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This Mini Nutella Cheesecake Recipe is a vanilla cheesecake swirled with Nutella and topped with whipped cream and fresh raspberries. These mini Nutella swirled cheesecakes are baked in a graham cracker crust, and the recipe comes together easily.
The Best Nutella Mini Cheesecakes
There’s not much in the world I love more than cheesecake, and this Nutella cheesecake version is no exception.
Between the buttery graham cracker crust and creamy cheesecake filling with rich swirls of Nutella, each bite is as good as the previous one. It’s a simple recipe that yields an indulgent dessert that is swoon-worthy enough to look like you slaved all day over it, yet easy enough to make any day of the week.
So, cheesecake lovers, I see you and I’ve got all of your cheesecake needs covered. These mini Nutella cheesecakes with a graham cracker crust use only a handful of ingredients, and as with all of my cheesecake recipes, there is no water bath required. High-fives all around. And, when topped with whipped cream and raspberries, these are practically cheesecake cupcakes. Cue all of the heart eyes!
Oh, and in case you were wondering, Nutella and cream cheese? A match made in heaven.
Three Reasons Why These Mini Swirled Nutella Cheesecakes Work:
- Flavor: Nutella and cream cheese pair really well together. I mean, it’s difficult for either of those ingredients to pair poorly with anything else. However, in this recipe, the nutty chocolate flavor enhances the rich and tangy cream cheese flavor.
- Simple Ingredients: My favorite classic cheesecake recipe is made with a few simple ingredients: cream cheese, eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract. I’m a cheesecake snob and I firmly believe you don’t need much else when making the perfect cheesecake. We add in a Nutella swirl to give it a perfectly nutty chocolate flavor. And, this is a Nutella cheesecake without sour cream. Controversial opinion: I love using sour cream in many desserts, but I actually don’t think it has a place in cheesecake recipes.
- No Water Bath: This Nutella Cheesecake recipe does not require a water bath! We cook the cheesecakes at higher temperature for less time and it creates a perfectly rich and creamy cheesecake with Nutella without a water bath.
Ingredients:
When making this recipe for Mini Nutella Cheesecake with graham cracker crust, you don’t need many ingredients. In fact, you might have all the Nutella cheesecake ingredients in your pantry!
- Graham Crackers: I prefer to make my own graham cracker crumbs (by mixing melted butter, vanilla extract, sugar, and graham cracker crumbs in a food processor), but you can buy graham cracker crumbs.
- Unsalted Butter
- Vanilla Extract
- Eggs: I always use large eggs in my baking recipes.
- Cream Cheese: Use full-fat cream cheese, and if possible, go for Philadelphia cream cheese. Philadelphia makes such a rich and tangy cream cheese that’s flavor isn’t rivaled by any other brands, in my opinion (this isn’t sponsored—I just love the Philadelphia brand).
- Sugar
- Nutella
How To Make These Mini Nutella Cheesecakes From Scratch:
Making Nutella mini cheesecake cups from scratch is incredibly simple. I give an overview on how to make them here, but the recipe card down below is more detailed.
- Graham Cracker Crust: Use a food processor to make the graham cracker crust. They can be fine crumbs or a little thicker if you prefer a textured crust. Combine graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, vanilla extract, and sugar together and pulse it in the food processor until combined. Press about 1 Tbsp of the mixture into the bottom of each lined muffin cup (you can use cupcake liners too) or mini cheesecake pan with the back of a spoon or the bottom of a Tbsp.
- Cheesecake Batter: With an electric hand mixer or stand mixer, beat cream cheese until fluffy on medium-low speed. Add in granulated sugar, and beat the mixture with your electric mixer until well combined. Add in the eggs, and beat well after each addition. Finally, add in the vanilla extract to the cream cheese mixture.
- Nutella: Melt the Nutella in a microwave-safe bowl for about 15 seconds. This makes the Nutella more pliable, and it will be easier to swirl into the cheesecakes.
- Assembly: Using a cookie scoop, ice cream scoop, or a spoon, spoon cheesecake filling into each muffin cup, filling about 2/3 – 3/4 of the way full. Then, drop about 2 teaspoons of Nutella onto each cheesecake. Using a toothpick, knife, or cake tester, swirl the Nutella with the cream cheese.
- Bake: Bake Nutella cheesecakes for about 16-20 minutes, or until the edges have set and the centers of the cheesecakes jiggle slightly when the pan is shaken gently.
- Cool: To avoid cheesecake cracks, allow the cheesecakes to cool for 30 minutes in the oven with the door cracked open. Then, allow the cheesecakes to cool completely to room temperature before chilling the fridge.This is the “carry over” method, and the purpose is to reduce the temperature gradually, which is essential for keeping your cheesecake from cracking.
- Serve: Serve them plain, or top them with whipped cream, raspberries, and shaved chocolate.
Storage Tips:
How Long Will Mini Cheesecakes Last?
- Cheesecake can last for about a week in an airtight container when stored in the fridge. Mini Cheesecakes can also be frozen by individually wrapping them with plastic wrap and storing in an airtight container.
How Do You Keep These Nutella Mini Cheesecakes From Sinking?
- Cheesecakes often sink a bit as they cool, which is completely normal. However, cheesecakes and mini cheesecakes can sink and crack often when they are exposed to drastic temperature changes, which is why it’s important to cool them properly.
- We cool them by gradually bringing them to room temperature. Once the Nutella cheesecakes have finished baking, turn off the oven and crack the door open. Let them cool in the cracked oven for about 30 minutes. Next, let them cool on the counter until they reach room temperature. Finally, chill them in the fridge until ready to serve.
