Sweet and creamy mini peppermint cheesecakes full of holiday flavor. The perfect festive treat to bring to your next Christmas party!
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Peppermint Cheesecake Bites
Peppermint is one of those flavors that just screams Christmas. It’s incorporated into many holiday recipes and is a great way to celebrate the season. This peppermint cheesecake is a favorite, as well as peppermint bark, chocolate mint cookies and peppermint oreo balls. Another favorite holiday treat is our cream cheese mints recipe.
I don’t know about you, but I totally can’t get enough of these tasty candy cane kisses, so every holiday season I love to stock up and then bake with them as much as possible. I love that they have a delicious peppermint flavor but are definitely not overpowering.
These mini peppermint cheesecakes are so festive and perfect for a Christmas party! They’re filled and topped with peppermint kisses, giving them some great holiday flavor while still letting the creamy sweet cheesecake shine through.
They are rich and decadent, but really easy to make too. I’ll confess that I’m still a cheesecake novice, but these were perfect on the first try! I hope you’ll give them a try this holiday season and enjoy them as much as my family did!
How to Make Peppermint Cheesecake
These cheesecakes work great in either a mini cheesecake pan or in a cupcake tin. I love the mini size, which makes them both super cute and perfect for sharing! These would be awesome for a holiday party or as a treat to share with friends and neighbors this season.
Crust
Whisk together the chocolate cookie crumbs, melted butter and 1 Tablespoon sugar. Then spoon about 1-2 Tablespoons of the mixture into each well of a lined cupcake tin or greased mini cheesecake pan. Press down to form a crust and bake in oven at 350°F for about 5 minutes.
Filling
Cream together the sugar and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Next beat in the eggs, sour cream, 3 Tablespoons heavy cream, vanilla, peppermint extract and food coloring until smooth. Then fold in the chopped peppermint kisses.
Spoon the filling into each muffin tin until nearly full. Then bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until they only slightly jiggle when you shake the pan. Remove from oven and let cool to room temp, then chill in fridge for one hour.
Topping
Beat the heavy cream until fluffy, then add in powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Top the mini cheesecakes with a dollop of whipped cream, then add a peppermint kiss on top!
More Cheesecake Recipes
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Mini Peppermint Cheesecake Recipe
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 1 ¼ cups crushed chocolate cookie crumbs (I used chocolate teddy grahams)
- 3 Tablespoons butter , melted
- 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
For the Cheesecake:
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 16 ounces cream cheese , at room temperature
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 3 Tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 20 Hershey’s candy cane kiss candies , chopped
- 1 drop pink or red food coloring , optional
For the Topping:
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 Tablespoons powdered sugar
- 12 Hershey’s candy cane kiss candies
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare a cupcake tin by lining with paper liners or a mini cheesecake pan by spraying with cooking spray. In a small bowl, whisk together the cookie crumbs, melted butter and 1 Tablespoon sugar. Spoon 1-2 Tablespoons of the cookie mixture into each well of the cupcake tin and press down to form a crust. Bake 5 minutes in the preheated oven, then remove.
- While the crust is baking, in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the sugar and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, sour cream, 3 Tablespoons heavy cream, vanilla, peppermint extract and food coloring until smooth. Gently fold in the chopped candies. Spoon the cheesecake filling into the wells of the muffin tin, filling nearly full. Bake 20-25 minutes, or until they only jiggle slightly when you move the pan. The cheesecakes will dome while cooking and then flatten as they cool.
- Allow the cheesecakes to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate one hour until chilled. Once they are chilled, beat the heavy cream until light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Top each cheesecake with a dollop of whipped cream, then place a candy cane kiss on top. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Categorized as: American, Cake + Cupcakes, Christmas, Desserts, Mini
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
How many cheesecakes does this make?
12!
I don’t make cheesecakes often but these are so adorable and seasonal, I just couldn’t resist. Loved the chocolate graham crust!!!
Such a fun dessert for Christmas! We love these!
Can’t find the candy cane Oreos & wanted to try these. Can you adjust by adding peppermint extract?
Yes, I would start with 1/2-1 teaspoon :)
How long would u bake cheesecakes in a mini muffin tin?
I would check them at 13-15 minutes and add on a few minutes from there if needed. :)
making this for xmas eve, going to use mini muffin tin with wrappers. and oreos for crust….. can these freeze?
I haven’t tried freezing these, but I think it would work great! :) Hope you enjoy.
These were amazing! I used the 12 mini cheesecake pan with removable bottoms and it made 24, not 12 and cooked in under 15 minutes. If they start to crack they’re overdone!
I’m so glad they were a hit! Thanks for your comment Kathy. :)
Could this be adapted to a whole cheesecake vs. Individual? Any idea of cook time for that?
Hi Tracy! I haven’t tried making this recipe into a whole cheesecake but I would probably lower the temperature to 325 degrees and check after an hour. It may take up to an hour and a half.
How are these stored and how far in advance can they be made. Also, if I am hosting an open house party are they fine to set out for several hours?
Hi Cathy! These should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. They can be made the day before and should be fine. They should be fine for a couple hours at room temp. :)
Just wondering if these can be made without the chopped up kisses in the cheesecake?
Thanks!
Definitely!
Just found these. Who care that it’s not Christmas time? I love mint all year ’round! Pinning!
Absolutely delicious!! Thanks so much for the recipe!!
YUM! These look so good!