Mini Peppermint Bark Cheesecakes are so creamy! They’re filled with crushed peppermint candy and topped with chocolate ganache and homemade whipped cream. It’s the perfect holiday dessert. If you love cheesecake, you’ll love this twist on my classic mini cheesecake recipe.
Peppermint Bark Cheesecake
People either love or hate peppermint and if you love peppermint, these cheesecakes are for you! They make for a perfect Christmas dessert.
The classic cheesecake filling has a touch of peppermint extract and some crunchy peppermint chocolate. For the toppings, I went with a chocolate ganache and whipped cream. The ganache ties in nicely with the Oreo crust and also helps break up some of the peppermint flavors.
You can bring them to a party or make them for a neighbor or friend. These are a great make-ahead dessert and they also freeze well, so you can take the stress out of your holiday baking.
Easy Recipe
The cheesecake filling is 6 simple ingredients including Andes Peppermint Crunch. This stuff is so addicting! If you can’t find that, you can try something similar from Ghirardelli, Dove or Hershey’s. I love the crunch that the candy adds to the filling.
Making cheesecake in a muffin pan is way easier than a springform pan. There’s no dealing with a water bath, and the baking time is significantly less! Sure, it takes a little less effort to just make this in an 8-inch pan, but individual desserts are perfect when hosting family or friends. Maybe you want to try more than one dessert- I know I always do!
Ingredients You’ll needed
For the Crust
- Oreo cookies– 16 for the crust
- Butter: melted
For the Cheesecake Filling
- Cream cheese: It’s best to use a full-fat cream cheese
- Granulated Sugar
- Eggs
- Peppermint Extract
- Sour cream adds a little bit of tang, and creaminess to the cheesecake. You can substitute Greek yogurt if needed.
- Andes Peppermint Crunch candy– if you can’t find these, try the Hershey’s Candy Cane bars or Candy Cane Kisses and just chop them up
For the Toppings
- Dark chocolate– for the ganache topping
- Heavy whipping cream– you’ll need this both for the ganache and the whipped cream
- Powdered sugar
Quick Instructions
Make the crust:
Line a cupcake pan with cupcake baking liners. Grind the Oreos into a fine crumb then combine with the melted butter. Spoon about 1 tablespoon into each liner and press down with a spoon or tart shaper.
Make the filling:
Combine the ingredients: First, beat the cream cheese and sugar, then add the eggs and and peppermint extract. Finally, mix in the sour cream and peppermint candy.
Fill the liners: Use a large cookie scoop (or ¼ cup measuring cup) to spoon the batter into the prepared cupcake liners.
Bake at 350°F for 15-18 minutes. The centers of the cheesecake should be slightly jiggly, don’t worry, they will finish baking off as they cool. Remove from the oven and cool completely.
Add the Toppings
Make the ganache: First microwave the chocolate with heavy whipping cream until melted and smooth, then spoon it over the cheesecakes.
Make the whipped cream: The secret to perfect whipped cream is to start with a very cold bowl. I recommend putting in the freezer for at least 5 minutes. Beat the heavy cream until soft peaks form, then add the powdered sugar and beat until soft peaks form.
Prepare Ahead & Freezing Instructions
These can be prepared up to 2 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container. If possible, add the whipped cream the day of serving. Make sure they are completely cooled prior to placing in the container.
To freeze, chill them completely, then transfer to an airtight container and place in the freezer for up to one month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Just add the toppings prior to serving.
Make These as Cheesecake Bars
This recipe can easily be made into cheesecake bars in an 8-inch or 9-inch square pan. Be sure to line the pan with parchment paper. Baking times may vary between 15-25 minutes. The middle should be slightly jiggly and will finish baking as it cools.
