A coffee chocolate cheesecake recipe made into individual cheesecakes with an oreo cookie crust. Gluten-free and grain-free friendly! Notes for crust suggestions in recipe card.
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Chocolate + Coffee + Cheesecake made into a single serve dessert with no need for sharing.
Have I made your dessert dreams come true?
When it comes to desserts sometimes you really just don’t want to share. And with these mini individual cheesecakes you don’t have to.
I’ll admit I am often the one who wants “just a bite” when it comes to either ordering dessert at a restaurant or enjoying at home.
Honestly, sometimes all I need is a bite (okay, or two) and I am completely satisfied. But Drew is not a fan of that and when I try to sneak another half of a bite… all hell breaks loose.
I’m exaggerating a touch but there are definitely a few moans and groans happening as my fork hits the dessert a second time.
Sometimes *not* sharing is caring.
I love that mini cheesecake can be made in a muffin pan and it’s the perfect portion.
Chocolate Cheesecake Ingredients
- softened cream cheese – low fat or regular both work.
- Greek yogurt – you can also use skyr or sour cream.
- granulated sugar of choice – white sugar will blend best but if you’re looking to use something like a stevia blend, that’s fine too.
- eggs – you need eggs in cheesecake to help with the structure. I don’t have a good way how to make this recipe without eggs.
- instant coffee or espresso powder – if you don’t love coffee or avoid it for whatever reason, you can simply make these into plain chocolate cheesecakes.
- milk of choice – you need a little bit for the cheesecake filling.
Chocolate Ganache
The chocolate ganache for the topping is a little extra step that is well worth it! Made by heating half and half with quality dark chocolate chips and a touch more espresso powder if you’d like.
Cookie Crust
For the cookie crust I love chocolate creme sandwich cookies (like oreos). If gluten free try these.
Process the cookies in a blender and mix with melted butter before pressing into the muffin liners.
Baking mini cheesecake is easier and takes less time than a regular, full-sized cheesecake would. You still go about the process of mixing the batter the same way (room temperature ingredients are key!) but the baking time and cooling time are much quicker.
This mocha cheesecake recipe is lightened up compared to a traditional recipes as well, thanks to greek yogurt and less granulated sugar.
Recipe Tips & Notes
You’ll need a regular sized 12 cup muffin pan for this recipe and it’s best if you can use either paper cups or silicone liners.
- When pressing the crust into the liners, you’ll use about 1 tablespoon per muffin cavity.
- Use the back of a rounded tablespoon to press the crumbs firmly and then poke three holes with a toothpick – this will help the crust from puffing up while baking. It’ll still puff up a little bit, just not as much.
- You only bake pre-bake the crust for about 8 minutes. Then upon taking out of the oven, re-press the crust down with the tablespoon before allowing the pan to cool completely.
- Fill the cheesecakes about 3/4 way full – the batter will rise slightly while baking but fall and set upon cooling. Don’t worry if you get cracks – you can cover it up with ganache and whip!
TIP: If using sweetened yogurt, you could probably get away with reducing the granulated sugar by two tablepoons.
Cooling Time
Make sure to cool the cheesecake for at least 1 hour in the fridge before adding the toppings (and eating).
The Ganache
The ganache is just a simple mix of quality chocolate with heavy cream (or canned coconut milk) with instant coffee (or espresso powder). It’s an easy addition and doesn’t take much time to add – highly recommend.
Get Fancy with Whipped Topping
Okay and if you want to be like, super extra: whipped topping! I actually used mascarpone whip (this recipe cut in half) but you can use whatever you’d like.
Whipped coconut cream would also be delish – like a coconut mocha latte!
Oh em gee YUM.
Okay, so have I convinced you yet? Will you make these mini cheesecakes? Let me know if you do!
Love cheesecake? Try these recipes
If you’re looking for a simple no-bake coffee dessert to try, definitely check out this coffee mousse recipe from my friend, Taryn.
Did you make this chocolate
Mini Mocha Chocolate Cheesecake
Ingredients
cookie crust
- 12 chocolate cream sandwich cookies*
- 1 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
cheesecake filling
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons instant coffee
- 12 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature (full-fat or reduced)
- 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt, nonfat or 2%:, room temperature
- 1/3 cup granulated sweetener of choice, cane, light brown, etc.
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 large egg white*, room temperature
chocolate ganache
- 1/4 cup heavy cream , or full-fat canned coconut milk
- 1/2 cup quality chocolate chips or chunks, 3 ounces weighed
Instructions
- Make sure cream cheese, yogurt and eggs have all been set out at room temperature prior to making the filling.
- Preheat oven to 325ºF and line muffin tin with paper liners or silicone liners. Set aside.
- Make the crust: Place melted butter in medium bowl. Using Bullet or small food processor, process cookies into crumbs – you should get about 1 cup. Transfer to bowl with butter and mix with fork until combined. Scoop about 1 tablespoon of crumb mixture into bottom of lined muffin tin, pressing down with back of spoon. Poke three holes with toothpick. Bake for 8 minutes. Upon taking out of the oven, immediately press crust back down until flat. Let cool completely. Turn oven up to 350ºF.
- Make the cheesecake filling: In a small pot over low-medium heat, melt chocolate chips, milk and instant coffee together until combined and smooth. Remove from heat and set aside. In a large bowl using electric mixer, beat together softened cream cheese until smooth. Add yogurt and sugar, mixing on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add in cooled, melted chocolate mixture until combined. Add egg and egg white, mixing until just combined – be careful not to overmix. Using medium cookie scoop, disperse batter evenly into 12 cups, filling about 3/4 way full.
- Bake the mini cheesecakes about 14-16 minutes, until the edges have set and middle only slightly jiggling. If the cheesecakes have cracked they're definitely done. Watch after 12 minutes.
- Cool: Allow cheesecakes to cool in pan for about 20 minutes before transferring to fridge to chill for 2 hours.
- Make the ganache: Once the cheesecakes have chilled for at least 1 hour, you can add the ganache topping. In a small pot over low-medium heat combine heavy cream (or coconut milk) with chocolate chips, stirring until melted. Add about 1/2 tablespoon to top of chilled cheesecake then place back in fridge to chill and set the ganache for another hour. (2 hours total for chilling cheesecake.) Add whipped topping and chocolate shavings if desired. Enjoy!
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