Julie Clark
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Almond Chocolate Chip Mini Cheesecakes
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Almond Chocolate Chip Mini Cheesecakes with a buttery almond crust and topped with almond whipped cream. Great for holiday celebrations.
I love almonds, kind of like an obsession. I eat them by the handfuls every single day, and start to get nervous when the bag is getting low. Curiously enough, I almost never bake with them. Why do I always reach for the other nuts when baking up a treat?
That changed and I started with these Almond Chocolate Chip Mini Cheesecakes. Buttery almond crust, rich chocolate chip cheesecake, topped with a bit of almond whipped cream and more almonds. Maybe a bit indulgent, but hey it is the season!
About this Almond Chocolate Chip Mini Cheesecakes Recipe:
- Flavor: Almond and chocolate, paired with sweet cheesecake flavors shine in this recipe. Almond is in the crust, cheesecake, and the homemade whipped cream.
- Texture: The almonds in the crust are ground finely, which gives a sturdy base to the mini cheesecakes. The cheesecake is smooth and creamy, with soft chocolate chips in each bite. And don’t forget the silky whipped cream on top with the added texture of chopped almonds.
- Method: I made these in a mini cheesecake pan, but they can also be done in muffin tins. You’ll need time to bake the crust, bake the cheesecakes, then allow them to chill completely before serving. Plan for at least 8 hours.
The chocolate, almonds and cheesecake go together perfectly. The mini size makes it perfect to take to a holiday party, where there are likely many desserts to sample.
The Pan That Makes Perfect Mini Cheesecakes
Although you can make mini cheesecakes in a mini muffin pan or even traditional muffin pan, there’s a pan you can add to your baking collection that just makes cheesecake life easier.
This mini cheesecake pan has removable discs on the bottom of each cup. This allows you to gently push up on the bottom of the cheesecake and loosen it from the pan.
Why is this pan necessary? It’s ideal for making gorgeous mini cheesecakes that don’t require a paper liner. Plus, then pan is nonstick so you won’t have scraggly edges to your cheesecakes. They’ll come out perfectly, every time.
Ingredients
This looks like a lot of ingredients, and with three parts to the recipe, it is. But some of the ingredients such as sugar and almonds are repeats, used in 2 parts of the recipe.
Here are some key notes about the ingredients:
- If you need gluten free, use all-purpose gluten free flour.
- Full fat cream cheese is best, but lower fat options will work. The cheesecakes may be softer in texture (not as firm) if you choose lower fat options.
- Use unsalted almonds so that you can control them amount of salt going into your cheesecakes.
Almond Crust for Cheesecake
This quick almond crust mixes up easily in a food processor. Can you make it without a food processor? Maybe, but it would be hard to crush the almonds finely enough. If you don’t have one, borrow one for an hour or so to get the perfectly textured crust.
- Add the almonds, flour, sugar and salt to the bowl of a food processor and process until the almonds are ground up small. Add the butter and pulse until the dough is moistened.
- Divide the dough between the cheesecake molds and press down firmly into the bottom making sure to go all the way to the edges. Use a tart tamper to do this easily.
- Bake the crusts for 8-10 minutes until the edges are golden brown. Remove and let cool while making the cheesecake filling.
Make the Cheesecake Filling
- With a hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and sugars together until smooth and creamy.
- Add the egg and beat on low speed until smooth. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and beat another few seconds.
- Add the extract and yogurt and beat just until combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
- Pour the cheesecake batter over the crusts evenly. Bake at 325ºF for 18-20 minutes.
Speaking of cooking cheesecakes, they can still look a tiny bit jiggly when it’s time to take them out of the oven. The tops should be soft, not firm. That’s okay. They will firm up as they cool and make a smooth, creamy filling.
Overdone cheesecakes can be a bit dry and crumbly, so keep an eye on them towards the last few minutes of baking.
Homemade Whipped Cream
The final step to these cute little cheesecakes is to make a homemade whipped cream with just 3 ingredients: heavy cream, powdered sugar and almond extract.
