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Here is my favorite Mini New York Cheesecake Recipe. I loved this classic cheesecake with less sugar. I think, it turns out even better than the one in Starbucks! Perfect for any occasion, these individual cheesecakes are easy to make, with a smooth filling and a buttery crust.

a plate of cheese cake with matcha latte at the background.

The crunchy crust at the bottom and soft creamy cheese on top has always fascinated me. It is a comfort dessert when I was stressed out.

The Perfect Mini New York Cheesecake

In my search for the perfect cheesecake, I tried many recipes and watched countless videos, eventually settling on this mini New York cheesecake recipe.

It’s easy to make with a fail-proof, all-in-one batter. The challenge is achieving a smooth, crack-free surface during baking.

I made adjustments to the recipe and created a version with just the right amount of subtle sweetness to satisfy your cravings.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

It is super easy – You only have to mix everything in a bowl. Whisk it until everything blends well. Even a beginner in the kitchen can make it well.
It is less sugar – I have tweaked this recipe to be less sweet but still have some subtle sweetness to claim this a delicious cheesecake
It is gluten-free – The only flour I use here is cornstarch. Cornstarch is gluten-free. If you want to make the whole cake gluten-free, choose gluten-free biscuits. Then, it is a perfect gluten-free New York Cheesecake.
It is in small sizes – With small baking pans, you can serve the cheesecake individually.

Recipe Ingredients

Ingredients to Note

Cream Cheese – Cream cheese is the most important ingredient in this recipe. I highly recommend using a good brand. The best brand would be Philadelphia, Elle & Vire, Anchor.

Whipping Cream – Whipping cream will help smooth out the cream cheese. I would highly recommend dairy whipping cream.

Graham Cracker Biscuits – Use Graham Cracker Biscuits or any biscuits you like. Try to use the one with less sugar or zero sugar in it. Even though there is no sugar in the biscuits, you will still get the subtle sweetness from the cheesecake.

Variations

Cream cheese is incredibly versatile and can be transformed into various types of cheesecakes. From classic New York-style to Hokkaido style Cheese Tart or fruity variations like No Bake Mango Cheesecake, cream cheese serves as the perfect base for countless delicious cheesecake creations.

You can mix fruit into the cream cheese batter or even pandan extract and make it into a unique Pandan Cheesecake.

Be sure to check out the full recipe and ingredient list below

How to Make

Grease the baking pan with butter. Line the bottom and the sides with parchment paper. (image 1)
Then, cover the outer part of baking pan with aluminium foil. This is to prevent water coming in from the base of the baking pan. (image 2)

photo collage of preparing the baking pan.

Grind the biscuits using a rolling pin or process in a food processor. If you like to have a bit of coarse crust, you can use a rolling pin and crush the biscuits to your preference. (image 3)
Melt the butter and pour it in the crushed biscuits (image 4). Mix well. Transfer into the baking pan (image 5).
Use your spatula to flatten the biscuits and press firmly and evenly all over the base of the baking pan (image 6) . Keep in the freezer while you’re making the cream cheese batter.

photo collage of grinding the biscuits and making the base of the cheesecake.

Put the cream cheese in room temperature for around 10 – 15 minutes. The cream cheese should be soft enough to press with spatula by then. (image 7)
Press the cream cheese and soften it with spatula by stirring it with a whisk.
Toss in the sugar when the cream cheese softens. When sugar blends in, the cream cheese will be even more easier to stir. Add vanilla extract and whisk.
Break one egg, whisk it until it blends well (image 8). Continue with another egg. Whisk it well.
Pour in the whipping cream and lemon juice. The batter will be very smooth when all the ingredients blend well (image 9).

photo collage of whisking the cream cheese batter.

Pour the batter into the baking pan (image 10, 11). Knock the pan a few times on the table to have a smooth surface (image 12).

photo collage of pouring the cheese batter into the pan.

Get the larger baking pan and put the round baking pan in the larger one. Pour some water into the large baking pan, around 1 cm deep (image 13).
Bake in the preheated oven 160°C for 90 minutes or until the top is golden brown or until the surface is firm enough to touch (image 14, 15).

photo collage of preparing the cake to bake in the oven.

Take out from the oven. Cover with cling wrap (image 16) and keep in the fridge overnight.
The next day, take out the cake from the baking pan (image 17).
Gently, put the cake on a serving plate. Slice and enjoy your cake with strawberry jam!

photo collage of taking the cake out from the oven and chilling it in the fridge.

Pro Tips

Let the cream cheese stay in room temperature for at least 10 minutes, so it will be easier to process using only whisk and spatula.
Use a loose baking pan or springform pan for cheesecake for easy removal. Grease the pan with butter and line it up with parchment paper so you get a smooth side.
You will need aluminum foil to cover the base of the baking pan. Since the baking pan is loose, there is possibility of water coming in to soak the bottom of the cake.
Get another pan larger than the pan you use for the cheesecake. Fill it up with water 1 cm deep. This method is called Water Bath baking method. With the right temperature, the cheesecake will not crack and the moistness is kept inside.
No matter what oven you use, remember to preheat the oven 10-15 minutes before baking. Set it to 160°C. This will prevent the top of the cheesecake from cracking.
The water used for water bath baking does not need to be hot. Just use room temperature water, it will heat up inside the oven and keep the moistness of the cake.

You can use lemon curd, blueberry jam, strawberry jam or raspberry jam.

Yes, you can. However, I highly recommend you eat the cheesecake at least 3-4 hours after baking. Put the cheesecake in the fridge after baking. This will let the cheese set and the texture will be like ice cream.

A slice of mini cheesecake with strawberry jam.

Serving

Serve the cake cold, if you want the cream to be softer, you can let it be in room temperature for 10 minutes. Add a dollop of strawberry jam to take the cheesecake to the next level.