Mini Oreo Cheesecakes

Active time: 20 minutes | Bake time: 20 minutes | Chill time: 4-6 hours | Yield: 16 mini cheesecakes

Cheesecake can seem like a doozy because you generally need a springform pan, you need to make the crust, and you need to bake it in a water bath…A lot of very specific steps. Mini cheesecakes though; insanely easy! Adding an oreo to the bottom of each muffin tin creates a crust that requires absolutely no work, the only special pan you need is a muffin tin, and no water bath needed. The only problem with these mini desserts is that you still have to be patient to let them cool before you eat them. It’s definitely worth the wait, though!

Ingredients:

• 28 Oreos

• 16 ounces (2 blocks) softened cream cheese

• 150g (¾ cup) granulated sugar

• 80g (⅓ cup) sour cream

• 2 tsp vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)

• ⅛ tsp salt

• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Line 16 cupcake tins with cupcake liners. Place one oreo into the bottom of each cupcake tin. Roughly chop or crush the remaining oreos and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, cream the cream cheese with an electric mixer with a paddle attachment. Alternatively, you CAN mix by hand with a spatula, which is the method that I used. If mixing by hand, your batter may be slightly lumpy, but the cheesecakes will still turn out delicious.

3. Add sugar to the cream cheese and mix until well incorporated.

4. Mix in sour cream, vanilla, and salt until everything is well incorporated.

5. Lightly beat your eggs in a small bowl. Add the eggs and crushed oreos into the mixture and mix until eggs & oreos are just evenly distributed. Do not overmix.

6. Transfer the batter to the lined muffin tins, filling each tin almost to the top.

7. Bake for 16-23 minutes, until the cheesecake batter is very slightly jiggly, but not liquidy looking. If the cheesecakes start to crack, they are slightly overdone, so remove them from the oven! (Don’t worry, they’ll still taste good, just may not be quite as moist)

8. Allow to cool at room temperature for around 1-½ hours, before transferring to an airtight container in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours, until completely cooled.