Description
Delight in these Mini Christmas Tree Cheesecakes, featuring a creamy vanilla base, a graham cracker crust, a tart cranberry topping, and a festive whipped frosting shaped like Christmas trees.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ½ cups (150g) graham cracker crumbs
- 4 tbsp (55g) melted butter
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 16 oz (450g) cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup (100g) sugar
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- ½ cup (120ml) sour cream
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- Optional: ½ cup chopped cranberries mixed into batter
- 1 ½ cups fresh cranberries
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ cup water
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- Optional: ½ tsp vanilla or orange zest
- 1 ½ cups (360ml) heavy cream
- 4 tbsp powdered sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla
- Optional for stability: 2 tbsp mascarpone or cream cheese
- 1 cup fresh cranberries
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup water
- Extra sugar for coating
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C). Mix graham crumbs, sugar, and melted butter. Press into the bottoms of 12 cupcake cavities. Bake for 5 minutes and cool slightly.
- Beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add cornstarch, sour cream, and vanilla. Add eggs one at a time, mixing just until combined. Optionally fold in chopped cranberries. Spoon batter over crusts, filling almost to the top.
- Place the pan in a larger baking tray and add hot water halfway up the sides. Bake for 18–22 minutes until edges are set but centers are slightly jiggly. Cool for 1 hour, then refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
- Simmer cranberries, sugar, and water for 8–10 minutes until thickened. Add lemon juice and optional orange zest. Cool completely.
- Heat water and sugar until dissolved. Add cranberries for 30–60 seconds. Transfer to a rack for 10 minutes and roll in sugar. Set aside.
- Whip heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla to stiff peaks. If using mascarpone or cream cheese, blend it in first. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip.
- Unmold cold mini cheesecakes. Spoon a layer of cranberry topping on each cheesecake. Pipe tall spiral swirls to form a Christmas tree shape. Drizzle with cranberry topping “ornaments.” Top each tree with one sugared cranberry and dust lightly with powdered sugar for a snowy effect.
Notes
- For a more intense cranberry flavor, consider adding more cranberries to the topping.
- Ensure the cream cheese is softened for a smooth batter.
- These cheesecakes can be made a day in advance for convenience.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cheesecake
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 20g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 25g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 70mg