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Mini Marble Cheesecakes make the perfect mini holiday dessert. Chocolate graham cracker crust meets chocolate and vanilla swirl cheesecake in this mini cheesecake recipe.
You guys, I’m so excited for all the fun desserts that December brings!! I have so many to share with you. First up: Mini Marble Cheesecakes with PEEPS® Marshmallow toppers!
We decorated for Christmas over the weekend. Did you? When I was a kid we always decorated about 2 weeks before Christmas, but ever since I’ve been an adult I’ve decorated Thanksgiving weekend. My thought is this: why do all that work for only a few weeks of enjoyment? (Of course, by mid-December, we’ll start forgetting to even turn on the Christmas lights outside. #truth)
Several times over the weekend I caught Jordan staring off into space, gazing at the Christmas tree. That girl is so darn excited for Christmas. At random times she just starts smiling this huge smile and I know she’s thinking about the holiday. (Full confession: she’s thinking about presents.)
We even already have presents wrapped and under the tree. The problem with that is that, if I’m not careful, I’ll know exactly what I’m getting before the big day. For one thing, Jordan has a hard time keeping secrets. If I really wanted to, I could ask her enough questions to figure it out. For another, I’m a present psychic. Hand me a nondescript box and I’ll shake it a little and I can guarantee I’ll figure out what it is. (I’ve done that my whole life, which is why, as an adult, I stay away from the tree.)
One of the things Jordan’s getting this year is a whole lot of PEEPS®. She is obsessed with them, especially the PEEPS® Marshmallow Snowmen and PEEPS® Marshmallow Trees. She eats them by themselves, she adds them to her hot chocolate, and now we put them on top of Mini Marble Cheescakes!
While Thanksgiving is all about the big pies and cheesecakes, Christmas baking is about mini, bite sized foods that are easy for serving at open house parties, potlucks, and on gifting platters. These Mini Marble Cheesecakes have a place in every one of those occasions!
I’m no stranger to mini cheesecake recipes. I’ve made pumpkin, and fruit tart topped, and chocolate chip. I figured it was time for me to make a chocolate version of a mini cheesecake. And what’s prettier than marble cheesecake? (Correct answer? Nothing!)
These cheesecakes couldn’t be easier. They have a chocolate graham cracker crust, which I absolutely love. Have you ever had chocolate graham crackers? They take this dessert to a new level. The crust is topped with a mixture of plain and chocolate cheesecake. It looks hard to make, but it’s really easy. You just add chocolate to half the batter, then swirl them together.
Once they’re baked, you top the cheesecakes with chocolate whipped cream and a PEEPS® Marshmallow Tree (or PEEPS® Marshmallow Snowman)!
Instead of gazing at the pile of presents under the tree, your family will be gazing at the dessert platter, I promise.
A few notes about the mini marble cheesecakes recipe:
- Make sure that all your ingredients (cream cheese, egg, and sour cream) are at room temperature before you begin. This will help you avoid lumps in your cheesecake. A stand mixer is what I like to use to beat the ingredients together because it gets out any lumps the best, but a hand mixer will do if that’s all you have.
- If you can’t find chocolate graham crackers, you can use regular or use a chocolate cookie instead.
- Be sure to show off your PEEPSONALITY and top the cheesecakes with your favorite PEEPS®!
- Try to share. Remember, Christmas is the season of giving. 😉
Mini Marble Cheesecakes
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 1 1/4 cups chocolate graham crackers regular may be substituted, about 7-8 full graham cracker sheets
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
For the Cheesecakes:
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1/4 cup sour cream room temperature
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ounce semi-sweet baking chocolate
- Chocolate or Marshmallow Whipped Cream or Cool Whip
- 12 PEEPS® Marshmallow Snowmen or PEEPS® Marshmallow Trees
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with liners.
- Place graham crackers in a large ziploc bag. Seal the bag except for 1” and roll with a rolling pin to crush the graham crackers to a fine crumb. This can also be done in a food processor. Stir graham cracker crumbs with sugar and melted butter. Scoop 1-2 tablespoons of the crust mixture into the bottom of each muffin cup (for a total of 12). Press to compact.
- Beat cream cheese until smooth, about 30 seconds, using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a hand mixer. Beat in sour cream, egg, sugar, and vanilla. Beat until no lumps remain. (It’s helpful if all ingredients are room temperature before starting!)
- Melt semi-sweet baking chocolate in a small bowl on high power in 30 second increments, stirring between each, until melted and smooth. Place 1/4 cup of the cheesecake batter into the chocolate mixture and stir to combine.
- Divide the remaining plain cheesecake batter evenly on top of the crusts (about 1 tablespoon per muffin cup). Scoop about 1 teaspoon of the chocolate cheesecake batter on the top and swirl with a toothpick to create the marbled look.
- Bake cheesecakes for about 18-21 minutes until the tops are puffed and slightly cracking. Cool completely, then chill for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- To serve: remove the cupcake liner and top with chocolate whipped cream and PEEPS® Marshmallow Snowmen or PEEPS® Marshmallow Trees!
Recipe Nutrition
Its the “24 Days of PEEPSONALITY”! What’s yours? Find the PEEPS®Marshmallow Snowmen and PEEPS®Marshmallow Trees in the PEEPS® online store, where you can get 20% off through December 31, 2015 using the code SWEETINGS15.
Find tips, tricks, and recipes on the PEEPS® website or on social media: Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest / Instagram
If you loved these Mini Marble Cheesecakes, I bet you’ll love these:
Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecakes
This recipe is sponsored by PEEPS®. All opinions are 100% my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Crazy for Crust possible.
Last Updated on August 21, 2018
I’m so impressed that you already have presents wrapped and under your tree! These cheesecakes are adorable…perfect for holiday parties.
These sound delicious and they’re so pretty too!
Thank you!
As a known representative of Cute, I have to deem these as officially approved. Delicious, too!
These are soooo cute and I bet they taste delicious!
These are just fabulous Dorothy and SO festive with those adorable PEEPS on top! LOVE!
Such a fun holiday treat with those PEEPS on top!!! I have been known to snoop for gifts and peek inside already wrapped presents…bad, I know.
Mini desserts are perfect for this time of year! Love the fun Peeps toppers!
Your mini marble cheesecakes look divine!! Good luck staying away from the tree! I’d be tempted… 😉
Peeps toppers – that is just plain perfect, and super festive! Great way to kick off the holiday dessert making. 🙂
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