These mini chocolate cheesecakes are incredibly creamy and chocolatey. Made with dark chocolate and cream cheese, they are also very easy to make.
Prepping and baking them takes just 30 minutes, but then, like all cheesecakes, they need to rest for 2 hours.
Creamy and chocolatey, these delightful little cakes are made with cream cheese and dark chocolate. They have a velvety texture and a lovely, deep chocolate flavor.
This is a very easy recipe - easier than baking a classic keto cheesecake. Other easy cheesecake-inspired recipes that I make are keto pumpkin cheesecake, vanilla ricotta dessert, and keto cheesecake bites.
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Ingredients
You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make these cheesecakes. The exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:
- Dark chocolate: The darker you can go and still enjoy it, the better. I use Lindt Excellence 70%.
- Cream cheese: I use reduced-fat cream cheese, but full-fat is fine.
- Vanilla extract: Try to use the real thing - pure vanilla extract - and not the artificially flavored stuff.
- Sweetener: I use stevia glycerite. You can use a granulated sweetener instead, including sugar, if you don't mind the carbs.
- Egg: I use large eggs in almost all of my recipes, including this one.
Variations
The best way to vary this recipe is by using different flavor extracts. Instead of using 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, you can use ½ teaspoon of any other extract, such as almond or coconut.
Instructions
The detailed instructions for making these cakes are listed in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of the steps:
Melt the chocolate in the microwave and set it aside.
Beat the cream cheese, vanilla, and stevia until smooth. Add the melted chocolate and beat until blended. Add the egg and mix until just incorporated. Don't overmix.
Spoon the batter into foil-lined and greased muffin cups. Bake the cakes for about 15 minutes in a 300°F oven.
Allow the cakes to cool completely for about 2 hours before serving.
Expert Tips
- Like all cheesecakes, these cakes are ready when they are slightly underbaked. In my oven, 15 minutes at 300°F is perfect.
- Similar to other cheesecakes, they should be completely cool before you can enjoy them. Thankfully, there's no need to refrigerate them. They are perfect after cooling on a rack for about 2 hours.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, and I highly recommend using foil liners. These cheesecakes work well with foil liners, but stick to paper ones.
Yes. To ensure a smooth texture, all ingredients must be at room temperature, which is always the case when making cheesecakes.
One option is to remove the cream cheese and egg from the fridge two hours before you plan to start mixing the ingredients. Alternatively, you can microwave the cream cheese for 30 seconds and submerge the egg in warm (not hot) water while you prep the other ingredients.
Yes. It will produce cakes that are a bit more dense, but they will also be rich and flavorful.
Serving Suggestions
These little cakes are perfect just the way they are, and that's how my family typically enjoys them. But if you'd like to top them with something, here are a few suggestions. You should add these toppings immediately before serving the cakes, not ahead of time.
- Homemade whipped cream
- Chocolate whipped cream
- Berries - raspberries are especially good
- A dollop of strawberry compote
- A drizzle of melted peanut butter
Storing Leftovers
You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to 3 days. After that, they become less creamy and fluffy. Remove them from the fridge a full hour before you plan on enjoying them.
You can also freeze these cheesecakes for up to a month. Once they're completely cool, wrap each in plastic wrap and then place them in a freezer bag.
More Cheesecake Recipes
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Recipe Card
Mini Chocolate Cheesecakes
Ingredients
- Avocado oil spray - for muffin liners
- 3 ounces Lindt Excellence 70% chocolate - chopped
- 8 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese - room temperature; full-fat is OK
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon stevia glycerite - heaping (equals about ⅓ cup of sugar)
- 1 large egg - room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300°F. Line a muffin tin with 6 foil baking cups (the cakes will stick to paper liners). Lightly spray the liners with avocado oil spray.
- Place the chocolate in a small bowl. Microwave it in 30-second intervals, stirring after each microwave session, until the chocolate is completely melted. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, using an electric hand mixer set to the lowest speed, beat the cream cheese, vanilla, and stevia until smooth. This should take no more than 30 seconds.
- Add the melted chocolate and beat on low just until blended, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
- Add the egg and mix until just incorporated. Don't overmix.
- Using a rubber spatula, give the batter one last mix to make sure everything is well incorporated.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, smoothing out the tops. Bake until the centers of the cheesecakes are just a bit jiggly, about 15 minutes.
- Place the muffin tin on a cooling rack. Let the cakes cool completely for about 2 hours before removing the liners and serving them.
Video
Notes
- To ensure a smooth texture, all ingredients must be at room temperature, which is always the case when making cheesecakes. One option is to remove the cream cheese and egg from the fridge two hours before you plan to start mixing the ingredients. Alternatively, you can microwave the cream cheese for 30 seconds, and submerge the egg in warm water while you prep the ingredients.
- You can substitute a granulated sweetener for the stevia. If using a nutritive sweetener like sugar, the nutrition info will change.
- Like all cheesecakes, these cakes are ready when they are slightly underbaked. In my oven, 15 minutes at 300°F is perfect.
- Similar to other cheesecakes, they should be completely cool before you can enjoy them. Thankfully, there's no need to refrigerate them. They are perfect after cooling on a rack for about 2 hours.
- You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to 3 days. After that, they become less creamy and fluffy. Remove them from the fridge a full hour before you plan on enjoying them. You can also freeze these cheesecakes for up to a month. Once they're completely cool, wrap each in plastic wrap and then place them in a freezer bag.
Nutrition per Serving
Disclaimers
Cup measurements refer to the standard American cup, which is 240 milliliters. Most of my recipes are low-carb (or keto) and gluten-free, but some are not. Please verify that a recipe fits your needs before using it. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate, and the carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Nutrition info may contain errors, so please verify it independently. Recipes may contain errors, so please use your common sense when following them. Please read these Terms of Use carefully before using any of my recipes.
Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living. 
George Wyndham
I fixed these mini-cheescakes for our family's birthday celebration recognizing all the birthdays in the family for the year. They were easy to make, just followed your directions, and everyone really enjoyed them. I will definitely make them again. One thing I will change is to use a lower percentage of cocoa chocolate next time. The cheesecake had a cocoa taste that was a bit strong for my liking, so maybe a 50 percent chocolate. But, as I said, it was a big hit with all the family age 6 to 76, so I will definitely make this again. Thanks for a tasty, easy dessert treat!
Vered DeLeeuw
I'm so glad these cheesecakes were a hit, George! Your family celebration sounds lovely. Happy birthday to everyone!
Shireen
I am lactose intolerant and cannot eat cream cheese at all. Can I substitute it for lactose free cream cheese?
Vered DeLeeuw
Hi Shireen,
My apologies - I only tested this recipe with regular cream cheese.