If you're looking for a tiny bitesize chocolate cheesecake, creamy, rich and full of chocolate in every layer - then you've come to the right place! This easy recipe for mini chocolate cheesecakes with Oreo crust and chocolate whipped cream on top are the ultimate chocolate cheesecake bites.
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Ingredient Notes for the Oreo Crust
This Oreo crust is simply a mini version of my classic Oreo cookie crust. You'll just need two ingredients:
- Oreo Cookies - standard stuffed Oreo sandwich cookies, crushed into a find crumb. Add the cookies (along with the filling - no need to scrape the cream out!) into a food processor and blitz until finely ground.
- Butter - unsalted butter, melted. You can use salted butter here, but it will add a touch of saltiness to the overall recipe. A bit of salt can go nicely with chocolate, but this recipe has not been specifically tested with salted butter.
Ingredient Notes for Chocolate Cheesecake Filling
For this chocolate cheesecake filling, you'll need:
- Cream cheese - soft spreadable cream cheese. All of my recipes involving cream cheese use the soft spreadable variety. This is due to ingredient availability in my area. For more detail see my easy Cream Cheese Frosting recipe.
- Sugar - superfine granulated sugar or caster sugar will work in this recipe.
- Egg - a large egg at room temperature is best for baking.
- Sour cream - a bit of sour cream adds a bite to cheesecakes. You can make these mini chocolate cheesecakes without sour cream, simply substitute with crème fraîche or mascarpone for a similar effect, or leave out entirely.
- Chocolate - dark chocolate or semi-sweet. Either chocolate chips or solid chocolate cut into fine bits. This will be melted down before adding to the mixture, so the smaller the pieces the quicker and easier to melt.
Ingredient Notes for the Topping
The topping for these mini cheesecakes is a cocoa whipped cream. This is a half batch of my easy homemade chocolate whipped cream, which can be piped or dolloped on top. You'll need:
- Heavy cream - or double cream. This ingredient is called different things in different places. You're looking for a thick cream that you would use for whipping.
- Powdered sugar - a bit of powdered sugar helps to sweeten the cream and stabilize it so that it is thick, pipeable and will hold its shape.
- Cocoa powder - you'll want a good quality dutch processed cocoa here. The cocoa powder will be key to the chocolate flavor in your cream.
- Vanilla extract - a bit of vanilla goes a long way in rounding out a whipped cream. It will accentuate the flavor of the cocoa and make this a rich chocolate whipped cream.
How to Make Mini Chocolate Cheesecake
Prep
- You'll want to start with preheating the oven to 350°F (175C/155C Fan) and adding mini cupcake cases to your mini muffin pan.
- Then, melt your chocolate for the cheesecake filling. This can be accomplished in one of two ways - either using a double boiler method on the stovetop or using the microwave. Both processes are outlined below.
- Once your chocolate is melted set this aside while you make the rest of the cheesecake bases and filling.
Mini Crusts
- The base for these mini chocolate cheesecakes is a simple Oreo crust, following the exact same process as my Two Ingredient Oreo Cookie Crust, just on a smaller scale.
- Once you have your moistened Oreo cookie crumb, spoon this into your lined mini muffin cases about a teaspoon per case and press firmly into the bases.
Filling
- In a mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese and sugar until smooth.
- Add the egg and beat to combine, followed by the soured cream and vanilla.
- Finally pour in the melted chocolate and beat to combine.
- Spoon the mixture into your prepared pan over top the firmly pressed crusts.
- Bake in the centre of the preheated oven until set. Then remove to cool in the tray and finally transfer to the fridge to chill completely.
Topping
- Once the cheesecakes have chilled, you can add the topping. This whipped cream follows the same process as my Homemade Chocolate Whipped Cream and is essentially just a half batch of the larger recipe.
- Add the heavy cream, cocoa powder, powdered sugar and vanilla to a mixing bowl and beat to stiff peaks.
- Top each mini chocolate cheesecake with a dollop of your cocoa whipped cream and serve.
Melting Chocolate for Cheesecake
Double Boiler Chocolate Melting for Cheesecake
To melt your chocolate using a double boiler, you need a small saucepan and a heat proof bowl which fits snuggly on top of the saucepan. The base of the bowl should sit into the saucepan slightly, but leave a couple inches gap between the bottom of the bowl and the bottom of the pan. For best results it should fit well enough to form a seal with the rim of the saucepan.
Add some water to the saucepan and bring this to a simmer. Then place the chocolate in the heatproof bowl and set this on top of the pan. The water should not touch the base of the bowl. Gently heat the chocolate this way using indirect heat. Stir occasionally until it is melted and smooth.
