Description
These Vanilla Bean Cheesecake Cupcakes offer a creamy, luscious dessert with a buttery graham cracker crust and the fragrant sweetness of real vanilla bean. Perfectly portioned and topped with whipped cream and fresh berries, these cupcakes provide an elegant, indulgent treat to satisfy your sweet tooth.
Ingredients
Scale
Crust Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cheesecake Filling Ingredients
- 16 oz cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
Toppings
- Whipped cream
- Fresh berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries)
- Chocolate shavings
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare muffin tin: Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C). Line a standard muffin tin with cupcake liners.
- Make the crust mixture: In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract. Mix until the crumbs are evenly coated and resemble wet sand.
- Form crust in cupcake liners: Press about 1 tablespoon of the crust mixture into the bottom of each cupcake liner, packing it down firmly.
- Bake crusts: Bake the crusts for 8-10 minutes, or until lightly golden. Remove from the oven and let cool.
- Beat cream cheese: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add sugar: Add the granulated sugar and beat until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Incorporate sour cream: Mix in the sour cream until fully incorporated.
- Add eggs: Add the eggs one at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition until just combined.
- Add flour: Sprinkle in the flour and mix until just combined.
- Add vanilla: Add the vanilla extract and the seeds from the split vanilla bean, mixing until well incorporated.
- Fill cupcake liners: Once the crusts have cooled, fill each cupcake liner with the cheesecake mixture, leaving about ¼ inch of space at the top.
- Remove air bubbles: Gently tap the muffin tin on the counter to remove any air bubbles.
- Bake cheesecake cupcakes: Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the edges are set but the centers still jiggle slightly.
- Cool in oven: Turn off the oven and crack the door open, letting the cupcakes cool in the oven for about 30 minutes.
- Chill: After 30 minutes, remove from the oven and let cool completely at room temperature. Transfer to the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
- Add toppings: Once chilled, top each cupcake with a dollop of whipped cream.
- Garnish: Add fresh berries and chocolate shavings on top of the whipped cream for an extra touch of sweetness and elegance.
Notes
- Make sure the cream cheese is softened to room temperature to avoid lumps in the filling.
- Use full-fat cream cheese and sour cream for the creamiest texture.
- Do not overbake; the centers should still jiggle slightly to ensure a creamy consistency.
- Chilling the cupcakes overnight enhances flavor and texture.
- Vanilla bean seeds add a fragrant and authentic vanilla flavor, but you can substitute with 1 tablespoon vanilla extract if unavailable.
- Allowing the cupcakes to cool in the oven prevents cracking.