Mini Peppermint Bark Cheesecakes
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 16 Servings
- Category: Cheesecake
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Description
Mini Peppermint Bark Cheesecakes are so creamy. Add in crushed peppermint candy and topped with chocolate ganache and homemade whipped cream
Ingredients
For the Cheesecakes
- 16 Oreo cookies
- 2 tablespoons(28g) unsalted butter, melted
- 16 ounces(452g) full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup(63g) granulated sugar
- 2large eggs, at room temperature
- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
- ½ cup(120g) sour cream, at room temperature
- ½ cup chopped Andes Peppermint Crunch
For the Toppings
- 5 ounces dark chocolate
- 1 ½ cups (354ml) heavy whipping cream, divided
- ½ cup(65g) powdered sugar
- Andes Peppermint Crunch
Instructions
For the cheesecakes
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a cupcake pan with baking liners.
- Grind the Oreo cookie into a fine crumb using a food processor or blender. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the cookies with the melted butter and stir until well combined.
- Spoon 1 heaping tablespoon of the cookie mixture into each cupcake liner, and press into the pan with a spoon. Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar until well combined and free of any lumps, scraping down the bowl as needed.
- Next beat in the eggs and peppermint extract until well combined. Finally, beat the sour cream until the mixture is completely smooth. Fold in the peppermint crunch.
- Use a large cookie scoop (or ¼ cup measuring cup) to spoon the batter into the prepared cupcake liners. A heaping cooking scoop should fill the liners nearly full, leaving about ¼-inch at the top.
- Bake at 350°F for 15-18 minutes. The centers of the cheesecake should be slightly jiggly. Remove from the oven and cool completely in the pan.Then refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours before adding the toppings.
Prepare the ganache:
- In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the chocolate with ½ cup heavy whipping cream. Melt the chocolate in the microwave at 50% power in 30-second increments and stir until completely combined. Allow to cool. Spoon about 1 tablespoon or less over the top of each cheesecake, spread with a knife.
Prepare the whipped cream:
- Place the mixing bowl and whisk attachment in the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes to chill. Pour 1 cup heavy whipping cream into the chilled bowl and use an electric mixer to beat the heavy cream on medium-high speed until soft peaks start to form. Slowly add the powdered sugar and continue beating on high speed until stiff peaks form. Pipe or spoon onto chilled cheesecakes and top with additional crushed Andes candies.
Notes
- Room temperature ingredients: The ingredients are best mixed at room temperature to ensure a smooth, lump-free cheesecake batter. If you forget this step, you can quickly soften the cream cheese in the microwave. Unwrap and microwave for 20 seconds.
- Sour cream substitute: If needed, substitute the sour cream with greek yogurt.
- Andes Peppermint Crunch: If you can’t find that specifically, you can try something similar from Ghirardelli, Dove or Hershey’s.
- Make ahead instructions: These can be prepared up to 2 day in advance and stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Make sure they are completely cooled prior to placing in the container. Add toppings prior to serving.
- Freezing instructions: Once chilled, transfer to an airtight container and place in the freezer for up to one month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Add toppings prior to serving.
- Halve the recipe: This recipe can easily be halved to make 8 mini cheesecakes
- Cheesecake bars: Make this recipe in an 8-inch or 9-inch square pan for cheesecake bars. Line the pan with parchment paper and bake 15-25 minutes (depending on the pan size). The middle should be slightly jiggly when you pull it out of the oven.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cheesecake
- Calories: 567
- Sugar: 36g
- Sodium: 330mg
- Fat: 35g
- Carbohydrates: 57g
- Fiber: .7g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 84mg
Im so excited to make these for Christmas! Wuick question what level of the ghiradelli dark chocolate are you using?
Awesome! Just the 60% dark works great!
I loved these so good!
Wow, thank you so much!
I made them for Christmas exactly as written. They were creamy and delicious! Would definitely make again
That is awesome Maureen, thank you so much!
Recipe went according to plan. Was not a fan of the finished product. Seems the peppermint and Oreo flavors overpowered the cheesecake taste.
Thanks for sharing your feedback. You could try reducing the peppermint extract next time or replace it with vanilla.
These turned out great! One note – it says “½ cup(60g) sour cream” – actually ½ cup of sour cream is more like 110g. I used ½ cup when I made the recipe and they were good… very festive!
