Recently, a friend invited me over for dinner and I planned to bring dessert. I thought what would be better than cheesecake, especially since his wife missed out on the Cheesecake with Smoked Cherries I made this past summer. With a busy day planned before dinner, I knew I needed something that would come together quickly (thereby counting out a full cheesecake!), but I did not want to sacrifice having homemade quality. So, I relied on a 6 pack of Graham Cracker mini-pie crusts to simplify and individualize this simple dessert. The whole process (except for allowing the cream cheese to get to room temperature) took less than 30 minutes. Yes, I said start to finish under 30 minutes. Now to consider how to accent these tiny pies of delight. Should I use fruit? Cocoa powder? Chocolate drizzle? Well, read on below to see the results and just how easy it is to make these single serving cheesecakes. And no cracking, I guarantee!

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Add the cream cheese and sugar to a medium bowl.

Beat them together until creamy, about 2 – 3 minutes.

Add the egg and vanilla.

Beat together until incorporated, about 1 -2 minutes.

Spoon batter equally into 6 pre-made graham cracker mini pie crusts.

Place the filled mini pies on a large baking sheet before sliding onto the center rack of the preheated oven.

Bake for 12 – 16 minutes or until there is a slight wobble in the center of pie when tapped.

Remove and cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes.

Refrigerate before serving. Top with a dusting of chocolate, powdered sugar, or any fruit pie filling and a dollop of whipped cream.

Smoked Cherries

Cocoa and Powdered Sugar

Enjoy!