Mini S’mores Cheesecakes With Vanilla Bean Marshmallow Creme

Summer is well underway by now and I have a delicious twist on a summertime classic just for you! We always have s’mores on at least one of our camping trips. They’re just the perfect treat to eat sitting by a campfire after a long day outdoors! These mini s’mores cheesecakes are a fun way to bring the great outdoors right to your home. Plus, these little treats are served chilled which makes them the perfect warm-weather dessert!

So, what makes these mini s’mores cheesecakes so good? Well, let’s start with the buttery graham cracker crust. I’ve created an extra thick layer of homemade graham cracker crust so that you really get the true s’mores taste!

Next is the decadent and creamy dark chocolate cheesecake center. It’s not too sweet, which is perfect for these cheesecakes because the homemade vanilla bean marshmallow creme topping is where you will get your touch of sweetness from! The fluffy meringue tastes just like marshmallows, and you can even broil it in the oven to get that classic toasty and roasty marshmallow taste! I used Rodelle’s Vanilla Paste to get a rich, deep vanilla flavor that makes this marshmallow topping extra special. Really, these are the ultimate s’mores dessert!

How to Make Mini S’mores Cheesecakes

These little desserts might look a bit fussy because of all of the layers involved, but they really are simple to make and come together quite easily!

Graham Cracker Crust

First up is the graham cracker crust. Very simple to make. Just crush up about a packet and half of graham crackers (you can do this by hand or use a mini food processor which is what I like to do!). Then mix with your butter and press firmly into the bottom of 12 cup muffin pan lined with cupcake liners. Bake for 5 minutes and let cool! I also like to use this mini cheesecake pan instead of a normal muffin pan. You’ll likely end up with about 24 mini cheesecakes instead of 12 if you use this pan.

Chocolate Cheesecake Center

Next up is the dark chocolate cheesecake center! This part is super yummy. It’s rich and creamy and just delicious. The ingredients are simple – you’ll need cream cheese, sugar, cocoa powder, full-fat greek yogurt (or sour cream), vanilla, eggs, and melted chocolate. That’s it! You will then just simply whip up the cream cheese, sugar, and cocoa, add your vanilla, yogurt, and eggs, and then fold in the melted chocolate! Bake for 15 minutes, cool, and chill for 30 minutes. Boom! Done. If you want to make these ahead of time, you can keep them in the refrigerator or freezer and then add the marshmallow topping when you are ready to serve!

Vanilla Bean Marshmallow Creme Meringue Topping

The final touch to these delicious mini s’mores cheesecakes is the homemade vanilla bean marshmallow creme topping! It is light and fluffy and is the best part in my opinion. It really does taste like marshmallows! The ingredients are simple for this one too – egg whites, sugar, Rodelle Vanilla Paste, and cream of tartar. I like to substitute Rodelle Vanilla Paste in any of my recipes that call for vanilla – it’s an easy 1:1 swap! There is no fussy pod to deal with and anything that you use this vanilla paste in will have the deep, rich taste of Madagascar vanilla beans with pretty little vanilla flecks!

Meringue can sometimes be tricky but this version is quite easy to make! Simply whisk the egg whites and sugar in a bowl over a pot of simmering water until the sugar is dissolved. Then transfer to a stand mixer and whisk with the vanilla bean paste and cream of tartar for 5-7 minutes until stiff peaks form. Pipe or spread the meringue onto your chilled cheesecakes and broil for 1 minute if desired – I highly recommend this for a true toasty marshmallow taste!

How to Store Mini S’mores Cheesecakes

The great thing about these is that you can make the cheesecakes ahead of time and simply refrigerate or freeze them! They will keep for a few days in the refrigerator and a few weeks in the freezer. Once you are ready to serve, simply whip up your marshmallow creme and you are ready to indulge! If you are storing these with the meringue already on top, I would not leave these out at room temperature because of the egg whites. But that’s okay because these are best served chilled on a hot summer day!

I hope you are able to make good use of this recipe for your next bbq or summer gathering! These would be a yummy treat for Father’s Day – create an outdoors or camping-themed menu for your dad and include these!