Irresistible Mini Crème Brûlée Cheesecakes
Crème Brûlée Cheesecake. Just the name sounds like something you’d need a culinary school diploma and a stern French chef looking over your shoulder to pull off.
But here’s the thing. We can take all that creamy, tangy, crackly-topped goodness and shrink it down into these perfect little single-serving pucks of joy. They’re the kind of dessert that makes people stop talking. The kind that makes them ask, “Wait, you *made* these?”
Yeah, you did. So grab a kitchen torch (or hey, your broiler works too, we don’t judge) and let’s make something that feels way fancier than it actually is.
The Lineup
These are the non-negotiables. And trust me, go for the full-fat everything. This isn’t the time to be shy; it’s a moment for pure, unapologetic indulgence.
For the Graham Cracker Crust:
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Graham Cracker Crumbs | 1 ½ cups |
| Granulated Sugar | 3 tbsp |
| Unsalted Butter, melted | 6 tbsp |
For the Cheesecake Filling:
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Full-Fat Cream Cheese | 16 oz, room temp |
| Granulated Sugar | ¾ cup |
| Large Eggs | 2, room temp |
| Pure Vanilla Extract | 1 tsp |
| Full-Fat Sour Cream | ¼ cup, room temp |
| Heavy Cream | 2 tbsp |
| Salt | Just a pinch |
For the Brûlée Top:
You’ll just need about ⅓ cup of granulated or superfine sugar. That’s it.
Your Kitchen Arsenal
Having the right tools just makes life easier. Pull this stuff out before you start.
- A standard 12-cup muffin tin
- Cupcake liners (paper or foil)
- Food processor (if you’re making your own crumbs)
- Mixing bowls
- Electric hand mixer or a stand mixer
- Spatula
- Measuring cups and spoons
- A kitchen torch (the real fun part)
The Game Plan
Let’s do this. I’ll walk you through it, step by step. No sweat.
Step 1: Get your oven fired up to 325°F (165°C). Line your muffin tin with the cupcake liners.
Step 2: Mix the graham cracker crumbs and sugar. Pour in the melted butter and stir it all up until it feels like wet sand.
Step 3: Spoon about 1 ½ tablespoons of that sandy goodness into each liner. Pack it down tight with the bottom of a glass. Bake for 8-10 minutes until it smells amazing.
Step 4: In a big bowl, beat the room-temp cream cheese until it’s perfectly smooth. Seriously, no lumps allowed here. This is the key.
Step 5: Add the sugar and salt, then beat again until it’s all one happy, smooth family. Don’t forget to scrape down the bowl.
Step 6: Add the eggs one by one, mixing on low speed. Stop as soon as the yolk is mixed in. Over-mixing is the enemy of good cheesecake. Then, gently mix in the vanilla, sour cream, and heavy cream.
Step 7: Fill the liners almost to the top. Bake for 18-22 minutes. You want the edges set but the center to have a little jiggle. They’ll firm up later.
Step 8: Turn the oven off and prop the door open. Let the cheesecakes hang out in there for about an hour to cool down slowly. This is the secret weapon against cracks.
Step 9: After their oven nap, let them cool completely on the counter. Then cover them and into the fridge they go for at least 4 hours. Overnight is even better.
Step 10: The grand finale! Right before you serve, sprinkle a teaspoon or so of sugar over each cheesecake.
Step 11: Fire up that torch. Move it in circles a few inches from the sugar until it melts and turns a gorgeous amber. Let it sit for a minute to harden. Then serve and listen for that glorious crack.
Secrets from My Kitchen
- Room Temp or Bust: I’m not kidding. If your cream cheese, eggs, and sour cream are cold, you’re signing up for lumpy batter. Pull them out an hour ahead. Please.
- Go Easy on the Eggs: Once the eggs go in, slow your mixer way down. Beating in too much air causes cracks when they cool. It’s a classic rookie mistake.
- Patience with Cooling: Rushing the cooling process is basically asking for cracks. The slow cool-down (oven, counter, fridge) is what makes them perfect.
Ways to Mix It Up
- Crust Swaps: Out of graham crackers? Blitz up some Biscoff cookies, vanilla wafers, or even Oreos for a totally different vibe.
- Flavor Tweaks: A little lemon zest in the filling is incredible. Or maybe some espresso powder for a coffee kick. Go wild.
- Gluten-Free? Easy: Just grab your favorite gluten-free cookies for the crust. The filling is already good to go.
The Nitty Gritty
These are built for making ahead. You can bake them (up to step 9) and keep them covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. But whatever you do, don’t torch the top until you’re ready to serve. A soggy sugar crust is a sad, sad thing.
| Method | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Kitchen Torch | Precise, even color | Requires a tool |
| Oven Broiler | No extra gear | Burns in seconds |
Leftovers & Storage
If by some miracle you have leftovers, they’ll keep in an airtight container in the fridge for about 4 days. The crunchy top will get a bit syrupy, but let’s be honest, it’ll still be delicious.
Burning Questions
Q1. Ugh, my cheesecakes cracked. What gives?
Ans: Deep breaths. It happens to the best of us. Usually, the ingredients were too cold, you over-mixed the eggs, or they cooled down too fast. But here’s the magic trick: that sugar topping will hide every single crack. No one will ever know.
Q2. Can I really do this without a torch?
Ans: You can! Use your oven’s broiler. Put the sugared cheesecakes on the top rack and watch them like a hawk. I mean it. They go from perfect to burnt in a flash. It’s less precise, but it works.
Q3. Why is my cheesecake kind of…rubbery?
Ans: That almost always means it was over-baked. Remember to pull them out when the center still has a little wobble. They finish setting up as they cool.
Q4. Can I freeze these things?
Ans: Totally. Freeze the finished cheesecakes (but without the sugar top). Wrap them up tight and they’re good for a couple of months. Just thaw them in the fridge overnight before you torch and serve.
And That’s a Wrap
So there you have it. A dessert that’s a whole experience. You get the cool, creamy cheesecake, the buttery crust, and that incredible, shattering sugar glass on top. It’s a triple threat.
Honestly, I hope you make them. It’s one of those recipes that looks like a huge deal but is secretly simple and makes you feel like a rockstar in the kitchen.
