Raspberry Swirl Mini Cheesecakes

These elegant Raspberry Swirl Mini Cheesecakes can be made ahead, are individually portioned, and perfect for baby showers, parties, or any holiday event. If you are looking for a delicious and easy individual cheesecake dessert to impress your guests, make sure to save this recipe now!

There is nothing quite as wonderful as biting into a piece of cheesecake with the perfect taste and texture. These Raspberry Swirl Cheesecakes are great for cheesecake lovers because they are simple, delicious, portable and you can make them in advance.

With a buttery graham cracker crust and creamy cheesecake filling swirled with a sweet raspberry puree, they have quickly become one of my favorite muffin tin cheesecake recipes. If you’re having a party and want to make something impressive that will have guests raving over your baking skills, these mini raspberry cheesecake cupcakes are a must.

Since these Mini Oreo Cheesecake Bites and Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes were so popular, I was on the hunt for another individual cheesecake cup recipe that looked festive for holidays or a casual family dinner. These raspberry cheesecake cups are perfect for any occasion!

How to Make Raspberry Swirl Cheesecakes

The Graham Cracker Crust

1. First, mix melted butter with the crushed graham cracker crumbs in a small bowl with a fork.
2. Next, fill a paper lined muffin pan cup with about one and a half tablespoons of the crumb mixture. Using the bottom of a ¼th measuring cup to firmly press the crumb mixture into the bottom of the muffin cup. Bake the crust for seven minutes in a pre-heated oven at 325°F then remove and set aside to cool.

The Raspberry Puree

1. Combine raspberries, sugar, cornstarch and water in a small saucepan over medium heat.
2. Once the raspberry mixture begins to simmer reduce heat to low/medium low and continue simmering.

3. Stir the mixture occasionally while breaking up the raspberry with a wooden spoon for about 5-10 minutes until thick.
4. Take mixture off the heat and drain it through a fine mesh strainer to separate the puree from the seeds.

5. Using the back of a spoon, help push the raspberry puree through the strainer. Discard the seeds once the puree has been strained.
6. Transfer the raspberry sauce to a small bowl and set aside to cool while you make the filling.

The Cheesecake Batter

1. Start by beating the room temperature cream cheese on medium speed in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or by using a medium bowl and a hand mixer) for about three to five minutes until creamy.
2. Next, add the sugar, vanilla extract, sour cream and heavy cream and continue mixing on low speed until just combined scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

3. Add the eggs and continue mixing on low speed until just combined.
4. Stop mixing once the eggs are incorporated. We want the batter to be smooth but also prevent too much air cheesecake batter.

5. Next, pour the filling on top of the pre-baked crust using a large cookie scoop (3 tablespoons work best). Fill all muffin liners with an even layer of batter.
6. Place about a ½ tablespoon dollop of raspberry sauce on top of each mini cheesecake.

7. Next, using a toothpick or wooden skewer, gently swirl the drops of raspberry sauce into the batter in a figure eight pattern.
8. Bake for about 20-22 minutes until the centers are set and middle is slightly jiggly.

Cooling Time

Once the cheesecakes are out of the oven, transfer the muffin tin tray to a wire cooling rack. Let the cheesecakes cool while still in the muffin tins for at least 30 minutes.

Next, carefully pinch the tops of the cupcake liners and pull up to remove the muffin cups. Set back on the wire rack and cool again for at least 30 more minutes. Then, refrigerate for at least three hours or overnight. 

Recipe Tips

• To prevent over mixing, make sure your ingredients for the cheesecake filling are at room temperature.
• If you don’t like raspberries, you can follow this same recipe while using strawberries, blueberries or other fresh fruit.
• When preparing the filling it's best to use a metal or plastic mixing bowl.
• Check the centers of the mini raspberry cheesecakes and make sure they’re jiggly before you remove them from the oven.
• Allow the mini cheesecakes to refrigerate overnight before enjoying for best results.

Variations to Try

For a raspberry cheesecake with Oreo crust, swap the graham cracker crumbs with Oreo cookies. Alternatively, omit the crust altogether for crustless mini cheesecakes. Try adding a variety of different toppings for extra flavor. Here are some of my favorites:

• Whipped Cream
• Caramel Drizzle
• Blueberries Strawberries Or Other Fresh Fruit
• Chocolate Syrup
• Melted White Chocolate Drizzle
• Chocolate Chips
• Oreo Cookie Crust

Storing Mini Raspberry Cheesecakes

Allow the raspberry cheesecake bites to cool down completely before refrigerating. Once they’re cool, wrap each mini cheesecake in plastic wrap, place them in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.

How to Freeze Mini Cheesecakes

The good news is that you can freeze these tasty mini cheesecake cups if you need to save them for more than three days in advance. Once completely cooled, wrap them individually with plastic wrap and transfer the cheesecake bites to a ziploc bag or other airtight container and freeze for up to three months.

To thaw, remove from the freezer and leave at room temperature for one hour or refrigerate overnight. When ready to eat, garnish with whipped cream and fresh raspberries.