Easy & Pretty Spring Dessert – Lemon-White Chocolate Mini Cheesecakes!
Celebrate Spring with Lemon-White Chocolate Mini Cheesecakes
Why These Work
- Crushed shortbread cookies provide a unique spin from the standard graham cracker crust
- Prominent lemon flavor is balanced by the richness of white chocolate and sweetness of the cream cheese filling
- White chocolate drizzle and chopped cookies make these perfect for a special occasion
- Very easy to make and not too hard on the waistline because they are minis!
Great Make Ahead Option
I served these Lemon-White Chocolate Mini Cheesecakes for dessert to my book club recently. Like all cheesecakes, they are a great make ahead option that can be stored in the refrigerator a day or two ahead or even frozen. This makes them a great option for an Easter or Mother’s Day brunch. Here are a few additional tips for topping these pretty little desserts.
Place a quart sized resealable baggie inside a coffee mug so you can easily spoon the melted white chocolate into the baggie.
Squeeze the melted chocolate down to one side and twist the baggie so the chocolate stays on that side. Then snip a small opening on the corner so you can drizzle the chocolate onto the cheesecakes. Its best to snip off a very small corner initially. You can always snip off more if you need a bigger opening to get the drizzle effect you prefer. Top with chopped cookies and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Lemon-White Chocolate Mini Cheesecakes
Ingredients
- 4 ounces white chocolate, divided I used Ghirardelli Premium Classic White Baking Chips
- 2 tbsp butter, melted
- 2 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 24 1 1/2″ square shortbread cookies, divided
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp sugar, divided
- 2 eggs
Instructions
- Heat oven to 325°F.Melt 2 oz. chocolate as directed on package (approx. 45 seconds in microwave) set aside for later use.Use pulsing action of food processor to process 16 cookies until finely crushed; spoon into medium bowl. Add butter and 2 Tbsp. sugar; mix well. Press onto bottoms of 12 paper-lined muffin cups, adding about 1 generous Tbsp. crumb mixture to each prepared cup.Beat cream cheese, vanilla and remaining 1/2 cup sugar in large bowl with mixer until blended. Add lemon zest, lemon juice and melted chocolate; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed just until blended (you don’t want the eggs to increase in volume, which they will do if you beat them at a higher speed.) Spoon filling over crusts. Tip – I used a glass measuring cup to pour the filling in which worked great.Bake 17 to 20 min. or until centers are almost set. Cool completely.Melt remaining chocolate. Coarsely chop remaining cookies; sprinkle over cheesecakes. Drizzle with melted chocolate. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
They look fairly easy and very good! Lemon is my favorite!
They are easy and good! I love lemon too, in both sweet and savory things.
These look delicious, could you send me some Sis!
I wish could send some through the magical internet. But an accomplished baker like you could whip these up up no problem!
These look so pretty and delicious. Brad and Alex would love these!
A great reason to make some! Super easy to make.