These Santa Hat Cheesecake Bites are such a cute holiday treat! With a buttery graham cracker crust, creamy cheesecake base, topped with fresh whipped cream and a strawberry to look like Santa’s Hat on top. They’re such a fun dessert for holiday parties and gatherings.
This recipe is super easy, and flexible. You can use homemade cheesecake bars if you want (my recipe is below), or take a shortcake with store bought cheesecake to save time. Either way, the creamy cheesecake pairs nicely with the sweet strawberries, and fluffy whipped cream.
They come together quickly, and are a fun way to impress guests with their super cute holiday look.
Why you’ll love these
- Easy to Make: Homemade cheesecake bars can be made without a water bath, and without the stress. Or keep these even more simple with store bought!
- Festive Favorite: The strawberry and whipped cream on top looks like a mini Santa hat, making these perfect for Christmas!
Ingredients Needed
This is a quick overview of the ingredients you’ll need for this Santa Hat Mini Cheesecakes Recipe. Specific measurements and full recipe instructions are in the printable recipe card below.
- Graham Cracker Crumbs: You can also substitute shortbread cookies, or gingerbread.
- Unsalted Butter: This gets melted and holds the crust together
- Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the crust, and cheesecake filling.
- Cream Cheese: Use a full fat cream cheese for the best creamy texture.
- Eggs: Helps bind everything together for the cheesecake filling.
- Sour Cream: Makes the cheesecake bars extra smooth and creamy.
- Salt: Always good to balance out the flavors
- Vanilla Extract: Adds an ice flavor to the cheesecake and whipped cream
- Heavy Cream: Needed for a homemade whipped cream, you can also substitute Cool Whip, or Canned Whipped Cream
- Powdered Sugar: Sweetens the whipped cream
- Strawberries: Smaller, or medium strawberries work best.
How to make Santa Hat Mini Cheesecakes
Step 1: Make the Cheesecake Crust. Mix the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter in a medium bowl. Press into a lined 8 or 9 inch square pan and bake until golden. Remove from the oven and let it cool.
Step 2: Make the Cheesecake Filling. Start by mixing cream cheese with the sugar, and sour cream until nice and creamy, make sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl. Mix in the eggs, vanilla, and salt and mix until just combined. Pour it over the crust and bake until the sides are set. Let it cool completely.
Step 3: Make the Whipped Cream. Add the heavy cream, powdered sugar and vanilla to a large mixing bowl or stand mixer and beat until you have nice peaks.
Step 4: Assemble. Use a 2 inch round cookie cutter to cut small cheesecake into the cheesecake bars. (You can also slice into squares.) Cut the tops off the strawberries in a straight line. Pipe a circle of whipped cream onto the top of the cheesecake. Place a strawberry on top. Pipe a small dot of whipped cream on top of the strawberry. Dust with powdered sugar if desired.
Tips and Tricks
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Let your cream cheese, sour cream, and eggs sit at room temperature for about 1 hour before making the cheesecake filling to keep your filling super smooth, and allow everything to blend better.
- Easy Removal: Line your pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil so the bars can easily be lifted out of the pan and cut into pieces.
- Use a Store Bought Cheesecake: If you don’t want to spend time making your own cheesecake from scratch, buy a store bought cheesecake or two and slice it up and top with the whipped cream and strawberries.
Make Ahead and Storage Instructions
Cheesecake stays great chilled in the fridge, so these bites can be made ahead and stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 2 or 3 days before serving. You can also freeze the whole cheesecake before topping and decorating. Let it thaw overnight in the fridge, then cut into bites and assemble.
These bites are so fun and festive. They’re as tasty as they are cute, and are such a fun way to spread Christmas cheer!
More Cute Christmas Desserts
- Santa Cookies
- Reindeer Chow
- Christmas Hand Pies
- Christmas Jello Poke Cake
- Melted Snowman Cookie Dough Bites
- Reindeer Hot Cocoa Cones
- Christmas Tree Meringues
If you try this Santa Hat Cheesecake Bites Recipe, please leave a 🌟 rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
Santa Hat Cheesecake Bites
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 1 cup Graham Cracker Crumbs (about 12 cracker sheets)
- 6 TBS unsalted butter
- 2 TBS granulated sugar
For the Cheesecake Filling:
- 16 oz cream cheese (softened to room temperature)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup sour cream (room temperature)
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 TBS vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
For the Whipped Cream:
- 1 cup cold heavy whipping cream
- 2 TBS powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
For the Topping:
- 12 strawberries
- powdered sugar (optional)
Instructions
For the Crust:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line an 8×8 or 9x9inch baking pan with parchment paper, and set it aside.
- Add the graham cracker crumbs, butter, and sugar to a medium bowl and stir them together until you have a nice sandy mixture. 1 cup Graham Cracker Crumbs, 6 TBS unsalted butter, 2 TBS granulated sugar
- Pour the graham cracker crumbs into the bottom of the prepared pan, and press it down with the bottom of a cup.
- Bake the crust for about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.
For the Cheesecake Filling:
- In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese with an electric hand mixer until it is smooth. 16 oz cream cheese
- Add in the sugar, sour cream, and mix at medium speed for a couple of minutes until nice and smooth. 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup sour cream,
- Stir in the eggs, vanilla extract, and salt at low speed until just combined. 2 large eggs, 1/2 TBS vanilla extract, 1 pinch salt
- Pour the mixture into the prepared graham cracker crust, smooth it evenly over the top.
- Bake the cheesecake for for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the edges are set and the center is slightly jiggly.
- Remove the cheesecake from the oven and let it cool to room temperature. Then place it in the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours, up to 3 days.
For the Whipped Cream:
- Add all the ingredients to a stand mixer, or large mixing bowl. 1 cup cold heavy whipping cream, 2 TBS powdered sugar, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- Beat the ingredients with a whisk attachment starting at low speed. Raise the speed to high speed, and continue mixing until the cream has stiff peaks.
For the Topping:
- Take the cheesecake bars and use a 2inch round cookie cutter, and cut into round circles. Lift up from the bottom pushing the cheesecake back through the cookie cutter.
- Add the whipped cream to a piping bag with a star tip and pipe a circle of whipped cream around the top of the cheesecake bites.
- Slice the tops off the strawberries straight across. 12 strawberries
- Place a strawberry on to the whipped cream.
- Pipe another dollop of whipped cream on top of the strawberry to make the cotton ball on santa's hat.
- Dust with powdered sugar if desired. powdered sugar
- Serve immediately, or place in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Notes
-
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Let your cream cheese, sour cream, and eggs sit at room temperature for about 1 hour before making the cheesecake filling to keep your filling super smooth, and allow everything to blend better.
-
- Easy Removal: Line your pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil so the bars can easily be lifted out of the pan and cut into pieces.
-
- Use a Store Bought Cheesecake: If you don’t want to spend time making your own cheesecake from scratch, buy a store bought cheesecake or two and slice it up and top with the whipped cream and strawberries.
- Storage Instructions: Cheesecake stays great chilled in the fridge, so these bites can be made ahead and stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 2 or 3 days before serving. You can also freeze the whole cheesecake before topping and decorating. Let it thaw overnight in the fridge, then cut into bites and assemble.
Nutrition
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