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Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcakes

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These strawberry cheesecake cupcakes are creamy, delicious, and an easy way to get your cheesecake fix—no water bath necessary!

 

strawberry cheesecake cupcake on a wire rack with more cheesecakes and a bowl of strawberries in the background

This recipe was originally posted in May of 2018. I’ve rewritten the post to include more information about the mini cheesecakes and step-by-step photos of the process. The recipe remains the same.

What’s better than regular cheesecake? Mini cheesecakes. (Built-in portion control is always a good thing if you ask me.)

And these strawberry cheesecake cupcakes are essentially just mini cheesecakes hiding under a pretty little swirl of strawberry.

This is the dessert I’ll be craving all spring long. Super creamy and rich with a sweet-tart tang from the berries, they’re an adorable and irresistible treat!

Why you’ll love these strawberry cheesecake cupcakes:

  • All of the ingredients are easy to find at any grocery store; you probably have most of them on hand already!
  • Even if you’ve never made cheesecake before, you can absolutely make these successfully because the recipe is very straight-forward and you don’t have to bake them in a water bath.
  • These cheesecakes call for sour cream, which makes them extra light and creamy. And as a bonus, the sour cream adds a delicious tang to offset the sweet berries.

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How to make your cupcakes
how to make strawberry puree

You’ll start by making a simple strawberry puree:

  • Place sliced strawberries in the bowl of a food
  • Processor and process until the berries are liquid
  • Strain the berry puree through a fine mesh sieve; discard the solids and stir sugar into the puree

how to make cheesecake cupcake filling
Next, you’ll make the filling:

  • Beat room temperature cream cheese until smooth
  • Gradually beat in granulated sugar
  • Beat in eggs, sour cream, and a few other ingredients

how to assemble cheesecakes
Then you’ll put it all together:

  • Line muffin cups with Golden Oreos (or another sandwich cookie of your choosing)
  • Divide cheesecake batter between the muffin cups; fill them almost completely full
  • Spoon a little strawberry puree over the top of each cheesecake and swirl with a toothpick

Then you’ll bake for about 20 minutes, cool to room temperature, and chill overnight!

When you’re ready to serve, top each strawberry cheesecake with a dollop of whipped cream.

Notes:

  • If your food processor has a small bowl, use that to puree the berries; if it doesn’t, just keep stopping the processor and scraping it down until the berries are fully pureed.
  • Be sure your cream cheese is at room temperature or your mini cheesecakes could end up with chunks of un-mixed cream cheese.
  • Before chilling your cheesecakes overnight, be sure they’ve cooled to room temperature. You don’t want to put hot cheesecake in the fridge.
  • Don’t use non-fat or low-fat cream cheese. Your cheesecake won’t set up properly.

Can I use other berries?

Yes! Blackberries or raspberries (or a combination of the two!) would be especially good.

Can I use frozen berries?

You can. I preferred the cheesecakes made with fresh berries but you can use frozen if that’s all you have. 

Defrost the berries a little first or you won’t have much juice. (They shouldn’t be fully defrosted but you don’t want them totally frozen; 15 to 20 minutes at room temperature is probably plenty depending on the temperature of your kitchen.)

How to store your cupcakes

Uneaten cheesecake cupcakes can be stored in the fridge for 3 or 4 days. Cover them with plastic wrap or put them in airtight containers first!

You can also store your cheesecakes, tightly wrapped, in the freezer for about 2 months.

Eat your cheesecakes frozen, defrost them in the fridge overnight, or leave at room temp for 30 minutes to an hour before eating (I just eat them frozen because I can’t usually wait for them to defrost but you do you!).

A few more recipes you might enjoy
Triple Chocolate Cheesecake
Red Velvet Cheesecake Cupcakes
Blueberry Lemon Cheesecake Cake
Strawberry Shortcake Cake

one of the strawberry cheesecake cupcakes with a fork taking a bite out of it

Did you make these strawberry cheesecake cupcakes? Awesome! Let me know what you think with a comment and a rating below. Then post a pic on IG–tag @theitsybitsykitchen so I can see your delicious creations!

5 from 8 votes
cheesecakes on a wire rack with a bowl of strawberries in the background
Print
Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcakes
Prep Time
35 mins
Cook Time
18 mins
Chilling Time
8 hrs
Total Time
53 mins
 

Strawberry cheesecake cupcakes are easy to make--no water bath required--and they're a wonderful dessert for spring and summer!

