Description
Make festive, individual chocolate cheesecakes decorated like gnomes for a fun holiday dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup chocolate cookie crumbs (such as Oreos, finely crushed)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 16 oz (2 blocks) cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup melted semi-sweet chocolate
- ¾ cup chocolate ganache (or melted chocolate for “hats”)
- Whipped cream or frosting (for “beards”)
- Mini candy-coated chocolates or white chocolate chips (for “noses”)
- Strawberries or chocolate cones (for hat shape, optional)
- Powdered sugar (for dusting “snow”)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper cupcake liners or silicone molds.
- Combine the chocolate cookie crumbs and melted butter in a small bowl. Stir until the mixture resembles wet sand.
- Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the crumb mixture into each cupcake liner and press it down firmly.
- Bake the crusts for 5 minutes, then remove and let them cool.
- Beat the cream cheese in a large mixing bowl on medium speed until smooth.
- Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Mix in the sour cream (or Greek yogurt) and vanilla extract until silky.
- Add the melted semi-sweet chocolate, mixing just until combined.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating on low speed until just incorporated. Do not overmix.
- Divide the filling evenly among the crust-lined muffin cups, filling each about ¾ full.
- Bake for 18–20 minutes, or until the centers are just set.
- Turn off the oven, crack the door open, and let the cheesecakes cool for 10 minutes.
- Transfer the cheesecakes to a wire rack and cool completely at room temperature.
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
- Prepare the ganache by combining ¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips with ½ cup hot heavy cream, stirring until smooth. Let it cool slightly.
- Pipe whipped cream or frosting onto the bottom half of each cheesecake to form the gnome’s beard.
- Use the cooled ganache or melted chocolate to create cone shapes on top of the beard for the gnome hats.
- Place mini candy-coated chocolates or white chocolate chips for noses. Use strawberries or chocolate cones if desired for hat structure.
- Dust with powdered sugar for a snow effect before serving.
Notes
- For picture-perfect edges, use foil or parchment liners when lining the muffin tin; they peel away cleanly.
- Do not overmix the batter once the eggs are added; too much air can cause cracks during baking.
- Prep Time: 25 min
- Cook Time: 25 min
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cheesecake
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 25
- Sodium: 200
- Fat: 22
- Saturated Fat: 13
- Unsaturated Fat: 9
- Trans Fat: 0.5
- Carbohydrates: 35
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 6
- Cholesterol: 60
Keywords: Chocolate Gnome Cheesecakes, Mini Cheesecakes, Christmas Dessert, Holiday Baking, Chocolate Log Cake, Yule Log Cake Recipe, Brownie Yule Log