Cherry Cheesecake Cupcakes
These individual cherry cheesecake cupcakes pair a crisp graham cracker crust with a creamy lemon-vanilla filling and sweet cherry topping for an easy party dessert.
Equipment
- Muffin Tin
- Cupcake liners
- Hand mixer
- Silicone spatula
- bowls
Ingredients
Crust
- 1.5 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 1/2 cup butter melted
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 24 cupcake liners
Filling
- 16 oz. cream cheese at room temperature
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 21 oz. cherry pie filling
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350 °F and place 24 cupcake liners in a muffin tin. Have the pan ready before mixing so the crust can go straight into the liners.
- Stir the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and sugar together in a large bowl, then divide the mixture among the liners and press it firmly into the bottoms. The crumbs should form an even, compact layer with no loose patches around the edges.
- Bake the crusts for 5 minutes, then leave them in the muffin tin until completely cool. The crusts will look set and smell lightly buttery rather than wet or loose.
- Use a hand mixer to beat the room-temperature cream cheese until light and smooth, then blend in the sugar. The mixture should look fluffy and creamy with no visible white lumps.
- Whisk the eggs in a small bowl, then fold them into the cream cheese with a silicone spatula just until combined; gently mix in the lemon juice and vanilla extract. Stop as soon as the batter looks uniform to avoid adding excess air.
- Fill each cooled crust about 2/3 full with the cheesecake batter. Leave room at the top so the filling can rise gently without spilling over the liners.
- Bake for 15 minutes. The edges should appear set while the centers still give a slight, gentle jiggle when the pan is nudged.
- Cool the cupcakes in the pan, spoon cherry pie filling over each one, and chill until completely cooled. A shallow center indentation is normal and neatly holds the cherry topping.
Notes
Ingredient tip: Ensure the cream cheese and eggs sit at room temperature before mixing to prevent grainy lumps in the batter.
Texture tip: Whisk the eggs separately and fold them in gently with a spatula to avoid trapping excess air that causes cracking or sinking.
Doneness cue: Pull the cupcakes when the edges look set but the centers still wobble faintly, as they will firm up completely while chilling.
Storage tip: Avoid freezing cupcakes that already have cherry topping, as the fruit layer can release excess moisture upon thawing.
Nutrition information is an estimate based on common ingredients and serving sizes. Values may vary depending on brands, portions, and substitutions.