Hot Cocoa Cheesecake Cups
Hot Cocoa Cheesecake Cups are mini chocolate cheesecakes with an Oreo Cookie crust, topped with white chocolate, mini marshmallows and a candy cane handle!
A HOT CHOCOLATE INSPIRED DESSERT!
How cute are these mini Hot Chocolate Cheesecake Cups?! They look like little cups of hot cocoa (and they taste great too!) If you like chocolate cheesecake then you will love these! They are perfect for serving at holiday gatherings because everyone gets their own cup. No slicing and serving needed!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
It’s not needed! You can spoon the melted white chocolate onto the cheesecakes. Or, you can put the melted white chocolate into a Ziploc bag, pushing it all into the bottom of one corner and snip off the end.
If you don’t want to add the melted white chocolate layer, you can use Cool Whip or whipped cream instead.
Just use a pretzel twist that has been cut in half instead. They will look just as cute! You can either place directly onto the cup or you can coat it in chocolate, let it harden, and then place it on the cup.
This is important! If you choose to use it while it’s cold or even chilled, it will cause lumps. Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature. In addition, be careful not to over-beat the cream cheese mixture because you don’t want to incorporate air into the batter. Over-beating can cause cracks in the cheesecake once baked so mix on low speed.
Keep in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days. They can also be frozen. Wrap well and place in an airtight container where they will keep for 2 months. When ready to serve them, take them out and let them unthaw.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (FULL RECIPE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST)
- Oreo cookie crumbs
- salted butter
- cream cheese
- granulated sugar
- eggs
- sour cream
- vanilla extract
- cocoa powder
- white chocolate wafers
- heavy whipping cream
- mini marshmallows
- mini candy canes
HOW TO MAKE HOT COCOA CHEESECAKE CUPS
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners. In a mixing bowl, combine Oreo cookie crumbs and melted butter until combined well.
Scoop about 1 Tablespoon of the cookie crumb mixture into the bottom of each cupcake liner.
Using your fingertips, press the mixture down into an even layer until it’s evenly packed. Bake the cookie crust for 5 minutes. Allow it to cool while you prepare the cheesecake batter.
Reduce the oven to 325°F. In a large mixing bowl, combine softened cream cheese with sugar (using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer) on low speed until smooth.
Add in eggs, sour cream, and vanilla extract. Beat for about 2 minutes.
Add cocoa powder and mix until well combined.
Using a spring loaded cookie scooper, scoop the cream cheese filling into each cupcake liner until it lines up with the top of the cupcake liner.
Bake at 325°F for 20-22 minutes. Then allow the cheesecakes to fully cool on a wire rack.
In a medium mixing bowl, melt together white chocolate wafers with the heavy cream in the microwave at 30 second intervals.
Whisk between intervals until smooth.
Transfer the ganache into a piping bag. Pipe the ganache onto the middle of the cheesecake cups. Make sure it’s smoothed out in a circle shape. You can also just carefully spoon it onto the cheesecakes if you don’t have a piping bag.
Evenly sprinkle the remaining cocoa powder on top of the ganache. Add 3 mini marshmallows to the top
Trim the bottom of each of the mini candy canes to make them smaller and then hook one onto the side of each cheesecake cup to make a handle.
Let cool, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight if possible.
CRAVING MORE RECIPES?
Hot Cocoa Cheesecake Cups
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 2 cups Oreo cookie crumbs
- 10 Tablespoons salted butter, melted
For the cheesecake filling:
- 2 (8 ounce) blocks cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons cocoa powder
For the white chocolate topping:
- 2 cups white chocolate wafers (or white chocolate bar)
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
Toppings:
- mini marshmallows
- mini candy canes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.
- In a mixing bowl, combine Oreo cookie crumbs and melted butter until combined well.
- Scoop about 1 Tablespoon of the cookie crumb mixture into the bottom of each cupcake liner. Using your fingertips, press the mixture down into an even layer until it’s evenly packed.
- Bake the cookie crust for 5 minutes. Allow it to cool while you prepare the cheesecake batter.
- Reduce the oven to 325°F. In a large mixing bowl, combine softened cream cheese with sugar (using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer) on low speed until smooth.
- Add in eggs, sour cream, and vanilla extract. Beat for about 2 minutes. Add cocoa powder and mix until well combined.
- Using a spring loaded cookie scooper, scoop the cream cheese filling into each cupcake liner until it lines up with the top of the cupcake liner.
- Bake at 325°F for 20-22 minutes. Bake at 325°F for 20-22 minutes. Then allow the cheesecakes to cool fully on a wire rack.
- In a medium mixing bowl, melt together white chocolate wafers with the heavy cream in the microwave at 30 second intervals. Whisk between intervals until smooth.
- Transfer the ganache into a piping bag. Pipe the ganache onto the middle of the cheesecake cups. Make sure it’s smoothed out in a circle shape. You can also just carefully spoon it onto the cheesecakes if you don't have a piping bag.
- Evenly sprinkle the remaining cocoa powder on top of the ganache. Add 3 mini marshmallows to the top
- Trim the bottom of each of the mini candy canes to make them smaller and then hook one onto the side of each cheesecake cup to make a handle.
- Let cool, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight if possible.
Notes
- A piping bag is not necessary for the white chocolate layer. You can spoon it on or use a ziploc bag.
- These can be frozen. See above on how to do that.
- If you’d rather not have a white chocolate layer, you can top with Cool Whip or whipped cream.
- Make sure all the cheesecake ingredients are at room temperature.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
