Cheesecake Bites with Diploma Picks (Printable Version)

Creamy, bite-sized cheesecakes with graham crust and fresh berry topping served with diploma picks.

# What You'll Need:

→ Crust

01 - 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
02 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
03 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

→ Cheesecake Filling

04 - 12 ounces cream cheese, softened
05 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
06 - 1 large egg
07 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
08 - 2 tablespoons sour cream

→ Topping

09 - 1/2 cup fresh mixed berries, diced
10 - 2 tablespoons fruit preserves, optional

→ Decoration

11 - Graduation-style diploma picks

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a 24-cup mini muffin pan with mini cupcake liners.
02 - In a mixing bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter until evenly blended.
03 - Spoon 1 teaspoon of crust mixture into each liner and press down firmly with the back of a spoon.
04 - Bake crusts for 5 minutes until lightly set. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly.
05 - In a large bowl, beat softened cream cheese and sugar with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy, approximately 2 minutes.
06 - Add egg, vanilla extract, and sour cream to the cream cheese mixture. Blend on low speed until just combined, avoiding overmixing.
07 - Spoon approximately 1 tablespoon of cheesecake filling over each prepared crust and smooth the tops.
08 - Bake for 13 to 15 minutes until the centers are set but still slightly jiggly. The tops should appear lightly set.
09 - Remove from oven and allow cheesecakes to cool in the muffin pan for 15 minutes.
10 - Carefully transfer cheesecakes from the muffin pan to a wire rack and let cool to room temperature.
11 - Place cheesecakes in the refrigerator and chill for at least 1 hour before topping.
12 - Top each chilled cheesecake bite with fresh mixed berries. For enhanced shine, warm fruit preserves and brush lightly over the berries.
13 - Insert a diploma pick into each cheesecake bite immediately before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They're small enough to pop in your mouth but fancy enough that guests actually remember them.
  • The buttery crust stays crispy while the filling stays dreamily creamy, and nobody has to know you made twenty-four of them in under an hour.
  • You can make them days ahead, which means you're actually relaxing at the party instead of sweating in the kitchen.
02 -
  • Room temperature cream cheese is absolutely everything; it's the difference between a smooth filling and one with tiny frustrating lumps that no amount of stirring will fix.
  • Overbaking these is the enemy because they continue cooking as they cool, and five minutes too long means the centers firm up and lose that delicate texture that makes people close their eyes when they taste them.
03 -
  • Keep your cream cheese at room temperature from the moment you take it out of the fridge; this single step eliminates the frustration of lumpy filling and guarantees smooth, creamy results every time.
  • Use a small cookie scoop to fill the crusts with exactly the right amount of batter every time, which keeps them uniform and ensures even baking across the whole batch.
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