Are these Mini Nutella Cheesecakes Gluten Free?
- The Nutella cheesecake filling is already gluten free so to make these gluten free mini cheesecakes, all you need is to substitute gluten free graham crackers for the regular ones.
Do I Need To Use A Mini Cheesecake Pan?
- I use a muffin pan lined with paper liners (paper muffin cups) when making cheesecakes mini, since I have it on hand. If you have a mini cheesecake pan, feel free to use it. It’s a bit smaller than a muffin tin so your cheesecakes will cook a bit faster.
Topping Ideas For Nutella Cheesecake Cups:
Want to make these amazing mini Nutella cheesecake cups? Let’s talk toppings:
- Homemade Whipped Cream: Of course you can use store-bought whipped cream, but I love homemade whipped cream. It’s simply heavy whipping cream (also known as heavy cream), powdered sugar (also known as icing sugar), and vanilla extract. It’s such an easy way to enhance all mini desserts.
- Fresh Berries: I love Nutella and strawberries or raspberries. The chocolate hazelnut flavor really goes well with sweet fresh berries.
- Chocolate Shavings: Using a vegetable peeler or citrus zester, you can shave a little bit of chocolate on top of each creamy Nutella cheesecake. It’s pretty and adds extra chocolate goodness! Or, top with mini chocolate chips. It adds a little texture!
- Hazelnuts: If you want to get really fancy, you can top each Nutella dessert with a Ferrero Rocher or chopped hazelnuts.
Other Cheesecake Recipes To Make Next:
- Espresso Cheesecake
- Mini Cheesecakes
- Caramel Apple Cheesecake
- Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Bars
- Classic Cheesecake
- Pecan Caramel Cheesecake
- Pumpkin Cheesecake
Pro Tips For Making The Best Cheesecake (with Nutella):
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Room temperature ingredients are incredibly important, otherwise you will have a really lumpy cheesecake. A few small lumps in the cheesecake batter is no big deal; however, any large lumps (which come when the cream cheese is too cold) will not dissolve when baking, which will yield a really odd texture in your baked cheesecake.
- Don’t Over Bake: Don’t over bake cheesecake otherwise will be dry and mealy.
- Don’t Open The Oven: Open the oven as little as possible as they bake. The change in temperature can cause them to crack or sink.
- Carry Over Method: As mentioned above, take the time to let the Nutella cheesecakes cool in the oven for about 30 minutes with the door cracked open. This will help the cheesecakes cool down properly, which will keep cracks to a minimum.
- Cream Cheese: Use a full-fat cream cheese. And, use brick style cream cheese. Whipped cream cheese or cream cheese in a tub does not yield the same results. Whipped is too fluffy and the tub style is usually a bit thinner.
- Crust Variations: If you’re not into a traditional graham cracker crust, mix it up and use crushed Oreo cookies (Nutella cheesecake with an Oreo crust would be amazing), chocolate graham crackers, golden Oreos, vanilla wafers, etc.
Mini Nutella Cheesecake Recipe
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
16 mins
Total Time
36 mins
This Mini Nutella Cheesecake Recipe is a graham cracker crusted vanilla cheesecake swirled with Nutella and topped with whipped cream and fresh raspberries.
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Mini Nutella Cheesecakes
Servings: 12 cheesecakes
Author: Michelle
Ingredients
Crust:
- 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 10-12 graham cracker sheets)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Cheesecake:
- 2 8oz cream cheese bricks, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup Nutella
Toppings:
- Whipped Cream
- Raspberries
- Shaved Chocolate
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line your 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners, then set aside.
Crust:
Use a food processor to make the graham cracker crust. Pulse the graham crackers until they are fine crumbs. Then, add in the sugar, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Pulse until combined.
Add about 1-2 Tbsp of graham cracker crumbs in the bottom of each muffin cup. Using the back of a Tbsp (or your hands), press the crust in an even layer in the bototm of each cup. (If you like a thick graham cracker crust, use about 2 Tbsp in each muffin cup. For a thinner crust, use 1 Tbsp.) Set aside.
Cheesecake:
Using a standing mixer or a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese until fluffy and very smooth.
Add in the sugar and mix until fully incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Add in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Lastly, add in vanilla extract. Mix until everything is combined and the cheesecake mixture is smooth (and, remember to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed).
Nutella:
In a microwave safe bowl, melt the Nutella for about 15-20 seconds. Warming it slightly helps loosen the consistency, which will make it easier to swirl into the batter. Set aside.
Assembly:
Divide the cheesecake batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups, filling each cup about 2/3 - 3/4 of the way full.
Then, spoon about 2 tsp of Nutella into each cheesecake cup. Using a cake tester, toothpick, or knife, swirl the Nutella into the cream cheese mixture.
Bake for about 16-20 minutes, or until the edges of each cheesecake have set and the centers of each jiggle slightly when the pan is gently shaken.
Then, turn off the oven, crack open the oven door, and let the cheesecakes slowly cool in the oven for 30-45 minutes (this helps prevent each cheesecake from cracking).
Next, continue to let the cheesecakes cool to room temperature on the counter.
Finally, chill in the fridge at least 4 hours, or overnight.
Serve plain or topped with whipped cream, fresh raspberries, and shaved chocolate.
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Other Nutella Recipes To Try Next:
Strawberry Nutella Turnovers
Double Chocolate Strawberry Nutella Pie
