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’m not sure if my comment went through – having Internet problems over here in country town USA. But here it is (again?) :
These cheesecakes are SO much more than a snack, they are a meal! Seriously gorgeous and delicious! Pinned! Cheers, pretty lady!
Thank you so much Cheyanne! And good luck getting your internet straightened out, lol!
Love this idea! I don’t think I could choose between the bases – would just have to have half (or a whole!) of each! Mini-cheesecakes are so pretty as well – probably a bit simpler when cooking as well which is a bonus 🙂
Absolutely! I loved both crusts equally and they definitely were a bit easier to make than the big kind. Thanks so much for the great feedback!
Eep! So cute. Love bite sized cakes.
Same here Thalia! Thanks so much, love 🙂
I’ll drown my sorrows right with you — cheesecake always cheers me up, especially with beautiful berry swirls! These are so pretty, and I’ll take about a dozen please. 🙂
Lol coming right up Marcie! Thanks so much dear, enjoy what’s left of the weekend, k?
I feel the same way; Summer feels like it’s over when all the kids go back to school. Thankfully, Summer seems to last longer with colorful desserts and cheesecakes like this. I like how the crusts have olive oil in them. Like you, I can definitely see how the oil would complement the berry and lemon flavor.
Oh yeah, it’s a great combo! So glad you see the potential too. Thanks so much for the sweet comment, Melanie! Hope you had a great weekend sweetie!
These look delicious- so adorably small and packed with summery flavors!
I am such a sucker for little individual desserts! So happy you liked these, Medha. Hope you had a fun weekend, dear!
Lemon and berries is such a classically delicious combo! And then with cheesecake? I could eat 12 of these babies! Pinned!
Thanks so much Taylor! And for pinning too 🙂
I feel the same way, I can’t believe how quickly this summer went by. These mini cheesecakes are the perfect way to enjoy what’s left of summer. They look gorgeous, Allie! 🙂
Thank you so much Kelly! My kids are starting tomorrow morning and I just can’t believe this was their last weekend of summer vacation. Time is flying! Hope you had a great one and thank you so much for the sweet comment!
Oh my my…I cant wait to try this recipe. Crackers in cheesecakes? How cool are these and they look totally beautiful! How I wish to be your neighbor now….
Thanks Linda! I loved the crunch from the cracker crust- it was such a nice contrast with that creamy cheesecake. Hope you had a great weekend, dear!
Mini cheesecake are already my favorite, but add in that gorgeous swirl and oh my gosh!
Thanks so much, Julianne! Hope you had a fun weekend sweetie!
The olive oil sea salt crusts sound amazing! I’m a sucker for pretty, mini-desserts like these 🙂
Oh gosh, so am I!! I just love anything mini, lol! Thanks so much Aida!
A cut mini cheesecake with an even cuter berry swirl is something that I can’t say no too! These look fabulous, Pinning!
Aw thank you so much Katalina! Have a great week sweetie! xo
These adorable little cheesecakes look delicious!!!
Thanks Amanda! Hope you had a fun weekend!
These are just darling! I love that swirl and the crunchy crust!
Thank you so much Liz! Hope you had an awesome weekend, my friend 🙂
These are definitely cute little cheesecakes. How creative to use the crackers for the crust!!
Thanks so much Jen! They worked out really well! A lot like a graham cracker but with a little something extra 😉 Plus gluten-free!
What a great idea!! I love how cute as a button they are and they will be perfect for a tea party. Not that I throw tea parties but…
If you throw the tea party, I’ll bring the mini-cheesecakes 😉 Thanks Zainab!
This is seriously genius. I adore that swirl. So so beautiful.
Aw, thank you so much hon! xo
Allie, you used the crackers for the crust?! Brilliant!!! Love love love these mini cheesecakes. . so pretty!!
The crackers worked out great as a crust! Loved that extra little boost of flavor. Thanks so much Alice!
Hi Allie! This recipe looks great and I will try it at home. However, I have 2 questions for you: did you bake your mini cheesecake by placing the muffin pan in a water bath (in the oven) like we would normally do with big cheesecake? Also, how did you took them out of the pan without loosing their perfectly round shape? Thanks – love your blog btw, huge fan.
Aw, thank you so much Lyne! I’m so happy you like the recipe and want to try it. I will do my best to answer your questions: 1) I did not do a water bath. I just baked them at a relatively low temp (as noted on the recipe card), and they’re in there for not long anyway, since they’re so small, so it all worked out a-ok. 2) The mini-cheesecake pan has the most adorable mini-removable bottoms! I misted the pan with non-stick spray and after the cheesecakes were completely cooled, I just popped them right up from the bottom. I hope that helps! Good luck and just let me know if you have any other questions, ok?
Thank you Allie!
You bet!
I’m right there with ‘ya on crying over summer being over! So I think I may have to join you in eating ALL of these gorgeous little cheesecakes. Um, OBSESSED over here! Lovin’ that pretty berry swirl!
Aw thank you so much Sarah! I can’t believe school starts tomorrow! I’m happy for my kids but all I can think about is how soon it will be COLD! Ugh. Oh well I guess we just have to enjoy it while we can, right??? Have a great week sweetie and thanks so much for the positive feedback 🙂