I have always loved cheesecake but feel a bit sheepish to admit I’ve never made a sweet one until now. A favorite Boulder Locavore reader recipe, especially for fall and winter entertaining, is Savory Blue Cheesecake {appetizer}. You’d think a sweet confection of the cheesecake variety might have preceded that but I suppose ‘better late than never’ applies here. Or perhaps’ good things are worth the wait’!
My inspiration for making the cheesecake really belongs to friend and blogging colleague Roxana, of Roxana’s Home Baking. Regular readers might recall her invitation to participate in a chocolate surprise endeavor that for me yielded Frozen Chocolate Fluffernutter {Peanut Butter-Marshmallow} Pie. Roxana is famous for her cheesecake and she’s prolific, creating every size and flavor of cheesecake imaginable. For this cheesecake extravaganza she lassoed almost 60 of us to participate and you can enjoy the other recipes through their links below!
I have a bit of a thing for desserts in jars and small desserts. Partially because at this time of the summer a mere bite of dessert can seem too much with the heat, as well as I think they are cute. If a dessert is small you can always eat more than one but often a few delicious bites is all someone wants.
The first idea that popped to mind stemmed from a very unusual dessert my husband made for my birthday celebration years ago. Macerated strawberries mixed with balsamic vinegar and black pepper atop mascarpone cheese. I’m imagining some wrinkled noses and secret thoughts wondering if he really likes me very much from the sound of that dessert. It was fantastic and something I’ve clearly never forgotten. It bore a wonderful combination of sweet fruit offset by a tang, and spiced by the pepper, complimented by the sweet, creamy marscapone cheese. The flavors blend well allowing each ingredient to play its part without stealing the show.
I was so glad my fixation held as it made a perfect topping for the mini Mascarpone Cheesecakes, made in 4 ounce jelly jars. I simply love the flavor combination in this dessert; it is a surprise to the palate and one I think you’ll agree is deliciously unforgettable. Another fun thing about the jelly jars is they become portable with a lid. The cheesecakes may be made the day prior and topped with the strawberry mixture just before serving. I’ll confess we enjoyed this equally for breakfast as for dessert! I hope you’ll love it as much as I do.
Mini Mascarpone Cheesecakes with Strawberry Balsamic Topping
Ingredients
Ingredients for Mini Cheesecakes:
- 1 cup Graham Cracker crumbs , gluten-free or regular (I used Kinnikinnck S’moreables, ground in a blender to make crumbs)
- 1 tablespoon plus ¼ cup and 2 tablespoons Granulated Sugar
- 4 tablespoons Unsalted Butter , melted
- 1 8- ounce package of Mascarpone Cheese , room temperature
- 1 8- ounce package Cream Cheese , room temperature
- 2 Eggs , room temperature
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- Zest of ½ Lemon
- Supplies: 12 4-ounce jelly jars
Ingredients for Strawberry Balsamic Topping:
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Granulated Sugar
- 2 tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
- 2 cups smaller-sized Strawberries , hulled and quartered lengthwise
- Generous pinch each Kosher Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper
- Optional garnish: mini spearmint leaves
Instructions
Instructions for Mini Mascarpone Cheesecakes:
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray jelly jars inside with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a medium mixing bowl, add the graham cracker crumbs, 1 tablespoon of the sugar and the melted butter; stir to fully combine.
- Spoon crust mixture evenly into the twelve prepared jars (approximately 1 tablespoon per jar). Tamp crust down with the back of a dining spoon or a wine cork (something with a flat bottom) to evenly distribute crust on the bottom of the jars.
- In the bowl of a freestanding mixer, beat together the cream cheese, mascarpone cheese and remaining sugar (1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons) until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time; blend until incorportated. Add the lemon zest and vanilla extract; blend until fully combined.
- Add the cheese mixture evenly to the jelly jars, filling to just below the lowest outer glass ring (approximately ¾ inches from the top of the jar; refer to photos).
- Place jars in a 13 x 9 inch baking pan. Fill the pan with hot water until the water level reaches hallway up the outside of the jelly jars.
