Mini Chocolate Chip Cheesecakes With Vanilla Wafers

Individually portioned desserts are ideal for holidays, bridal showers, and parties. These mini chocolate chip cheesecakes are easy to share and perfect for a crowd, with no slicing necessary.

Luscious cheesecake batter is loaded with miniature chocolate chips. These irresistible cheesecake bites are easy to make, no water bath or fancy tools are required. This simple recipe uses vanilla wafers as the crust and familiar ingredients in the batter.

This recipe was inspired by my Mini Funfetti Cheesecakes, and pairs well with homemade Chantilly Cream. Do you love vanilla wafer cookies? Try my Individual Banana Pudding Cups!

You Will Love These Mini Cheesecakes

• There is no springform pan or water bath required. These little cheesecakes bake in a mini muffin tin.
• The vanilla wafer crust simplifies this recipe. There is no need to dirty up a food processor. Simply open a box of mini vanilla wafers and place one in each muffin cup.
• The bake time is quick! These little cakes take only 10-15 minutes in the oven and set quicker than a regular-sized cheesecake.
• Cheesecake that is already portioned. Each mini cheesecake is one serving. With only 110 calories a cheesecake, there is no need to resist enjoying one.

Ingredients

There are only seven ingredients in this easy recipe.

• Cream Cheese (room temperature) - For best results, use full-fat cream cheese.
• Granulated Sugar
• Egg (room temperature)
• Heavy Whipping Cream
• Pure Vanilla Extract
• Mini Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

PREHEAT - Preheat the oven to 350°F.

MAKE THE CHEESECAKE BATTER - Cream together the cream cheese and sugar until smooth.

Add in egg and beat just until combined. Add heavy whipping cream and vanilla, mixing until combined. Fold in the mini chocolate chips until evenly disbursed.

PREPARE THE PAN - Line 16 miniature muffin tins with paper muffin cups and place a mini vanilla wafer cookie in the base of each.

FILL THE LINERS - Fill muffin cups to the top edge with cheesecake batter. Sprinkle with additional mini chocolate chips, if desired.

• Hint: Use a medium cookie scoop to scoop batter into the muffin cups. It is the perfect size for this recipe! I like to use this Saebye Medium Cookie Scoop.

BAKE - Bake for 10-15 minutes, until the center is slightly jiggly, and edges are puffed.

Cheesecake Toppings

What should you serve with chocolate chip cheesecake? While they are delicious as is, here are my favorite items to top these bite-sized cheesecakes with.

• Whipped cream or Chantilly Cream
• Chocolate Ganache
• Additional mini chocolate chips

Substitutions

• Heavy Whipping Cream - Instead of heavy cream, you can use sour cream or Greek yogurt.
• Mini Vanilla Wafers - Substitute with graham cracker crust or chocolate cookie crust.
• Mini Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips - The mini semi-sweet chips can be replaced with mini white chocolate chips.

Variations

This recipe is easily adaptable.

• Keto - Use a keto cookie base, Monk Fruit Sweetener, and sugar-free chocolate chips.
• Gluten-Free - Use gluten-free vanilla wafers.

Suggested Equipment

• KitchenAid Artisan Series 5-Qt. Stand Mixer with Pouring ShieldOr handheld mixer - BLACK+DECKER 6-Speed Hand Mixer with 5 Attachments & Storage Case
• Food Grade Silicone Rubber Spatula Set
• Wilton Perfect Results Premium Non-Stick Bakeware Mini Muffin Pan
• Wilton Mini Muffin Liners

Storage

Store cooled cheesecakes in an airtight container in a single layer in the fridge. Refrigerate for up to 5 days. *These are best eaten, however, within 2-3 days.

Mini cheesecakes freeze well. Place cooled cheesecakes onto a ¼ sheet tray and into the freezer. Once frozen, transfer frozen cheesecakes to a freezer-safe airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Expert Tips

1. Use room temperature cream cheese and egg. To avoid lumpy batter, be sure to use room temperature cream cheese and egg.
2. Do not over-mix the batter. Except for whipping the cream cheese and sugar together, cheesecake batter requires very little mixing.
3. Make this recipe ahead. Cheesecakes need time to set in the fridge, so they are a great make-ahead dessert.
4. Sprinkle with additional chocolate chips. Sprinkle the little cheesecakes with additional chips before baking. The overall affect is nice looking!
5. Mini cheesecakes bake fast. Keep an eye on the cheesecakes towards the end of the baking time. Note: They take exactly 13 minutes to bake in my oven, but every oven is different.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did my mini cheesecakes crack? You have whipped too much air into your cheesecake batter leaving air bubbles. Apart from the initial mixing of the cream cheese and sugar, the batter needs very little whipping. This is especially true after adding the egg.

How long can mini cheesecakes sit out? According to the guidelines of the US Department of Agriculture, these little cheesecakes can sit out for no longer than two hours.

When are my mini cheesecakes done? These bite-sized cheesecakes bake quickly. You will know they are done baking when the edges have puffed, and the center is still slightly jiggly.

If you make the recipe, don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know what you think in the comments on my website! Take pictures, tag sugarylogic, and share them with me on  Instagram or  Facebook.