Lemon-Blueberry Mini Cheesecakes
Here's another recipe I had fun doing for McCormick®. It's honestly been way tooo long since I have made a cheesecake. Who doesn't love cheesecake right? And don't you just love mini desserts?
I was honestly surprised how much I love the lemon flavor of McCormick® Pure Lemon Extract in these cheesecakes.
I not only used butter in sugar to sweeten the graham cracker crumbs for the cheesecake's crust, I added McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract.
After mixing the cream cheese mixture, fold in the blueberries and then use a cookie scoop to put the batter into the cupcake liners.
For your spring entertaining, I have some great tips for you. I'm all about easy entertaining and I have my friend Sandy to thank for it. Too many years, I overbooked myself, planned way too many dishes and overwhelmed myself. Make it easy on yourself and follow these easy entertaining tips:
- Plan your menu at least a week ahead of time.
- Choose a mix of easy and make-ahead time menu items.
- Put all of the ingredients you'll need for each dish into a grocery list, I love the Grocery IQ app (Curtis and I both have it on our phones and use the same account so our lists are always synced).
- Take stock of your staples: check out your McCormick® extracts and spices and use this time to throw out any expired items and restock. The last thing you want to do is have to run out to the store the day of your event.
- A day or two before your event, pull out the serving dishes and plates for each dish so you're not rushing around the day of.
- I usually use index cards or note on a list what menu item goes into which dish but I wanted to show you above how easily it can be laid out ahead of time.
- And my favorite entertaining tip of all, forget about always having to match your dinnerware, I love using different plates so the table is colorful
- If you don't have a lot of space, consider having a buffet for your event.
- Use splashes of colors in your plates or towels or napkins to make it bright and cheery for Spring.
- If a guest asks what they can bring something to contribute, assign them a non-essential menu item, drink or ask them to bring flowers for the table. Have a contingency plan in case they forget or bring something else
I love that these mini cheesecakes are so easy and quick to make. And the light lemon flavor and the blueberries go together very well. And these of course are going to be a part of our Spring entertaining this year!
Lemon-Blueberry Mini Cheesecakes Recipe
Yield: 12 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Ingredients:
Graham Cracker Crust
8 regular sized graham crackers
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract
Cheesecake Filling
2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract
2 teaspoons McCormick® Pure Lemon Extract
1 cup fresh blueberries
Directions:
Graham Cracker Crust
Heat oven to 325°F. Crush graham crackers in a plastic zippered bag and a rolling pin. Pour graham cracker crumbs into a medium-sized mixing bowl and add melted butter. Mix thoroughly, then add sugar vanilla extract and mix again.
Place cupcake liners in a muffin tin. Using a small spoon, add about two scoops of the graham cracker crumb mixture into each cupcake liner. Using your fingers, smash the crumbs down and along the sides of the cupcake liners. Bake for about 5 minutes. Allow to cool and set aside.
Assembly
Add cream cheese and sugar into a large mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese & sugar until fluffy and light. Add eggs and vanilla and lemon extracts, beat until thoroughly combined. Add blueberries, using a rubber spatula, fold the blueberries into the batter.
Using a 3 Tablespoon cookie scoop, spoon cheesecake batter into cupcake liners. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from cupcake tin and allow to cool on a cooling rack for at least 15 to 20 minutes.
Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Remove from cupcake liners before serving.
Modified from Easy Mini Cheesecakes
Have you tried this recipe?
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by McCormick® and I always share my honest opinions…and would only work with brands that I love.
I’m glad to see we agree on the mismatched tableware – it does make things so much more interesting…and is so much more affordable than running out for a new set of plates!
I’m the worst hostess ever. I don’t think people mind though because there’s always yummy food. At least I hope they don’t mind. 🙂
These little cheesecakes are so cute! And with one of my very favorite flavor combinations. Lemon and blueberry just belong together.
