It's that time of year again, right in the middle of the never ending BBQ potluck request. You love spending time with all your friends gathered around the grill, but you are completely out of ideas on what to bring to yet another potluck! Well these mini cheesecakes are creamy, delicious, easy and they only take 20 minutes to bake! Go ahead, show off and avoid yet another serving of break and bake chocolate chip cookies....Mini Cheesecakes
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Ingredients
| 5 | cup chocolate graham cracker sticks |
| 2 | tbsp sugar |
| 1/2 | cup butter - melted |
| 24 | oz cream cheese - softened |
| 1 | cup sugar |
| 1 1/2 | tbsp flour |
| 2 | tsp lemon zest |
| 3 | eggs |
| 1 | egg yolk |
| 1/4 | tsp vanilla extract |
| 1 | cup semi-sweet chocolate chips |
| 1/2 | cup cream |
| 1 | tbsp gran marnier (if desired) |
| 1/2 | cup slivered almonds |
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
For Crust:
Place chocolate graham cracker sticks in a food processor. Process until they resemble coarse sand. Add sugar, and process until sugar is incorporated. Slowly add melted butter until mixture resembles a crumbly wet sand.
Line 2 - 12 muffin pans with muffin cups (24).
Gently press about 2 tbsp of cookie crust into the bottom of each muffin cup. Crust should be about 1/4 an inch thick. Bake in preheated oven for 5 minutes. Remove and allow to cool.
For Batter:
In an electric mixer, beat together cream cheese, flour, sugar and zest until smooth. Add eggs and yolk, one at a time, scraping sides of the bowl as you go. Add vanilla and beat until well incorporated.
Fill each muffin cup with batter all the way to the top of the muffin cup. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Refrigerate overnight.
For Frosting:
Remove cupcakes from refrigerator. Combine chocolate and Gran Marnier (if desired) in a small bowl. Heat cream just to a boil. Remove from heat and pour cream over chocolate. Let sit for 2 minutes. Stir together cream and chocolate until mixture resembles a smooth dark, thick chocolate. Spoon 1 tbsp of chocolate into the center of each cupcake. Sprinkle with slivered almonds and serve.
For Crust:
Place chocolate graham cracker sticks in a food processor. Process until they resemble coarse sand. Add sugar, and process until sugar is incorporated. Slowly add melted butter until mixture resembles a crumbly wet sand.
Line 2 - 12 muffin pans with muffin cups (24).
Gently press about 2 tbsp of cookie crust into the bottom of each muffin cup. Crust should be about 1/4 an inch thick. Bake in preheated oven for 5 minutes. Remove and allow to cool.
For Batter:
In an electric mixer, beat together cream cheese, flour, sugar and zest until smooth. Add eggs and yolk, one at a time, scraping sides of the bowl as you go. Add vanilla and beat until well incorporated.
Fill each muffin cup with batter all the way to the top of the muffin cup. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Refrigerate overnight.
For Frosting:
Remove cupcakes from refrigerator. Combine chocolate and Gran Marnier (if desired) in a small bowl. Heat cream just to a boil. Remove from heat and pour cream over chocolate. Let sit for 2 minutes. Stir together cream and chocolate until mixture resembles a smooth dark, thick chocolate. Spoon 1 tbsp of chocolate into the center of each cupcake. Sprinkle with slivered almonds and serve.
