MINI CRANBERRY ORANGE CHEESECAKES

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These mini cranberry orange cheesecakes are perfect for the holidays. This simple and delicious recipe is sure to be a crowd favorite!
Cranberry Orange Mini Cheesecakes | lifemadesimplebakes.com
The holidays wouldn’t be the same without some cheesecake! If you’ve been following along for some time, you’ve probably gathered that I LOVE cheesecake– it’s one of my favorite desserts to make & eat. It can be dressed up, or down, made in just about any pan, and can take on just about any flavor imaginable. Today I wanted to share my latest creation: mini cranberry orange cheesecakes. They’ve got a cookie crumb base, thick zesty filling, and a tart and tangy cranberry swirl.
Cranberry Orange Mini Cheesecakes | lifemadesimplebakes.com
For the base I used Cooper Street Orange Cranberry Cookies (biscotti). All you need to do is pop them in the food processor, then mix them with melted butter and a bit of granulated sugar. You could also use graham crackers, biscoff cookies or shortbread, however, you won’t get the same unique flavor.
Cranberry Orange Mini Cheesecakes | lifemadesimplebakes.com
Make sure your refrigerated items are at room temperature for the filling. The cream cheese, Greek yogurt and egg should all be out for about an hour to prevent clumps from forming.
Cranberry Orange Mini Cheesecakes | lifemadesimplebakes.com
Line a standard size muffin tin with paper liners (the recipe makes about 16), or double the recipe for a full-size (9-inch) cheesecake. I thought these mini cheesecakes would be perfect for holiday parties because they’re individual servings. Plus they’re really easy to make and don’t require a special pan!
Cranberry Orange Mini Cheesecakes | lifemadesimplebakes.com
Bake them for 20-25 minutes, then let them “cool” in the oven with the door slightly cracked for 5 minutes. Remove them, let them cool for a bit longer at room temperature, then chill them in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Serve them with the liners on or off, either way works!
Cranberry Orange Mini Cheesecakes | lifemadesimplebakes.com
We loved these festive and flavorful mini cheesecakes. They were a great way to end the day after spreading some holiday joy. We chose to use our Stonyfield “cow card” (appropriately named by our three year old) to help give meals to children in need at our favorite chicken place. ???? The cheesecakes were just the cherry cranberry on top!

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Mini Cranberry Orange Cheesecakes
 
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These mini cranberry orange cheesecakes are perfect for the holidays. This simple and delicious recipe is sure to be a crowd favorite!
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Yield: 16 cheesecakes
Ingredients
  • For the crust:
  • 1 c. Cranberry orange biscotti crumbs (graham cracker crumbs, gingersnap crumbs, or shortbread crumbs)
  • 2 tbsp. granulated sugar
  • 6 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

  • For the filling:
  • 2 blocks (16 oz.) original cream cheese, room temperature
  • ¼ c. whole milk vanilla bean greek yogurt or sour cream
  • ⅓ c. granulated sugar
  • Zest of one orange
  • 1 egg, room temperature
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract

  • For the cranberry swirl:
  • 1 c. fresh or frozen cranberries
  • Juice of 1 orange
  • 2 tbsp. cold water + ½ tsp. cornstarch
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard size muffin tins with 16 paper cupcake liners; set aside.
  2. To prepare the crust, combine the crumbs, melted butter and sugar. Press 2 tablespoons of the mixture into the bottom of each liner. Place in the oven and bake for 6 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, to prepare the cheesecake layer, using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat together the cream cheese, yogurt or sour cream, sugar and zest until smooth and creamy. Add the egg and vanilla extract, mix just until combined.
  4. To prepare the cranberry puree, in a small saucepan set over medium heat, combine the cranberries and orange juice. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes, then in a small bowl whisk together the cold water and the cornstarch. Pour into the saucepan, whisk to combine. Allow to simmer for an additional 3-4 minutes. Remove from the heat and pour through a mesh sieve. Discard the skin and seeds.
  5. Fill each liner ¾ full (a little more is ok) with the cheesecake mixture. Swirl in ¾ teaspoon of the cranberry puree with a toothpick. Place the muffin tin in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the cheesecakes are set. Turn the oven off, crack the door and allow the cheesecakes to cool for 5 minutes in the oven, then remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes at room temperature. Place in the refrigerator to chill for 1 hour before serving.
Notes
-Double this recipe to make a full-size cheesecake

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