You’ll need a stand mixer with whisk attachment or a hand mixer to whip up this cream until soft peaks form. It will take just a few minutes and totally worth the effort.
top the cheesecakes close to serving time
Homemade whipped cream can deflate within several hours, so although you can make the cheesecakes in advance, wait to swirl that silky whipped cream on top until closer to serving time.
Make Ahead Dessert
The best part about cheesecake? It has to be made ahead, which is perfect for this busy time of year. The cheesecakes can be chilled right in the pan because removing a hot cheesecake from the pan is a recipe for disaster.
Once chilled, take a sharp knife and gently go around the edge to make sure it is separated from the pan. It should easily pop out. (This step is unnecessary if using muffin tins with liners.)
Pop them in the refrigerator and they can stay 3-4 days before serving. Since the whipped cream is fresh, I recommend adding that the day they will be served. You don’t want it to deflate.
Storage Instructions
- Room temperature: Do not store cheesecake at room temperature.
- Refrigerator: Store the cheesecakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Freeze the mini cheesecakes in an airtight container for up to 2 months. It is best to freeze the cheesecakes without the whipped cream. Thaw in the fridge before serving.
Almond Chocolate Chip Mini Cheesecakes
Almond Chocolate Chip Mini Cheesecakes with a buttery almond crust and topped with almond whipped cream.
Servings 12
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Chill Time 5 hours
Total Time 6 hours
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 3/4 cup almonds unsalted
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 2.25 ounces
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons salted butter melted
For the Cheesecake:
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt or sour cream
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
For the Topping:
- 3/4 cup whipping cream
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup almonds toasted
Instructions
For the Crust:
- Preheat oven to 400ºF.
- Add the almonds, flour, sugar and salt to the bowl of a food processor and process until the almonds are ground up small. ¾ cup almonds, ½ cup all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Add the butter and pulse until the dough is moistened. 4 tablespoons salted butter
- Divide the dough between the cheesecake molds and press down firmly into the bottom making sure to go all the way to the edges.
- Bake the crusts for 8-10 minutes until the edges are golden brown. Remove and let cool while making the cheesecake filling.
For the Cheesecake:
- Reduce oven temperature to 325ºF.
- With a hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and sugars together until smooth and creamy. 8 ounces cream cheese, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- Add the egg and beat on low speed until smooth. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and beat another few seconds. 1 large egg
- Add the extract and yogurt and beat just until combined. 1 teaspoon almond extract, 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt
- Stir in chocolate chips. ½ cup chocolate chips
- Pour the cheesecake batter over the crusts evenly.
- Bake 18-20 minutes. The filling will be set, but may still be a bit jiggly. Remove pan from oven and allow to cool to room temperature. Cover pan with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for at least 5 hours or overnight, until they are completely chilled.
For the Topping:
- To remove the cheesecakes from the pan, gently run a sharp knife around the edges to loosen and then pop up the removable bottoms. (If using muffin tins with cupcake liners just remove from pan.)
- Place the heavy cream, almond extract and powdered sugar in a large bowl. Using a hand mixer whip the cream until soft peaks form. ¾ cup whipping cream, ½ teaspoon almond extract, 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
- Separate out 12 almonds to place on top of cheesecakes. Chop remaining almonds. ½ cup almonds
- Place whipped cream into a small bag and cut the corner off. Pipe the whipped cream over the cheesecakes.
- Sprinkle with chopped toasted almonds and one full almond.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve. Once the cheesecakes are topped with whipped cream, they should be served within 2-3 hours.
Video
Notes
- The cheesecakes will keep for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. However, the whipped cream is best within 24 hours. I recommend making the cheesecakes ahead of time, but making the whipped cream the day they will be served.
- If making in a muffin tin, the cheesecakes will bake more quickly. Check them at 14 minutes.
Nutrition
Calories: 324kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 63mg | Sodium: 154mg | Potassium: 166mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 629IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 85mg | Iron: 1mg