I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe! Thank you for pointing that out, I will update the grams measurement.
How can I make this recipe into mint
This looks so good, my family loves mint
Thank you
Hi Holly, just swap out the peppermint for mint flavor. For instance, you can use mint Oreos for the crust, swap the extract in the filling and use regular Andes mints instead of peppermint.
Hi there! Great recipe! I am making these again this weekend. Do you mind sharing the type of chocolate you used for the top? I used ghirardelli chocolate wafers but the chocolate didn’t seem to harden as well when I heated it up with the whipping cream. It looks like it should’ve harden up based on the photos.
Try using a Ghirardelli chocolate bar instead of melting wafers
Do we put the whipping cream in the microwave with the chocolate for the ganache or add it after the chocolate is melted?
Please refer to the instructions under “For the Ganache” step 1: In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the chocolate with ½ cup heavy whipping cream. Melt the chocolate in the microwave at 50% power….. they are combined and then microwaved
For the oreo crust, do we remove the filling or keep it in?
Leave it in the Oreos
Do you include the middle icing of the Oreo when you blend it? Or just the cookie parts?
Yes the whole Oreo
I took these to a party last night and they were a huge hit! I followed the recipe exactly, it’s well written. Perfect amount of peppermint flavoring and as a cupcake it’s a nice sized serving to enjoy, but not be too much. Nobody had heard of Andes Peppermint Crunch (not a common candy where we are in Canada) but we all felt it really made the recipe! Thank you for sharing!
Yeah Cheryl!! Thant’s wonderful, thank you so much for sharing!
Are they just as good after being frozen? Also, to clarify, if you freeze, would you do the ganache as well as the whipped cream after thawing?
Hi Erin, you can definitely freeze these, but I would add the ganache and whipped cream after they’re thawed, that’s my preference anyway
So about the Andes crunch, do I get the one with white chocolate or do I get the one that’s just peppermint only? Because I’m looking at other candy peppermint brands you suggested but they all have white chocolate in them and I’m wondering if I can use that or if I just use candy canes.
It has white chocolate it in, but if it’s a peppermint only chocolate, that’s fine to. What you don’t want to use is candy canes or anything similar that’s a hard candy.
Wow!! These are delicious. I can’t get over how simple these were to make, when I don’t typically think anything surrounding cheesecake typically is! I made a half batch and they turned out perfect. I added a bit of extra peppermint pieces on top for crunch and will for sure make these again. Since Cheesecake Factory didn’t release their peppermint cheesecake this year, I am so happy to have found a delicious alternative 🙂
That’s wonderful Ashley, thank you so much for sharing!
Can this recipe be modified to 12 mini cheesecakes vs. 16? What would the cooking times be and how much less of the ingredients? They look delicious so I might do the 16 😊 I’m loving all the recipes I’ve tried so far!
Hi Camille- I don’t have the exact measurement to provide, but you can do one of two things. A half recipe makes 8. So you can first divide in half, then add back in another half of that. (8oz cream cheese is half plus another half of that is 4oz, so 12oz cream cheese). The eggs will be difficult, but for 12 I would still use 2 eggs. OR just fill your cheesecakes with an extra tablespoon (?) or so of batter and you’ll get less than 16. You’ll need to add a few minutes to the baking time. I can’t provide exact details since I’ve never tested it. However, I do think you’ll end up enjoying the extra 4 cheesecakes 🙂
Can this be adjusted to make a full 9” cheesecake? Double ingredients? Baking time?
Hi Sandi, not quite as simple. Usually, 9-inch cheesecakes are baked in a water bath to prevent from cracking, and my full-size cheesecakes usually have a combination of eggs and egg yolks. The best advice I can offer (without actually testing the recipe for myself) is to follow the recipe for my blueberry cheesecake, obviously omitting the blueberry sauce and I would leave out the lemon juice in the filling. Add some peppermint extract and the Andes baking chips. For the crust, you’ll probably want a package of Oreos and 4 tablespoons of melted butter.