Try this Mini Lemon Cheesecake Pies recipe, or contribute your own.
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 - 8 ounce package cream cheese softened
- 1 - 8 ounce container cool whip thawed
- 1 box refrigerated pie crusts
- 1 - 22 ounce can lucky leafâ® lemon pie filling
- 1 - 10 ounce jar cherries with stems drained & patted dry
- lemon zest & mint leaves for garnish
- Carbohydrate 0.0221375 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0.000105 g
- Fiber 0 g
- Protein 0.000105 g
- Saturated Fat 1.75E-05 g
- Serving Size 1 1 mini pie (3g)
- Sodium 1162.75575334194 mg
- Sugar 0.0221375 g
- Trans Fat 6.3E-05 g
- Calories 1 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Spray 2 mini tart pans or cupcake tins with nonstick baking spray.
- Unroll the pie crusts and cut out 24 - 3 inch circles. You will need to re-roll the dough to get that many circles.
- Press the crusts into the prepared pans.
- Place in the refrigerator while you make the filling.
- Beat the cream cheese and sugar until creamy.
- Add the vanilla and egg and beat again.
- Spoon the cheesecake evenly in the bottom of the pie crusts.
- Spoon the pie filling evenly on top of the cheesecake batter.
- Use a toothpick to gently swirl the pie filling into the cheesecake.
- Bake for 17-18 minutes.
- Remove the pies from the oven and let them cool in the pans for 4-5 minutes.
- Use a butter knife to loosen the pies from the side and lift them out gently.
- Place on a wire rack to cool for 30 minutes.
- Refrigerate for 2 hours or until set.
- Use a piping bag and icing tip 1M to swirl a little bit of Cool Whip on top of the pies.
- Garnish with a cherry, lemon zest, and mint leaf right before serving.
Chilling the unbaked pastry circles inside the pans for twenty minutes prevents the butter from melting out prematurely during baking, which keeps the crust crisp rather than greasy. Working with softened cream cheese at room temperature ensures a smooth batter without lumps. Beating the cream cheese and sugar thoroughly before adding the egg incorporates enough air to lighten the dense dairy structure. Re-rolling leftover dough scrapings requires a light touch to avoid toughening the gluten network in the pastry.
Baking these tartlets at 375 degrees for seventeen to eighteen minutes provides enough heat to set the egg protein without scorching the edges of the crust. Letting the pastries rest in the tins for four to five minutes allows the structural proteins to firm up slightly before transfer. Loosening the edges with a thin butter knife prevents tearing the delicate bottom crusts. Transferring them to a wire rack promotes air circulation so condensation does not ruin the pastry texture.
Freezing these mini cheesecakes requires omitting the whipped topping garnish beforehand because thawed dairy toppings separate and lose their shape. Plain baked cheesecakes freeze well for up to one month when wrapped individually in plastic wrap and stored inside an airtight container. Thawing frozen tarts overnight in the refrigerator preserves the moisture balance of the filling. Adding fresh whipped topping, lemon zest, and a drained cherry immediately before serving maintains textural contrast.
Pairing these tartlets with unsweetened black coffee or hot brewed tea balances the high sugar content of the lemon filling and whipped topping. Strong hot beverages cut through the rich dairy fats of the cream cheese layer effectively. Serving them cold straight from the refrigerator accentuates the firmness of the cheese filling. This approach yields twenty-four uniform portions suited for large gatherings.
