Mini Lemon Cheesecakes with Gingersnap Crust

Why is it that everything in miniature is so darn cute? Let’s ponder over Mini Lemon Cheesecakes with Gingersnap Crust.

Each of these adorable baby New York-style cheesecakes is a creamy dreamy combo of Greek yogurt, bright lemon zest, and classic cream cheese, set atop a spicy gingersnap. Did I painstaking crush cookies, blend them with melted butter, then delicately spoon and press them into muffin cups? Girl please—I save that kind of effort for Pumpkin Pull Apart Bread. We’re popping a premade gingersnap into a cupcake liner, then giving ourselves a high five. For tiny cheesecakes like these, I promise you won’t miss a thing.

The gingersnaps’ light bite is the ideal complement to the cheesecakes’ luscious lemon filling. A kiss of orange zest creates a flavor effect similar to Meyer lemons and makes these mini cheesecakes oh so fancy!

Since I can’t let well enough alone (ask Ben), I stirred together a 30-second brown sugar Greek yogurt sauce that’s straight out of the New York cheesecake dictionary. I simply swapped Greek yogurt for the traditional sour cream. The taste is outstanding, and the extra protein boost from the Greek yogurt gives us all a nice excuse to go back for more.

Spoon the sauce over the top of each mini cheesecake, gild the little guys with some crushed gingersnaps, then settle down to quietly eat four or so. They are “baby” cheesecakes after all.

And speaking of baby….a certain blogger friend of mine is expecting! Liz of The Lemon Bowl will be having a beautiful baby soon. As a surprise, a group of bloggers and I collaborated to throw Liz a virtual baby shower, by each featuring a lemon-themed recipe in her honor. I’ve long-admired Liz’s blog, both for her recipes (which all have a healthy twist), and for the wonderful, generous person that she is. Liz, please go ahead and eat six of these Mini Lemon Cheesecakes: three for you, and three for Baby!

Luscious Mini Lemon Cheesecakes with Gingersnap Crust will rank right up there with fuzzy ducklings, baby booties, Golden Retriever puppies, and mini-Snickers bars on the “Tiny Things I Simply Can’t Resist” list.

Whether you are looking for a fun party dessert (I brought Mini Lemon Cheesecakes with Gingersnap Crust to a tailgate and watched them vanish) or a special treat just for you, Mini Lemon Cheesecakes with Gingersnap Crust are an easy to make, delightful to eat treat.

• Love ginger? Try Ginger Molasses Maple Cream Sandwich Cookies
• Love lemon? Check out Lemon Shortbread Cookies with Lemon Icing
• Love cream cheese? Jump on Banana Cake with Toasted Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting

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Mini Lemon Cheesecakes with Gingersnap Crust

Yield: 24 mini cheesescakes

Prep Time:

15 mins

Cook Time:

18 mins

Total Time:

4 hrs 33 mins

Luscious Mini Lemon Cheesecakes with Gingersnap Crust are an easy to make treat for parties (or just for you!) Greek yogurt adds a New York-style tang and keeps these mini cheesecakes light. Top with Greek yogurt brown sugar sauce, and you have an elegant dessert that your friends and family are sure to love.

Ingredients

For the Mini Cheesecakes:

• 24 gingersnap cookies, — plus additional crushed for garnish
• 20 ounces reduced fat cream cheese
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 large eggs — at room temperature
• 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 1/2 cups plain Greek yogurt — (12 ounces) 2% or whole milk
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon fresh orange zest
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice

For the Topping:

• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt, — 2% or whole milk
• 1/4 cup brown sugar, — light or dark

Instructions

1. Place racks in the upper and lower thirds of your oven (if halving the recipe, place the rack in the center) and preheat to 375 degrees F. Line two standard-sized 12-cup muffin tins with paper liners and place 1 gingersnap in the bottom of each.
2. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth and fluffy. Beat in eggs, 1 and a time. Beat in the Greek yogurt, lemon zest, orange zest, lemon juice, and orange juice.
3. With an ice cream or cookie scoop, fill each muffin cup nearly to the top with batter. Bake for 18 minutes, rotating the pans 180 degrees and switching their positions on the upper/lower racks halfway through. Let cheesecakes cool for at least 1 hour, then refrigerate uncovered for 4 hours or overnight.
4. For the glaze: Stir together the Greek yogurt and brown sugar until smooth. When ready to serve, spoon over each cheesecake and garnish with crushed gingersnaps.

