Ingredients
Method
Step-by-Step
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line 18 standard muffin-pan cups with paper liners.
- Combine the finely crushed chocolate wafer cookies with the melted butter. Place roughly 1 tablespoon of the mixture into each liner and press it down firmly.
- Bake the crusts for about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and let the crusts cool slightly.
- Beat the softened cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add the lightly beaten eggs, sour cream, and vanilla, mixing only until combined.
- Divide the filling among the crusts, filling each liner nearly to the top.
- Bake for 15–20 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers still have a slight wobble.
- Cool the cheesecakes in the pan, then refrigerate them until thoroughly chilled, for at least 1 hour or preferably overnight.
- Spoon cherry pie filling over each cheesecake immediately before serving. Add whipped cream and chocolate curls or finely grated chocolate if desired.
Notes
Use fully softened, room-temperature cream cheese and mix only until smooth to help prevent lumps and reduce cracking. Chill the cheesecakes completely before adding the cherries so the topping stays neat. A small cookie scoop makes it easier to portion the crust mixture and filling evenly.