Lemon Berry Swirl Mini-Cheesecakes
These bite-sized mini-cheesecakes make a perfect afternoon snack! With a creamy lemon base, and a tart and fruity berry swirl, they pair beautifully with their crunchy, gluten-free, sea salt and olive oil cracker crust. Or, infuse with vanilla and bake them on a gluten-free brownie bottom!
This is a sponsored post, written by me, and created in partnership with PARTNERS, A Tasteful Choice Company. All opinions expressed herein are straight from my heart.
Well, here we are, the last Friday of summer! Unofficially, anyway. I know we really have until late September, but in my mind, fall begins when the kids go back to school. So I’m mourning the loss, and drowning my sorrows in cheesecake.
Specifically, lemon berry swirl mini-cheesecakes. They’re just as cute as a button. Perfectly bite-sized, and perfect for little hands. My kids went gaga for the brownie-bottom version.
And mama loved the ones with the crunchy olive oil sea salt crust. Like whoa! Don’t knock it ’til you’ve tried it- olive oil is a GORGEOUS complement to lemon and berries, and we already know how well salty pairs with sweet.
We are using PARTNERS Free for All Kitchen gluten-free crackers to make the cheesecake crusts. They come in a bunch of different flavors, but I gravitated right to the Olive Oil and Sea Salt, as well as their newest flavor, Double Chocolate Brownie Thins. I wanted to try both (the recipe card below simplifies, by giving instructions for all 12 of one or the other), so I just halved the crust quantities and filled 6 wells of my mini-cheesecake pan with olive oil sea salt crust, and 6 with double chocolate brownie thin crust.
I didn’t think my kids would appreciate lemon and chocolate together, so after I topped the chocolate crusts with cheesecake filling, I added a little lemon extract to the batter that remained. Then they all got topped with about a teaspoon of the same mixed berry sauce I showed you when we made these Boozy Berry Chocolate Almond Milkshakes (<–remember those???). Swirl it together with a toothpick, and they’re picture perfect.
If you or someone in your family struggles with food sensitivities or allergies, these are the crackers for you. Not only are they gluten-free but they’re also corn, soy, and rice-free. They’re made with cassava root flour, along with a blend of five ancient grains: amaranth, quinoa, millet, sorghum, and teff. They’re also GMO-free, certified kosher, and made with no hydrogenated oils, artificial flavors, or preservatives.
I’m thinking these would be such a special way to welcome your little ones home from school next week! Or a lovely little “me” moment for mom before they blast through the door 😉
Distribution of Free for All Kitchen products is expanding across the country, with products appearing in many new stores across the East and West Coasts. For a full list of stores carrying PARTNERS products, or to request Free for All Kitchen products at your local store, click here. And don’t forget to visit the PARTNERS Facebook page!
This post contains affiliate sales links.
Lemon Berry Swirl Mini-Cheesecakes
Ingredients
For the Berry Swirl
- 1 cup (155 g) frozen mixed berries
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
For the Crust
- 24 PARTNERS Free for All Kitchen Olive Oil & Sea Salt Crackers, or Double Chocolate Brownie Thins
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, (omit for Double Chocolate Brownie Thin crust)
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, (substitute unsalted butter, melted, for Double Chocolate Brownie Thin crust)
For the Cheesecake Filling
- 12 ounces (340.2 g) cream cheese,, softened
- 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons lemon extract, (omit for Double Chocolate Brownie Thin crust)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste, (extract may be substituted)
- 1/8 teaspoon (0.13 teaspoon) kosher salt
Instructions
To Make the Berry Swirl:
- Place the berries and sugar in a small pot, and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 5-10 minutes, or until syrupy. Puree in a food chopper and strain. Cool completely.
To Make the Crust:
- Place the crackers and sugar (if using) in the bowl of a food processor, and process finely.
- Stir in the olive oil or melted butter.
- Place about a tablespoon of the mixture into the each of the wells a lightly greased mini-cheesecake pan.
To Make the Cheesecake Filling:
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
- Place the cream cheese, sugar, and cornstarch in a large mixing bowl, and beat on medium speed (using the paddle attachment), until smooth.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula after each addition.
- Stir in the cream, extract(s), and salt.
- Divide the mixture equally between the wells of the pan.
- Drizzle with about a teaspoon of berry sauce, and swirl with a toothpick.
- Bake for 22-25 minutes, or until set around the edges, but still a little jiggly in the center. Chill completely before unmolding.
I can’t find these locally (Iowa) so I have been searching online. I can’t seem to find the double chocolate brownie thins anywhere. Did they stop making them?
Hm, it’s possible! I did post this recipe almost 10 years ago. Maybe substitute brownie brittle instead?
These are so cute . I’m going to try to make them. Can I use a muffin pan instead? I don’t have a mini cheesecake pan.
Thanks for sharing.
You absolutely can but they will be twice as large and will most likely require a change in baking time. Good luck!
Just came here to say this has been my go to recipe for years 🙂 I think they are made best the day before and chilled overnight. My family always ask me to make them when I’m on dessert duty for special occasions! Thank you Allie for sharing!
My pleasure Emma! I’m so happy you and your family have been enjoying this recipe.
Hi, Allie. Those crackers aren’t available near me in Jupiter, Florida (according to their website). Can you suggest a good substitution? Thanks!
Hey Liz! You can use any kind of cracker or cookie you like. Ritz crackers or pita chips would work if you like the savory idea, or you could use Oreo thins or brownie brittle if you wanted to go the chocolate route. Good luck!
Thank you! Can’t wait to try this!
I found sea salt and olive oil flatbread crackers made by Town House. Should I use the same amount or can you give me a weight? Thanks!
Just use as much or as little as you need to cover the bottoms of your mini cheesecake wells. Good luck!
P.S. The Town House crackers are about 1″ x 1 1/2″.
The Partners crackers are bigger (5 grams each) than the Town House crackers (1.87 grams each), so I calculated that I will need 64. Hope that’s right!
I made them in the lined cupcake tins, using gramcrackers for crust, and they turned out perfect. Everyone loved them! Thank for the recipe
My pleasure Kim! So glad they turned out well for you. Thanks for the great feedback!
Hi, I want to make these but don’t have a mini cheesecake pan. Can I use a cupcake pan with liners? Have you made them that way?
I have not Kim, but I know it will work just fine! You just won’t get quite as many (because the cupcake wells are bigger than the mini cheesecake wells), and you’ll probably have to adjust the bake time a bit. You’ll know they’re done when the edges are set but the centers are still just the slightest bit wobbly. Good luck and enjoy!
These are beautiful! Suggestion for the base since I cannot find the crackers at all. Thank you in advance, I will be making these this weekend for a special birthday surprise on monday at work
Hi there! So sorry you’re having trouble finding the crackers I used here. Honestly you can sub with any kind of cracker or cookie you like. It’s nice with graham crackers, Oreos, or even saltines or Ritz. Hope that’s helpful! Happy birthday to your co-worker!
Thank you so much!!! I will be creative!! Can’t wait to taste these
Of course! Hope you enjoy 🙂