Microwave Melting Chocolate for Cheesecake
To use the microwave, place the chocolate chips (or finely chopped pieces) into a heatproof bowl and heat in the microwave in short increments (10-15 seconds). Stir after each increment until the chocolate is smooth.
Tips for This Recipe
- You want the chocolate to be melted but slightly cooled - it shouldn't be left to re-solidify, but you don't want to add it hot to the mixture or this might split.
- This recipe can be made using block cream cheese, but it has been developed using spreadable cream cheese from a tub. If using block cream cheese, this will need to be softened first and then may take a bit more effort to beat with the sugar.
- Baking should take about 12-15 minutes. They'll puff up a bit, but this rise will deflate when they're cooling.
- The whipped cream topping can be added to these cheesecakes as soon as they are chilled, even if you are making them in advance or intending to freeze. You can freeze them with or without the whipped cream and both options have their benefits. Already topped means they're completely ready upon defrosting. Untopped will make storage in the freezer easier and less stressful with trying to protect any piped cream.
FAQs
Yes! This recipe is for bitesize baked chocolate cheesecakes with Oreo bases.
They're made up of a simple and silky smooth chocolate cheesecake filling, loaded with rich dark chocolate, on top of crushed Oreo cookie crumbs. All topped off with a cocoa whipped cream that adds a light and airy chocolate finish. Because when it comes to a chocolate cheesecake, it's perfectly acceptable to have chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate!
These bitesize chocolate cheesecake cupcakes will keep well for about 3-4 days in the refrigerator. They can also be frozen for up to three months.
If freezing, allow the cheesecakes to thoroughly chill first. Then place on a freezer safe tray and flash freeze (allow them to sit in the freezer a few hours until solid). They can then be transferred to a freezer bag for better storage.
I like to make my mini chocolate cheesecakes with an Oreo base and a chocolate whipped cream top.
You can make these cheesecakes using different bases. Graham cracker crust or Lotus Biscoff crust would go nicely with them. Try the mini Biscoff bases used in my mini Biscoff cheesecake recipe!
Similarly, a half portion of my vanilla whipped cream will also work in place of the cocoa variety.
Looking for more chocolate inspiration? Try:
- S'mores Chocolate Cheesecake
- Chocolate Marshmallow Brownies
- Mini Oreo Cheesecakes
- Nanaimo Bars
- Seven Layer Chocolate Cake
- Edible Brownie Batter
Mini Chocolate Cheesecakes
Equipment
- 24-hole mini muffin tin
Ingredients
Ingredients for Oreo Crusts
- ¾ cup Oreo cookie crumbs for a step by step guide to Oreo cookie crusts, see my full size Oreo Crust recipe
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter melted
Ingredients for Chocolate Cheesecake Filling
- 8 oz spreadable cream cheese
- ¼ cup superfine granulated sugar or caster sugar
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon sour cream
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 oz dark chocolate chips or finely chopped solid chocolate
Ingredients for Topping (half batch of my Chocolate Whipped Cream)
- ½ cup heavy cream or double cream
- ½ tablespoon powdered sugar or icing sugar/confectioners sugar
- ½ tablespoon cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Begin by preheating the oven to 350°F (175C/155C Fan) and line your mini muffin pan with mini cupcake cases.
- Melt your chocolate until smooth, using a double boiler or microwave (see note) and set aside to cool slightly while you make the crusts and cream cheese mixture.
- In a mixing bowl, stir together the Oreo crumbs and butter creating a moist crumbly mixture. Spoon this out into the prepared liners (about a teaspoon per liner) and then press firmly into the bases.
- In another mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese with the sugar. Then add the egg, beating to incorporate.
- Add the vanilla and soured cream, again beating until smooth. And finally add the melted chocolate, beating until smooth.
- Spoon this out evenly amongst the liners (about a tablespoon for each).
- Place in the centre of a preheated oven and bake for about 12 minutes until set.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan until you're able to handle them. Then carefully remove and transfer to the refrigerator to cool completely - I usually recommend 4 hours.
Instructions for Topping
- Whip the cream with the cocoa, powdered sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form.
- When ready to serve (or once the cheesecakes are chilled), top each with some of the chocolate whipped cream.
Notes
- Double boiler method - bring a small saucepan of water to a simmer. Then place the chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl, which fits snuggly in the top of the saucepan (forming a seal with the rim of the saucepan, so that the base of the bowl sits into the pan but not touching the water). Gently heat the chocolate with this indirect heat, stirring occasionally until it melts. Note: you may need to turn the temperature down to avoid the water boiling up and touching the base of the bowl.
- Microwave method - place the chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl and microwave in short increments (10 second intervals) stirring each time until smooth.
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