Mini Cheesecakes

Mini cheesecakes are the perfect dessert.  At around 50 calories a piece you can have one or two and walk away (almost) totally guilt free.  Here are two recipes from skinnytaste.com that I made for a dear friend's wedding shower last June.  Each recipe makes 24 mini cheesecakes.  If you do not have mini muffin cups you can use a full sized muffin pan and make 12.  What a great dessert to bring to your Easter celebrations!  Enjoy!

Mini Strawberry Swirl Cheesecakes (adapted from skinnytaste.com)

mini muffin cup liners
1/2 c. crushed graham cracker crumbs
1 T. unsalted butter, softened
8 oz. reduced fat cream cheese, softened (not fat free)
1/4 c. sugar
1/2 t. vanilla extract
6 oz. fat-free vanilla Greek yogurt
2 large egg whites
2 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 T. all purpose flour
1/4 c. strawberry jam (I used the all fruit variety)

Heat oven to 350.  Line a mini muffin pan with cupcake liners and set aside.

Mix together graham cracker crumbs and butter with a fork until evenly moistened.  Press 1 teaspoon of cracker crumb mixture into each mini muffin cup.

Gently beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth using an electric mixer.  Gradually beat in yogurt, egg whites, lemon juice and flour.  Do not over beat.  Distribute evenly among the mini muffin cups.

Stir jam until smooth.  Drop 1/2 teaspoon of jam into each mini muffin cup and swirl gently with a knife to create a marble effect.

Bake 10-12 minutes or until center is almost set.  Cool to room temperature.  Chill a few hours in the refrigerator.

Makes 24 (63 calories each) according to my calculator on loseit.com

Mini Lemon Cheesecakes (adapted from skinnytaste.com)

mini muffin cup liners
1/2 c. crushed graham cracker crumbs

1 T. unsalted butter, softened 

8 oz. reduced fat cream cheese, softened (not fat free)
1/4 c. sugar
1 t. vanilla extract
6 oz. fat-free vanilla Greek yogurt
2 large egg whites
1 T. lemon zest
3 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 T. all purpose flour
24 blackberries

Heat oven to 350.  Line a mini muffin pan with cupcake liners and set aside.

Mix together graham cracker crumbs and butter with a fork until evenly moistened.  Press 1 teaspoon of cracker crumb mixture into each mini muffin cup.  

Gently beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth using an electric mixer.  Gradually beat in yogurt, egg whites, lemon zest, lemon juice and flour.  Do not over beat.  Distribute evenly among the mini muffin cups.

Bake 10-12 minutes or until center is almost set.  Cool to room temperature then top each cheesecake with blackberries (one each for mini cheesecakes and two each for regular sized muffin pan cheesecakes.)  Chill a few hours in the refrigerator. 

Makes 24 (59 calories each) according to my calculator on loseit.com