These Mini Lemon Cheesecakes are simple to make and ideal for spring and summer. A creamy, citrus-filled cheesecake sits on a buttery graham cracker crust and is finished with a bright, smooth lemon curd — a dessert sure to please any gathering. These individual cheesecakes are quicker than a full-sized version and don’t require a water bath, so they’re perfect for entertaining or making ahead.
Made from straightforward ingredients, these mini cheesecakes deliver bright lemon flavor without complicated techniques. They can be prepared a day in advance, which makes serving easier. The recipe yields creamy, tangy bites that balance richness from the cream cheese and butter with fresh lemon zest and juice.
Why You’ll Love These Lemon Mini Cheesecakes
- Quick and easy: No water bath is needed, so the method is simpler than traditional cheesecakes.
- Fast to bake: Their small size reduces baking and chilling time compared to a full cheesecake.
- Seasonal flavor: Bright lemon notes make them ideal for spring and summer occasions.
Lemon Cheesecake Ingredients
For Crust:
- Graham crackers — finely crushed (use a food processor or buy pre-crushed)
- Salt — a pinch to balance the sweetness
- Granulated sugar — adds sweetness to the base
- Unsalted butter — melted, not hot
For Filling:
- Cream cheese — full-fat blocks, at room temperature for smooth mixing
- Granulated sugar — sweetens the filling
- Eggs — at room temperature
- Heavy cream — at room temperature
- Vanilla — pure vanilla extract
- Lemon juice — freshly squeezed
- Lemon zest — freshly grated
For Lemon Curd:
- Granulated sugar
- Lemon juice — fresh squeezed (the recipe originally lists lime here; use lemon for a lemon curd)
- Egg — whole, room temperature
- Egg yolk — room temperature
- Unsalted butter — cubed and at room temperature
How to Make Mini Lemon Cheesecake
- Make the crust: Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners. In a bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, a pinch of salt, sugar, and melted butter until the texture resembles damp sand. Press 1–1½ tablespoons of the mixture firmly into each liner.
- Bake the crust: Bake 8–10 minutes or until golden. Remove and cool completely.
- Adjust oven: Reduce the oven temperature to 300°F.
- Make the filling: In a stand mixer or with a hand mixer on low, beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well and scraping the bowl. Stir in heavy cream, vanilla, lemon juice, and lemon zest until combined. Fill each liner nearly to the top.
- Bake the cheesecakes: Bake for 15 minutes. Turn the oven off and leave the cheesecakes inside for 30 minutes. Crack the oven door and let them cool to room temperature.
- Chill: Transfer the pan to the refrigerator until fully set and chilled.
- Prepare the lemon curd: In a heatproof bowl, whisk together sugar, lemon juice, whole egg, and egg yolk. Place the bowl over a small pot of simmering water (double boiler) and add the cubed butter. Cook over low heat, whisking occasionally, until thick and about 180°F or until it reaches a thick, spreadable consistency (about 15 minutes).
- Cool the curd: Remove from heat, cover the surface with plastic wrap to prevent a skin, then refrigerate until fully chilled.
- Finish the cheesecakes: Once both cheesecakes and curd are cool, spoon or pipe the lemon curd onto each mini cheesecake as desired and serve chilled.
Tips To Make Lemon Cheesecake
- Mix ingredients on low speed to avoid incorporating too much air.
- Use a double boiler to gently cook the curd and prevent scrambling the eggs.
- Bring all dairy and eggs to room temperature to ensure a smooth filling.
- Preheat the oven fully for even baking.
- Pulse graham crackers in a food processor for quick, even crumbs.
- Use full-fat block cream cheese, not spreadable varieties.
- Always use fresh lemon juice for the best bright flavor, and zest before juicing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Meyer lemons are usually smaller, sweeter, and less acidic than regular lemons. Either works in recipes, but regular lemons are often easier to find year-round.
Use a vegetable peeler to remove the outer peel, then finely chop the peel with a knife to create zest-like strips or pieces.
Perform the jiggle test: the centers should still jiggle slightly when you gently shake the pan. They will firm up as they cool.
Too much air in the batter or over-mixing can cause the center to sink. Mix gently and use room-temperature ingredients to avoid this issue.
Stored in the refrigerator, mini cheesecakes will keep up to 5 days. Store lemon curd separately and add it just before serving for the freshest texture.
Freeze them without the lemon curd topping. Chill completely, place on a sheet pan to freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 3 months.
Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. For a faster option, leave them at room temperature until thawed.
More Cheesecake Recipes to Try
- Mini Strawberry Cheesecake
- Mini Chocolate Cheesecake
- Creme Brulee Cheesecake
- Mini Keylime Cheesecake
- Cinnamon Apple Cheesecake
I hope you enjoy this Mini Lemon Cheesecakes recipe. If you try it, please leave a rating and comment — and share it with friends and family who would love a bright, creamy lemon dessert.
Mini Lemon Cheesecakes
Ingredients
For Crust:
- 8 sheets graham crackers, finely crushed
- ⅛ tsp salt
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
For Filling:
- 2 8-oz blocks cream cheese, room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 whole eggs, room temperature
- ⅓ cup heavy cream, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
For Lemon Curd:
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar plus 1 tablespoon
- ¼ cup lemon juice, fresh squeezed
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed
Instructions
For Crust:
-
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners.
-
Combine graham crumbs, salt, sugar, and melted butter until the mixture resembles wet sand.
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Press 1–1½ tablespoons of crumbs into each liner and bake 8–10 minutes until golden. Cool completely.
For Filling:
-
Lower oven to 300°F.
-
Beat cream cheese and sugar on low until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, then add heavy cream, vanilla, lemon juice, and zest. Mix until combined.
-
Fill liners nearly to the top and bake 15 minutes. Turn the oven off and leave cheesecakes inside for 30 minutes, then crack the oven door and cool to room temperature.
-
Chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
For Lemon Curd:
-
Whisk sugar, lemon juice, whole egg, and egg yolk in a heatproof bowl.
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Set the bowl over simmering water, add cubed butter, and cook over low heat for about 15 minutes, whisking occasionally until thickened to about 180°F or a thick consistency.
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Remove from heat, cover the surface with plastic wrap, and chill until fully cooled.
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Pipe or spoon chilled curd onto each cooled mini cheesecake before serving.
Notes
- Room-temperature ingredients help prevent lumps in the filling.
- Preheat the oven fully for even results.
- Use a food processor to quickly crush graham crackers or buy pre-crushed crumbs.
- Use full-fat block cream cheese rather than spreadable varieties.
- Always zest lemons before juicing for easier zesting.
Nutrition
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