Cheesecake Minis

Chocolate, caramel and a touch of sea salt come together with cheesecake to create a delicious bite sized dessert in these cheesecake minis.

Somehow I always think summer will be less busy, but so far it’s just non-stop! With both kids at different camps each day, one full day and one half day, I feel like an unpaid Uber driver.  Add in time for fun and trying to fit in all those doctor, dentist and other appointments that you try to cram in over the summer, and it’s crazy. I’m always looking for ways to make crazy times a little less crazy, so today I’m sharing a super easy, and oh so delicious, recipe for cheesecake minis, that are perfect for celebrating and serving to friends and family.

There are so many things to love about these cheesecake minis. First, their mini size is fabulous. I love a mini dessert, and these are no exception.  While they are small, they are packed full of flavor, with a layer of chocolate graham crackers, a layer of cheesecake, a layer of salted caramel and if you are so include another little layer of chopped up chocolate.

Not only are these simple to make, but you can easily make them a day or two in advance, which is always great when you have a lot going on.  Sometimes I get a bit intimidated making cheesecake, often worrying about the dreaded cracks on top. Have no fear, even if your cheesecakes have a crack or two, they will be hidden under a delicious layer of caramel.

While I made these using a mini-cheesecake pan, you can easily make them using a mini muffin pan, as the original recipe from Kraft calls for.  The original recipe uses regular graham cracker crumbs, but I switched things up a bit using chocolate graham cracker crumbs.  Either way works, it’s just a matter of taste, or what you have in your pantry!

These come together quickly thanks to a few simple ingredients, including PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese and KRAFT Caramels.

If your family loves chocolate as much as mine does, you can garnish these with a little chopped BAKERS Chocolate.  As I said, they are mini in size, but certainly not in flavor!

Feel free to use chocolate graham crackers like I did for your crust, or the traditional graham crackers.  Cinnamon graham crackers would even be a great compliment to the caramel topping!

Cheesecake Minis

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Ingredients

• 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs regular or chocolate
• 1 Tbsp . brown sugar
• 3/4 tsp . kosher salt divided
• 2 Tbsp . butter melted
• 1-1/2 oz pkg. PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese softened, 8 . each, 12 oz.
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 12 KRAFT Caramels
• 1 Tbsp . milk
• Sea Salt optional

Instructions

• Heat oven to 325°F.
• Mix graham crumbs, brown sugar, 1/4 tsp. salt and butter; press onto bottoms of 24 paper-lined mini muffin cups.
• Beat cream cheese and granulated sugar in large bowl with mixer until blended. Add egg; beat just until blended. Spoon into muffin cups, adding about 1 Tbsp. to each.
• Bake 15 min. or until centers of cheesecakes are almost set. Cool completely. Refrigerate 1 hour.
• Place caramels in small heatproof bowl. Add milk and 1/4 tsp. of the remaining salt. Place over pan of boiling water, making sure boiling water does not touch bottom of bowl. Cook until caramels are completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring frequently.
• Drizzle about 1 tsp. caramel sauce over each cheesecake; sprinkle with remaining salt. Refrigerate 1 hour.
• Recipe from Kraft Foods

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This Lemon Poke Cake is a favorite Mother’s Day dessert of mine.  Such a fabulous spring and summer dessert.

This Chocolate Chunk And Marshmallow Sundae is perfect for Memorial Day.

Enjoy!

Originally published in May 2015 in partnership with Kraft Foods.