberry, and/or a pretty lemon curl for that extra special touch.
Notes
- Use cupcake liners for easy removal — especially helpful when transporting to parties.
- A tart tamper set is my favorite tool for pressing crusts evenly in both standard and mini muffin tins.
- Room temperature cream cheese and egg help prevent lumps.
- These scale easily — I multiplied the recipe by 5 for a baby shower and it worked perfectly.
- Chill thoroughly for the best texture.
Serving: 1standard muffin size | Calories: 190kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 46mg | Sodium: 150mg | Potassium: 56mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 434IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 0.4mg
