Small Batch Cheesecake
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This small batch cheesecake is made in a loaf pan and will serve 4-6 people. It’s incredibly creamy with a thick graham crust and the perfect New York cheesecake flavor. Top with berries and whipped cream or your favorite cheesecake topping.
This small batch cheesecake is the perfect recipe if you’re having a few friends over for dinner. It has everything you love about classic vanilla cheesecake, but in a scaled down recipe that’s incredibly simple to make. I love how creaminess of the cheesecake pairs perfectly with the thick graham crust. I recommend chilling the cheesecake for at least 4 hours before serving – so make sure to allocate enough time.
Making a Small Batch Cheesecake
Like with any cheesecake recipe, it’s paramount that the cream cheese, sour cream and eggs and are all at room temperature before getting started. Be sure to take them out of the fridge about 30 minutes prior.
As mentioned, this recipe is made in a loaf pan. I use a 9×5 inch (23×12.7 cm). It can also be made in an 8×4 inch (20×10.2 cm) pan – but the bake time will be longer. You want to lightly grease the pan, and then line the pan horizontally with parchment paper. This allows you to lift the cheesecake out of the pan to slice after its done baking and cooling.
Then you’ll make the crust. Note that the crust for this cheesecake is extra thick – which I personally love.
- In a small bowl, stir together the graham crumbs, brown sugar and melted butter. Note that I’ve included a substitution using digestive biscuits as well in the recipe notes.
- Then press into the bottom of the lined pan.
- Bake the crust for about 8 minutes. Baking the crust on its own makes it extra crunchy.
As the crust is baking, you’ll make the filling.
- Beat together the cream cheese and sugar until the mixture is smooth and creamy. This will take a few minutes to ensure that there are no lumps.
- Then you’ll mix in the sour cream and a little freshly squeezed lemon juice.
- The sour cream makes the cheesecake super smooth so that you don’t feel as though you’re biting into a block of cream cheese. Adding just a touch of lemon juice really brightens the flavor.
- Then you’ll mix in the egg and additional egg yolk. I typically recommend doing this by hand using a wire whisk to avoid over mixing.
- You could also do a few stirs by hand, then beat with the electric mixer until just combined. You should no longer see pieces of egg in the batter.
Then it’s time to bake. For an extra creamy texture and to avoid the likelihood of cracks, use a waterbath.
- Place the loaf pan in the middle of a 9×9 inch (23×23 cm) baking pan (or any baking pan that it fits into) and pour the cheesecake batter on top of the crust.
- Then pour about 1 inch (3 cm) of boiling water into the baking pan so that the loaf pan is surrounded by water.
- The cheesecake (surrounded by the waterbath) then goes into the oven to bake for about 35 minutes.
Recipe Tip
If you don’t have a baking pan large enough to fit the loaf pan, or simply want to skip the waterbath the mini cheesecake will bake for about 35 minutes at 325F (160F).
After the cheesecake is done baking, you’ll need to cool it in the pan. It will need to chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours before serving. Chilling your cheesecake is necessary because it allows the cheesecake to set properly and the flavor actually improves as it sets.
Note that many cheesecake recipes require the cheesecake to chill for at least 6 hours, however, with this recipe 4 hours is fine because its not as thick.
I like to serve cheesecake with a dollop of whipped cream and berries. Some of my other favorite toppings include:
Small Batch Cheesecake
Equipment
- 9×5 inch (23×13 cm) loaf plan
Ingredients
Graham Crust
- 1 1/4 cup graham crumbs (160 grams)
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (42 grams), melted
Cheesecake
- 10 ounces brick-style cream cheese (283 grams)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
- 1/4 cup sour cream (60 ml)
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk, discard the white
- boiling water, for water bath
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325F (160C). Line a 9×5 inch (23×13 cm) loaf pan horizontally with baking paper so that there's an overhang on the sides.
Graham Crust
- In a small bowl, stir together the graham crumbs, sugar and melted butter.
- Press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 8 minutes. Remove from the oven (leave the oven turned on).
Cheesecake
- In a medium bowl, beat together the cream cheese and sugar until smooth and creamy (about 2-4 minutes).
- Add in the sour cream and lemon juice and mix until smooth. I recommend turning off the mixer and scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl a few times to ensure that there are no lumps.
- Add in the egg and additional egg yolk and mix until just combined. I recommend doing this with a hand whisk or with the mixer on a low speed to avoid over mixing.
Baking & Cooling
- Place the loaf pan in the middle of a 9×9 inch (23×23 cm) baking pan, or any pan that it fits inside. Pour the cheesecake batter into the loaf pan and smooth the top.
- Pour about 1 inch (2-3 cm) of boiling water into the 9×9 inch pan so that the loaf pan is surrounded by water.
- Place in the middle of the oven to bake for about 35-40 minutes, or until the cheesecake looks set but still has a gentle wobble if you give the pan a nudge.
- Remove from the oven. Cool the cheesecake with the pan inside the 9×9 inch pan until room temperature. Then remove the loaf pan from the larger pan, cover with foil and place in the fridge to chill for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- When ready to serve, lift the cheesecake out of the pan using the overhang of the baking paper. Set place on a cutting board and slice with a sharp knife, ensuring that you cut through the crust.
Notes
- Room Temperature Ingredients: The cream cheese, sour cream and eggs should all be at room temperature before getting started. Take them out of the fridge about 30 minutes before making the crust.
- Digestive Biscuits: Graham crumbs can be substituted with digestive biscuits. I recommend using 1 1/2 cups digestive biscuits, 2 tablespoons brown sugar and 3-4 tablespoons melted butter for the crust if using digestives.
- Cream Cheese: Be sure to use full-fat, brick style cream cheese. Do not use anything that is labeled low fat, low calorie, spreadable or whipped.
- Baking without a Water Bath: If you don’t have a pan large enough to fit your loaf pan inside it for the water bath, bake the cheesecake for about 40 minutes at 325F (160C).
- Nutrition: Details provided are an estimate only and based on 1 slice without berries and whipped cream on top, assuming the cheesecake is sliced into 6 uniform pieces.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
