George Fassett's Cheesecake Cupcakes

Cheesecake without the springform pan, the water bath, or the overnight chill. These cheesecake cupcakes bake in individual graham cracker crust cups for portion-controlled servings that work for parties, picnics, or anywhere a full cheesecake feels excessive.

The filling is straight cheesecake: three packages of cream cheese, a cup of sour cream, eggs, sugar, and a generous tablespoon of vanilla extract. The tablespoon (not teaspoon) of vanilla is the move worth noting; it gives these cupcakes a more pronounced vanilla flavour that holds up against the rich cream cheese.

The small format also means a faster bake. Thirty to thirty-five minutes versus the hour-plus a full cheesecake needs, and they cool quickly for serving the same day.

Pro Tips

• Soften the cream cheese thoroughly. Cold cream cheese leaves lumps in the batter that no amount of beating fixes. Leave it out for at least an hour before mixing.
• Beat the eggs in one at a time on high speed. Adding them all at once breaks the emulsion and gives a grainy texture.
• Don’t overbake. The centres should still wobble slightly when you pull them; they finish setting as they cool.
• Cool completely at room temperature, then chill before serving. The texture firms up considerably once cold.

Variations

• Top each cooled cupcake with a spoonful of fruit pie filling (cherry, strawberry, or blueberry) for classic cheesecake topping.
• Add a teaspoon of lemon zest to the batter for a brighter, citrus-tinged version.
• Use chocolate cookie crumb crust cups in place of graham cracker for a chocolate-based cheesecake bite.