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These Marble Cheesecakes are the best holiday dessert – a mini cheesecake with cookie crust and chocolate vanilla swirl cheesecake. These are easy and perfect for dessert tables and parties. Plus – who does’t love cheesecake?
Marble Cheesecake Bites
Cheesecake is one of my favorite recipes to make around the holidays and it is always a hit. This recipe is even than my classic cheesecake because they’re mini cheesecakes baked in a muffin pan.
No water bath needed, no need to worry about cracking or anything – these are easy to make and so pretty with that marble swirl. They freeze well too so you can make them ahead of time!
Ingredients Needed
- Chocolate Graham Crackers: You can also substitute regular graham crackers or even Oreo cookies.
- Cream Cheese: Cream cheese will need to be softened to avoid lumps.
- Sour Cream: Creates a creamy cheesecake – make sure it’s room temperature.
- Egg: Room temperature is important to avoid lumps!
- Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate: Melted chocolate is what helps create the marble look.
How to make Mini Marble Cheesecake Recipe
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with liners.
- Crush crackers to make a graham cracker crust. Stir together with butter and sugar. Press into the bottom of the muffin pan.
- Beat cream cheese until smooth then mix in sour cream, egg, sugar, and vanilla. Beat until no lumps remain.
- Melt semi-sweet baking chocolate in a small bowl on high power in 30 second increments, stirring between each, until melted and smooth. Place 1/4 cup of the cheesecake batter into the chocolate mixture and stir to combine.
- Divide the remaining plain cheesecake batter evenly on top of the crusts (about 1 tablespoon per muffin cup). Scoop about 1 teaspoon of the chocolate cheesecake batter on the top and swirl with a toothpick to create the marbled look.
- Bake cheesecakes for about 18-21 minutes until the tops are puffed and slightly cracking.
Expert Tips
- Make sure that all your ingredients (cream cheese, egg, and sour cream) are at room temperature before you begin. This will combat lumps in your cheesecakes!
- Using a stand mixer is also really helpful when getting lumps out!
- Cool completely, then chill for at least 2 hours or overnight before serving.
FAQs
Can you freeze these cheesecakes?
You can freeze them in an airtight container for up to 2 months!
Can I make these ahead of time?
Yes! These cheesecakes need to be chilled for a while anyways, so it would work in your favor!
Mini Marble Cheesecakes
Mini Marble Cheesecakes with a PEEPS marshmallow topper – these easy mini cheesecakes are marbled with chocolate. Top with a PEEP for Christmas!
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 1 ¼ cups chocolate graham crackers regular may be substituted, about 7-8 full graham cracker sheets
- 2 tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar
- 5 tablespoons (70g) unsalted butter melted
For the Cheesecakes:
- 8 ounces (226g) cream cheese softened
- ¼ cup sour cream room temperature
- 1 large egg room temperature
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ounce (28g) semi-sweet baking chocolate
- Chocolate or Marshmallow Whipped Cream or Cool Whip
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with liners.
- Place graham crackers in a large ziploc bag. Seal the bag except for 1” and roll with a rolling pin to crush the graham crackers to a fine crumb. This can also be done in a food processor. Stir graham cracker crumbs with sugar and melted butter. Scoop 1-2 tablespoons of the crust mixture into the bottom of each muffin cup (for a total of 12). Press to compact.
- Beat cream cheese until smooth, about 30 seconds, using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a hand mixer. Beat in sour cream, egg, sugar, and vanilla. Beat until no lumps remain. (It’s helpful if all ingredients are room temperature before starting!)
- Melt semi-sweet baking chocolate in a small bowl on high power in 30 second increments, stirring between each, until melted and smooth. Place 1/4 cup of the cheesecake batter into the chocolate mixture and stir to combine.
- Divide the remaining plain cheesecake batter evenly on top of the crusts (about 1 tablespoon per muffin cup). Scoop about 1 teaspoon of the chocolate cheesecake batter on the top and swirl with a toothpick to create the marbled look.
- Bake cheesecakes for about 18-21 minutes until the tops are puffed and slightly cracking. Cool completely, then chill for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- To serve: remove the cupcake liner and top with chocolate whipped cream and PEEPS® Marshmallow Snowmen or PEEPS® Marshmallow Trees!
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
- All ingredients need to be room temperature to avoid lumps.
- These can be made ahead up to 24 hours – to allow them to chill.
- Freeze for up to 2 months.
Recipe Nutrition
Serving: 1mini cheesecake | Calories: 242kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 52mg | Sodium: 128mg | Sugar: 18g
Nutritional information not guaranteed to be accurate
Those swirls look so nice! Yummy!
How can you go wrong, over the years I have eaten so many of these.
I love these cheesecakes, and I love PEEPS! Such a fun and festive way to decorate these guys.
Good for you for decorating! With lots of travel in December, I never decorate because I’m gone for most of it is my excuse. I almost put up some outdoor lights over the weekend but that sounded like a lot of work so I passed…lol. I did make mini cheesecakes, though! I love your Peeps idea!
You’re right – Christmas is perfect for mini-food and party trays! These marble cheesecakes are perfect. My aunt makes mini cherry cheesecakes every year, and these would make such a nice accompaniment to those! I can’t believe you have Christmas gifts wrapped and under the tree already. So impressed. I don’t think I’ve even started my shopping yet. Eeeeek!!!
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