Christmas Tree Mini Cheesecakes
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These Christmas Tree Mini Cheesecakes are rich, creamy, and festive featuring buttery graham cracker crusts, smooth cheesecake filling, a tangy berry compote, and white chocolate buttercream trees topped with pomegranate ornaments. Perfect for holiday parties or family dinners, this dessert brings a joyful sparkle to any Christmas table.
- Prep time
- 25 minutes
- Cook time
- 25 minutes
- Total time
- 50 minutes + chill time
- Yield
- 12 mini cheesecakes
Ingredients
Crust:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons melted butter
2 tablespoons sugar
Cheesecake Filling:
16 oz (450g) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup sour cream
Berry Compote:
1 cup mixed berries (fresh or frozen)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
White Chocolate Buttercream Trees:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup melted white chocolate
1–2 tablespoons milk
Green gel food coloring
Pomegranate arils for ornamentsInstructions
- Prep and Crust: Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners. Mix graham crumbs, melted butter, and sugar. Press one tablespoon into each liner and bake 5 minutes.
- Cheesecake Filling: Beat softened cream cheese with sugar until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, followed by vanilla and sour cream. Mix until combined.
- Bake and Chill: Divide batter evenly into cups. Bake 16–18 minutes until centers are set. Cool completely and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- Berry Compote: Simmer berries, sugar, and lemon juice for 5–7 minutes until thickened. Cool completely before use.
- Buttercream Trees: Beat butter until fluffy. Add powdered sugar, melted white chocolate, milk, and coloring. Mix until smooth and pipeable.
- Decorate: Pipe tall swirl “trees” onto chilled cheesecakes. Add pomegranate arils as ornaments and a spoon of compote beneath each tree.
- Serve: Chill until set. Serve cold for best flavor.
Notes
Tips:
– Use room-temperature ingredients for a smooth filling.
– Avoid overbaking; a slight jiggle in the center is perfect.
– Cool cheesecakes slowly to prevent cracks.
– Chill uncovered for 30 minutes before covering to keep buttercream firm.
Storage:
– Refrigerate up to 5 days in an airtight container.
– Freeze undecorated cheesecakes up to 2 months. Decorate fresh before serving.Nutrition
- Calories
- 310 kcal
- Fat
- 20g
- Saturated fat
- 12g
- Sugar
- 22g
- Sodium
- 180mg
- Protein
- 5g
- Carbohydrates
- 28g
- Fiber
- 1g