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 16
Author: Kelsie
Ingredients
Cupcakes
  • 16 vanilla sandwich cookies
  • 1 cup sliced strawberries + more for garnish
  • 1 pound full-fat cream cheese at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup full-fat sour cream at room temperature
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
Topping
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
Instructions
Cupcakes
  1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Line 16 to 18 muffin cups with cupcake liners and set one sandwich cookie in the bottom of each. Set pan aside.
  2. Place the sliced berries in the bowl of a food processor and process until liquid. If your food processor has a small bowl, use that; if not, just keep stopping the processor and scraping it down until the berries are fully pureed.
  3. Pour the puree into a fine mesh sieve set over a mixing bowl and use a rubber spatula to press as much liquid out as possible. Discard solids. Stir 1 tablespoon sugar into the puree. Set aside.
  4. Beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer set to medium speed until very smooth. Turn mixer to low and slowly add the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar.
  5. Beat in the vanilla, eggs, sour cream, and salt stopping the mixer to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary.
  6. Divide batter evenly between the prepared muffin cups, filling each most of the way full.
  7. Spoon about 1 1/2 teaspoons of the strawberry puree over the top of the batter in each muffin cup and use a toothpick to swirl the puree into the cheesecake.
  8. Bake until filling is set, about 18 to 20 minutes. Set pan on a wire rack to cool completely, then refrigerate overnight.
Topping
  1. After the cupcakes have chilled overnight, whip the heavy cream and powdered sugar to stiff peaks. Dollop each cupcake with whipped cream and garnish with a sliced strawberry. Serve.
Recipe Notes
  • Remember that your cheesecakes need to chill overnight before you serve them.
  • Be sure your cream cheese is at room temperature or your mini cheesecakes could end up with chunks of un-mixed cream cheese.
  • Before chilling your cheesecakes overnight, be sure they’ve cooled to room temperature. You don’t want to put hot cheesecake in the fridge.
  • Don’t use non-fat or low-fat cream cheese. Your cheesecake won’t set up properly.
  • Uneaten cheesecakes can be stored in the fridge, covered or in airtight containers, for 3 or 4 days.
  • You can also freeze them, tightly wrapped, for about 2 months.

Adapted from Martha Stewart’s Cupcakes

Comments

  1. Teesh Osita says

    I can’t imagine you’d have a fun time baking in the kitchen with Cookie chasing all the mini pigs you’d hoard around. This recipe still sounds yummy, though! 🙂

    Reply

  2. Miriam @londonkitchendiaries says

    I am a huge fan of mini cakes, they look so innocent & delicious and are great for summer garden parties! Have a nice weekend ahead xx

    Reply

  4. kitchenriffs says

    Love the idea of mini-pigs running throughout the house! And love the idea of these cupcakes, too. I think two are a proper portion size, don’t you? 🙂

    Reply

  7. ingoodflavor says

    One mini cheesecake at a time is never possible! These are going back for seconds, thirds and possibly fourths kind of cheesecakes!! I love the whipped cream and strawberry topping too!

    Reply

  8. Carlee says

    Your unwavering love of cheesecake just makes me like you even more! And I love all things mini. I’d say it’s built in portion control, but we all know I’m not stopping after one!

    Reply

  11. Ben|Havocinthekitchen says

    I think I’ve mentioned before I’m not a huge fan of cupcakes unless there’s a lot of frosting inside and outside. Amended. Cheesecake cupcakes make an exception too. Filled with strawberries, this dessert is so refreshing and delicious. Well done, Kelsie!

    Reply

  13. Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says

    I love all things mini too!!! So you KNOW I’m all over these adorable strawberry cheesecake cupcakes like white on rice!! These are perfect for any kind of spring/summer entertaining!! Or, just for snacking, because let’s get real, I’m going to hoard these to myself! Pinning! Cheers

    Reply

  14. annie@ciaochowbambina says

    No water bath? I’m in!! These are just perfect when you have a craving for…delicious!! Pinned!

    Reply

  15. Milena Perrine says

    I love this recipe! Pump up the volume on the strawberries:) I might never make regular cheese cake again because placing an Oreo at the bottom is genius in its simplicity. Pinning!

    Reply

  16. Dawn - Girl Heart Food says

    Love those little sample and I love little desserts! So dainty and it makes me feel better if I eat, like, 3…..cause, hey, they’re small, right?? And who can resist strawberry cheesecake in any form, really. Delish Kelsie! Happy Monday!

    Reply

  18. David @ Spiced says

    Hey, I get all of my makeup at Sephora, too! Wait. Nevermind. But I would love a herd of mini-pigs and mini-Cookies running around the house. Can you imagine what would happen if they had babies?? Anyways, this cheesecakes sound amazing. Perfect for Spring, and the cookie at the bottom idea is such an easy and fun recipe hack. Love it, Kelsie!

    Reply

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