Mini Cheesecake Nibblers

Sometimes, when I am alone, I wonder what it is like to be a giant.  Mini cheesecake nibblers help me turn this imaginary world into real life. Try it.  Once you put one of these little buggers in your palm, you too will feel like Paul Bunion sans overalls and giant blue ox.

An awesome bonus is that these mini nibblers are perfect for baking into another baked snack.  I use them when I do my "cheesecake in a cupcake" flavor bomb.  And c'mon, anything with baked cream cheese, sugar, and cream can't be bad, right?

crust:
1 package of graham crackers
1 tbls granulated sugar
3 tbls of butter (I prefer the taste of salted, but it doesn't really matter)

cheesecake filling:
mini muffin tin
2 8oz package of cream cheese
2 eggs
3/4 cup granulated white sugar
splash of vanilla extract
mini muffin liners
Optional: fruit topping

Preheat Oven to 350F

Throw your graham crackers into a food processor and pulse them till it is the consistency of grainy sand.
While that is whirring away in the food processor, melt your butter. 

Mix butter, sugar and graham crackers in a bowl thoroughly and evenly. 

Once mixed, place about 1 heaping teaspoon of crust mix into the mini tin pan.  You can use liners, or a sprayed pan.  Press the crust into the pan so that its nice and compact.

Bake in oven for about 5 or 6 minutes to set.

You will probably have a good chunk of leftover buttered up crust.   if you are anything like me you will want to shovel handfuls of this stuff into your mouth.  Go ahead and do it.  No one is looking.  You deserve it.  :D

In a mixing bowl, combine eggs, cream cheese, sugar and vanilla.

Beat on low, and once the eggs are slightly combined, beat on high for about 3 or 4 minutes.

The texture will look sort of like "cottage cheese" to start, and as you continue to mix, it will lighten up and become fluffy.  Be sure to mix until all the lumps are gone.

You can spoon the cheesecake filling into the pans, but that can get sloppy.  And since you are working with a mini muffin tin, it can be tricky to get it in those little cups.

So what I have done is used a pastry bag.  It makes for nice, clean, uniform cheesecakes.  If you don't have pasty bags, just use a ziplock bag and snip the tip.

Your oven should still be on at 350.

Place your cheesecakes in and bake for about 15 minutes. I had to bake for about 20 minutes, but I kept an eye on them after 15. Depending on your oven, they may brown or crack at the top.

Once ready, cool on a wire rack.  Once completely cool, place them in the fridge.

Now it is time to pop these little guys into your mouth and enjoy! 

If you want, you can put some fresh fruit, or in this case, canned strawberry covered in high fructose corn syrup, on top.

Or you can bake them into a cupcake.  Instructable to come soon!