Delicious cheesecake muffins with tangerines, crumbles or chocolate. The easy cheesecake muffins are crispy, creamy and soo delicious!

Classic in mini format: these cheesecake muffins taste at least as good as their big relative. Still, they are better suited for eating out of hand or to take away. And because a single standard version is a bit boring, I baked three quick cheesecake muffins at once. After all, with such small pieces, you can try your way through well 😉.
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Taste and Occasion
First, of course, there were cheesecake muffins with crumbles. Because crumbles are always good. And because their crunchiness matches so well with the creamy, firm curd mixture. I also baked cheesecake muffins with tangerines, because they (along with cherries) are the absolute standard fruit for this type of cake and provide a fruity contrast. Lastly, I had to bake pluck cake muffins - because the black and white cakes are visually gorgeous. In addition, the chocolate cheesecake muffins have offered themselves since I copied the cheesecake mixture from my classic Russian pluck cake. It is, at least after cooling, almost firm and results in the muffins being stable.
Ingredients
The stirred shortcrust pastry also comes from the Russian pluck cake. For cheesecake muffins with sprinkles, you need to save a third (without cocoa) for the crumbles. The rest is pressed into the ramekins with your fingers as a base. Similar to the cheese crumble cake from the baking sheet. For the cheesecake muffins with tangerines, you need some easy-drained fruit from the jar, which you fold in carefully. Done.
How to make the Cheesecake Muffins
First of all, beat the soft butter with the sugar until fluffy. Stir in the egg; add the flour, baking powder, and salt and knead everything into a stirred shortcrust pastry.
Now, preheat your oven to 360°F/180°C. Make the bottom of the muffins with about two-thirds of the dough (the rest is for the crumble). Form small balls, place them in the muffin cups (and a baking sheet) and flatten them with your fingers. If you like, you can also raise a small rim. Then, whisk sugar and egg together for the cheesecake mixture. Stir in the melted butter with the curd, custard powder, and lemon zest. Divide the cream among the muffin cups.
Form small crumbles from the remaining dough with your fingers and sprinkle them over the curd cream. Bake muffins for about 35 minutes, let cool, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. The mixture may still be a little soft after baking, but the muffins will firm up as they cool. Enjoy!
Top Tip
I recommend using a muffin tray for this recipe and additional removable molds (e.g. those made of silicone). This is the best way to remove the muffins. Because they are still somewhat soft and "wobbly" after baking, the muffins should then be refrigerated - and only then removed from the silicone molds.
Recipe Card
Cheesecake Muffins
Ingredients
For short pastry and crumble
- 125 grams (⅔ cup) butter, soft
- 90 grams (½ cup) sugar
- 1 egg, medium
- 225 grams (1 ⅘ cups) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
For the curd cream
- 60 grams (⅓ cup) sugar
- 1 egg, large
- 110 grams (½ cup) butter, melted
- 350 grams (3 cups) curd cheese
- 40 grams (6 tablespoons) vanilla pudding powder, 1 small bag
- ½ teaspoon grated lemon zest
Instructions
- Beat the soft butter with the sugar until fluffy. Stir in the egg; add the flour, baking powder, and salt and knead everything into a stirred shortcrust pastry.
- Preheat oven to 360°F/180°C. Make the bottom of the muffins with about two-thirds of the dough (the rest is for the crumble). Form small balls, place them in the muffin cups (and a baking sheet) and flatten them with your fingers. If you like, you can also raise a small rim.
- For the cheesecake mixture, whisk together the sugar and egg. Stir in the melted butter with the curd, custard powder, and lemon zest. Divide the cream among the muffin cups.
- Form small crumbles from the remaining dough with your fingers and sprinkle them over the curd cream. Bake muffins for about 35 minutes, let cool, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. The mixture may still be a little soft after baking, but the muffins will firm up as they cool.
Notes
- Use the entire shortbread for the base and edges for cheesecake muffins with tangerines. In addition, gently fold a small can of drained mandarins into the curd mixture.
- For pluck cake muffins, knead about 30 grams of baking cocoa into the shortcrust pastry. Form the base and any edges from two-thirds of the dough, roll out the rest and distribute the plucked pieces over the quark mixture.
Ingredient substitutions
Variations
Summary: The muffins are quick to make, delicious all year round, suitable for freezing, and perfect for parties as well as buffets. In the unlikely event 😉 that you're still not convinced: Check out my cheesecake muffins with cookie base or take a cue from this recipe if you want cheesecake muffins without a base or flour. I also have sugar-free, low-fat quark muffins. And be sure to check out my cheesecake recipes and muffin overview.
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