These look so good! Two of my favorite ingredients – lemon & blueberries! Definitely making these! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Thanks for the entertaining tips Julie. They will definitely come in handy over the summer when I have friends over. And the cheesecakes, how adorable!
Thanks for sharing and thank you for the lovely comment left on my guest post (Meyer Lemon Tart) left on Sommer’s (A Spicy Perspective) blog
Your lemon blueberry mini cheesecakes look delicious! I love that they are mini and bite sized. It looks so cute!
It’s wedding and baby shower season and these are the perfect treat to serve! Thanks for the yummy recipe!
These look so delicious! I love cheesecake and I love lemon and blueberry together, sounds like a perfect dessert!
These are adorable! My husband loves blueberries, I will have to make these for him this weekend 😀
Lemon and Blueberry are a favorite flavor combo! Love mini cheesecakes too..more crust to cheesecake ratio 🙂
Great entertaining tips and lovely cheesecakes!! 🙂
Oh Julie these mini cheesecakes look divine! I agree–setting the table before the guest arrive always helps!
Very nice entertaining tips – it’s all about the planning, isn’t it?! I love lists and I always set the table the day before. : ) These mini cheesecakes would look so nice laid out for a little gathering. I keep meaning to try making some and I need to soon…I love everything in miniature and I like that the recipe makes a very manageable dozen.
These little cheesecakes are perfect for spring! And I have to try that Grocery IQ app. My husband and I need that badly!
I love your tip for setting the table ahead. And these mini cheesecakes are adorable. Perfect spring flavors! 🙂
Great tips, Julie! These mini cheesecakes have my name all over them 🙂
These are so irresistible:) Love cheesecake, now I will have to try the mini ones too:)
These are so irresistible:) Love cheesecake, now I will have to try the min ones too:)
There’s no limit as to how many one might eat of these? good..just checking cause I could do some damage. I love cheesecake and lemon!!
These are too adorable! I love lemon desserts 🙂 I have to try this soon.
There is absolutely no way you can go wrong serving mini cheesecakes! Love the cheesecakes and your entertaining tips!
I love lemon! These look nice and little and light. The perfect spring time dessert! Can’t wait to try them! If you aren’t using lemon extract, how much lemon juice should you use in place of that?
What are the chances you left a dozen of these on my doorstep while you were in NYC? I’m keeping my fingers crossed…
Awww…love the mini size of cheesecake and it screams Spring, too. No sharing, please 🙂
What a tasty blend of sweet and tart!
The best cheesecake for me is a mini cheesecake! Yours look so delicious, and with lemon and blueberries, you know they’re bursting with flavor. These look fabulous!
My husband just peekd over as I was reading your post and says….”mmmm” hahah
I love mini cheesecakes! They are so much fun to eat 😀 I am loving the lemon blueberry combo too. So fresh tasting! Really awesome tips too. I love the mismatched place settings. So smart and so much less stressful 😀
Not matching the plates is such a fun idea–and good for me, because I have so many random plates! These are perfect for spring and I love that you made them mini!
I love that you put the lemon extract in there! Delicious!
These are so pretty! I love lemon and blueberries together! Great tips too!
Mini cheesecakes are the best! They help with portion control, although I’m sure I’ll still eat them all!
I adore the combo of lemon & blueberry.
These are the cutest cheesecakes! I love the lemon-blueberry combo!
How cute are these?! Love them!
These are gorgeous! I love the lemon and blueberry together. And your tips are great too! Thanks!
Love the entertaining tips! I always tend to over-stress myself. The mini cheesecakes are adorable! Love the addition of lemon extract!
Loving the tips… These mini cheesecakes look delish and plus with mini desserts I don’t feel half as bad which kind of makes me want to eat more than one… 😉
Great entertaining tips. And those mini cheesecakes sound SO yummy! 🙂
What a lovely table! And I will make these cute cheesecakes!
I love your entertaining tips! I totally agree, doing as much as you can before hosting a party is KEY! I also love the look of these cheesecakes. Mini anything makes me happy 🙂