Description
Delicious and easy-to-make Cherry Cheesecake Cupcakes featuring a crispy vanilla wafer base topped with creamy cheesecake batter and a sweet cherry pie filling center. Perfect for parties, gatherings, or a delightful dessert treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Base
- 30 vanilla wafers
Cheesecake Batter
- 3 8-ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 4 eggs
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Topping
- Cherry pie filling, about 1 scoop per cupcake (approx. 1 cup total)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit to prepare for baking the cupcakes.
- Mix Cheesecake Batter: Using a mixer, cream together the room temperature cream cheese, sugar, eggs, and fresh lemon juice until the mixture is smooth and well combined. Set the batter aside.
- Prepare Muffin Tin: Line a muffin tin with muffin cups to prevent sticking and make removal easier.
- Add Base: Place one vanilla wafer at the bottom of each muffin cup to serve as the crust base for each cupcake.
- Fill Cups: Pour the cheesecake batter into each muffin cup, filling about 3/4 full to allow room for rising and baking.
- Bake in Batches: Bake the cupcakes one tray at a time at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 22 minutes each to ensure even baking across all cupcakes.
- Cool Cupcakes: Remove the cupcakes from the oven and let them cool completely. Note that the centers may sink slightly during cooling, which is normal.
- Add Cherry Filling: Once cooled, add a scoop of cherry pie filling into the center of each cupcake for a delicious fruity topping.
- Chill Before Serving: Refrigerate the cupcakes for at least 1 hour before serving to allow flavors to meld and texture to set.
Notes
- For even baking, it’s best to bake the cupcakes one muffin tray at a time.
- The sinking of the centers as they cool is normal and creates a perfect well for the cherry topping.
- Use full-fat cream cheese for the creamiest texture.
- Ensure cream cheese is at room temperature to avoid lumps in the batter.
- These cupcakes are best served chilled or slightly chilled for optimal flavor and texture.
- Vanilla wafers add a nice crunch base, but graham crackers can be substituted if desired.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 20 g
- Sodium: 120 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
