Last weekend Mr. Scrummy and I explored York, a beautiful northern English city full of history. While there we tried a buffet-style restaurant where you pay a fixed price and help yourself to starters, mains and desserts. That format felt a bit novel to us in the UK, and we approached the aisles with a mixture of curiosity and enthusiasm. Plates were piled high with unlikely combinations—onion bhajis next to roast meat with gravy, Thai green curry beside a mixed bean salad—and although the food wasn’t exceptional, I found myself anxiously sampling a little of everything so I wouldn’t miss out.
With the holiday season approaching, the same dilemma keeps repeating at home: chocolate santas dangling from the tree, special biscuits in a tin, mulled wine on the counter—all tempting in their own way. My solution? Make mini versions of indulgent treats. Smaller portions let you taste several desserts without feeling overly full and still leave room for other favourites.
These mini caramel cupcake cheesecakes are ideal for that plan. They’re small, pretty, and great for parties where multiple desserts will be offered. I served them at a family dinner after a heavy main course and they were a big hit—so popular that I’ve already had requests to make them again for Christmas.
The method is straightforward and uses just a few ingredients. Press crushed biscuits mixed with melted butter into muffin cases and bake the bases for 10 minutes. Whisk together the cheesecake filling, spoon it over the bases, and drop very small spoonfuls of caramel into the centre of each portion. Most of the caramel sinks into the filling and, when the cheesecakes are baked and cut open, it oozes out of the middle—delicious. I finished each cheesecake with a little extra caramel on top for added indulgence. I used ready-made caramel—if you’re in the UK, Carnation caramel works well; dulce de leche is a good alternative if you can find it.
These cupcake cheesecakes are easily adaptable. Swap the caramel for chocolate sauce, raspberry coulis, or even a small fresh raspberry in the centre for a fruity twist. Whatever flavour you choose, these little cheesecakes are bound to attract compliments while still leaving room in your stomach to sample other desserts—a perfect holiday win.
Caramel cupcake cheesecakes
Ingredients
- 8 digestive biscuits, crushed (or graham crackers)
- 3.5 tablespoons butter, melted
- 10.5 ounces cream cheese
- 1 tablespoon plain flour
- 1/4 cup caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 egg plus 1 egg yolk
- 3 tablespoons sour cream
- ready-made caramel
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and line a muffin tin with 8 regular muffin cases.
- Combine the crushed biscuits with the melted butter, press the mixture into the base of the muffin cases and bake for 10 minutes.
- Make the cheesecake filling by beating together the cream cheese, flour, sugar, vanilla, eggs and sour cream until smooth.
- Divide the filling between the 8 muffin cases using a ladle. Quickly drop a very small amount of caramel into the centre of each (about 1 teaspoon or less), then bake for about 20 minutes, until the cheesecakes are set but still slightly wobbly.
- Allow the cheesecakes to cool for about 30 minutes, then add another small teaspoon of caramel on top of each. Chill in the fridge for at least a couple of hours before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
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