Blackberry Lavender Mini Cheesecakes (Printable)
Creamy floral blackberry lavender individual cheesecakes on a buttery cookie crust, no oven needed.
# What You'll Need:
→ Crust
01 - 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
02 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
03 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
→ Cheesecake Filling
04 - 1 cup fresh blackberries (plus extra for garnish)
05 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
06 - 1 teaspoon culinary lavender buds
07 - 8 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
08 - 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
09 - 1/2 cup powdered sugar
10 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
→ Blackberry Lavender Sauce
11 - 1/2 cup fresh blackberries
12 - 2 tablespoons honey
13 - 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
14 - 1/4 teaspoon dried culinary lavender
# How to Make It:
01 - Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with 8 paper liners and set aside.
02 - In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and granulated sugar. Stir until the mixture resembles wet sand and holds together when pressed.
03 - Divide the crumb mixture evenly among the 8 lined cups, pressing firmly into the bottom and slightly up the sides. Place the tin in the refrigerator to chill while preparing the filling.
04 - In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup of fresh blackberries, lemon juice, and culinary lavender buds. Cook over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes, gently mashing the berries as they soften. Remove from heat, press through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, and discard the seeds and lavender buds. Allow the puree to cool completely.
05 - In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with the powdered sugar using a hand mixer or stand mixer until completely smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed.
06 - Add the vanilla extract and the cooled blackberry-lavender puree to the cream cheese mixture. Beat on medium speed until fully incorporated and the mixture is uniformly colored.
07 - In a separate chilled bowl, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Using a spatula, gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture in three additions, preserving as much volume as possible.
08 - Spoon or pipe the filling evenly into the chilled crusts, smoothing the tops with a spatula. Cover loosely and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight until fully set.
09 - In a small saucepan, combine the blackberries, honey, lemon juice, and dried lavender. Simmer over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes, mashing the berries. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve and cool before serving.
10 - Carefully remove the mini cheesecakes from the liners. Top with fresh blackberries and a drizzle of the blackberry lavender sauce. Garnish with edible flowers or candied violets if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- No oven needed, which means you can make these even on the hottest summer day without heating up your whole kitchen.
- The lavender is subtle and mysterious, people will keep taking bites trying to figure out what makes them so addictive.
- Individual portions feel fancier than a full cheesecake but require way less effort and zero stress about slicing.
02 -
- Do not skip the straining step or you will end up with gritty seeds and tough lavender bits ruining the silky texture.
- If you taste the puree and it tastes like soap or perfume, you used too much lavender and should scale back next time.
03 -
- A piping bag makes filling the cups faster and neater, but a zip top bag with the corner snipped off works just as well in a pinch.
- The cheesecakes slice cleaner if you run a thin knife under hot water and wipe it dry between cuts.