Recipe Notes

Refrigerate leftover mini cheesecakes in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Easy Dessert Recipe, Mini Lemon Cheesecakes with Gingersnap Crust

All text and images © Erin / Well Plated.

Did you try this recipe? I want to see! Follow Well Plated on Instagram, snap a photo, and tag it #wellplated. I love to know what you are making!

For more lemon eats, dive into these lemon-themed recipes, each cooked up for Liz’s surprise virtual baby shower!

Appetizers

• Whipped Feta Spread with Lemon, Garlic & Rosemary by Miss in the Kitchen
• Cauliflower Mashed “Potatoes” in a Lemon Cup with Smoked Paprika by Climbing Grier Mountain
• Lemon Basil Bruschetta by Dine & Dish
• Chipotle Sweet Potato Fries w/ Lemon Basil Aioli by What’s Gaby Cooking
• Lemon Garlic Herb Marinated Olives by Sarah’s Cucina Bella
• Kalamata Olive and Feta Dip with Baked Lemon Pepper Pita Chips by In Aggie’s Kitchen
• Creamy Asparagus Guacamole by The Healthy Apple

Beverages

• Sparkling Honey Rosemary Lemonade by Nutmeg Nanny
• Basil Hibiscus Lemonade by Fabtastic Eats
• Jam Mocktails: Lemon & Pineapple by Cooking with Books
• Lemon Jalapeno Spritzers by Bev Cooks
• Sparkling Blackberry Lemonade by Crumbs and Chaos
• Limonana (Middle Eastern Frozen Mint Lemonade) by An Edible Mosaic
• Tipsy Lemonade Iced Tea by Family Fresh Cooking

Salads

• Kale Salad with Lemon-Tahini Dressing by Thrifty Veggie Mama
• Lemon Quinoa Salad with Pistachios & Sun-Dried Tomatoes by Cookin’ Canuck
• Greek Salad with Garlic-Lemon Vinaigrette by Gimme Some Oven
• Pear Quinoa Salad by Reluctant Entertainer
• Lemon Avocado Salad Dressing by The Lean Green Bean
• Lemony Spinach & Tomato Quinoa Salad by MomAdvice
• Herbed Calamari Salad with Preserved Lemons by Everyday Maven

Main Dish

• Italian Lemon Roast Chicken Pot by Eat2Gather
• Roasted Lemon Garlic Cocktail Shrimp by Simply Scratch
• Lemon Garlic Shrimp Tostada by A Zesty Bite
• Lemon Pepper Shrimp Linguine by Taste and Tell
• Salmon with Lemon Herb Butter by Handle the Heat
• Lemon Chicken Stew by FoodieCrush
• Chicken Saltimbocca with Lemon Cream Sauce and Olive Orzo by Baker by Nature

Desserts

• Honey Lemon Shortbread Cookies by Rachel Cooks
• Lemon Blueberry Macarons by Chocolate & Carrots
• Lemon Glazed Cookies by A Cedar Spoon
• Healthier Lemon Bars by Texanerin Baking
• Lemon Sugar Cookies by What Megan’s Making
• Light Lemon Mousse by Country Cleaver
• Lemon Sugar Cookie Sandwiches by i am baker
• Mini Lemon Cheesecakes with Gingersnap Crust by The Law Student’s Wife
• Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Chips by Seeded at the Table

CONGRATS LIZ!