- Place in preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes. Remove mini cheesecakes from the pan and allow to cool to room temperature on a cooling rack.
Instructions for making Strawberry Balsamic Topping:
- Fifteen minutes prior to serving cheesecakes, combine sugar, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk to combine and dissolve sugar.
- Add strawberries and using a mixing spoon, combine the strawberries with the liquid so the berries are fully coated. Allow to sit at room temperature, stirring occasionally, After 15 minutes spoon evenly on the top of the cheesecakes.
Recipe Notes
Cheesecake recipe adapted from The Italian Dish
Hungry for more? This delectable list should provide cheesecake inspiration for a very long time!
Baked Cheesecakes:
- Blackberry Goat Cheese Cheesecake from Baking a Moment
- Blueberry Ricotta Cream Cheesecake from Hungry Couple
- Caramel Macchiato Cheesecake from Wishes and Dishes
- Chocolate Cheesecake w/ Whisky Toffee Shards from girlichef
- Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Cheesecake from Savvy Eats
- Coconut Cheesecake with Macadamia Crust from All Day I Dream About Food
- Hawaiian Chantilly Layer Cheesecake from Wallflour Girl
- Hawaiian Mini Cheesecakes from Pint Sized Baker
- Key Lime Pie Cheesecake from Love and Confections
- Lemon Cheesecake from Shugary Sweets
- Lemon Ginger Panna Cotta Cheesecake with Blueberry Sauce from Girl Versus Dough
- Lightened Up Apricot-Swirl Cheesecake from Take A Bite Out of Boca
- Lilikoi Cheesecake with Macadamia Nut Shortbread Crust from Dieter’s Downfall
- Mango Cheesecake (vegan) from Jessiker Bakes
- Mini cheesecakes with a toasted coconut crust (gluten free) from Quarter Life (Crisis) Cuisine
- Mini Mascarpone Cheesecakes with Strawberry Balsamic Topping from Boulder Locavore
- Mom’s Cheesecake from Magnolia Days
- New York Style Cheesecake from URBAN BAKES
- Oreo Cheesecake (vegan) from Namely Marly
- Oreo Ripple Cheesecake from Overtime Cook
- Peanut Butter Cheesecake with Nutella Ganache Topping from The Redhead Baker
- Pear cheesecake with gingersnap crust from Roxana’s Home Baking
- Pumpkin Cheesecake from Lady Behind The Curtain
- Rainbow Cheesecake from In Katrina’s Kitchen
- Raspberry Cheesecake with Oreo Crust from Hip Foodie Mom
- Ricotta Cheesecake from French Press
- Salted Caramel Apple Cheesecake from Jane’s Adventures in Dinner
- S’mores Cheesecake from The Gunny Sack
- Snickers Cheesecake from Life, Love and Sugar
- Sugar Cookie Cheesecake from Munchkin Munchies
- Vanilla Bean Cheesecake from Wine & Glue
- Very Berry Cheesecake with Chocolate Oreo Crust from JavaCupcake
- White Chocolate Cheesecake with Macadamia Nuts and Caramel from Taste and Tell
- White Chocolate Frangelico Cheesecake from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
- White Chocolate Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake from Will Cook For Smiles
No Bake Cheesecakes:
- Butter Pecan Caramel No-Bake Mini Cheesecakes from Simply Southern Baking
- Cherry and Pistachio No Bake Cheesecake with Animal Cracker Crust from Cravings of a Lunatic
- Mini No Bake Lime Cheesecakes from Miss in the Kitchen
- Neopolitan No Bake Cheesecake from Grandbaby Cakes
- No-Bake Berry Cheesecake from Food Lust People Love
- No Bake Blackberry Cheesecake from You Made That?
- No Bake Dulce de Leche Cheesecake with Caramelized Peaches from The Food Charlatan
- No-Bake Limoncello Cheesecake from Cake Duchess
- No Bake Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake from White Lights on Wednesday
- No-Bake Peanut Butter Cheesecake from Crunchy Creamy Sweet
- No Bake Peanut Butter Cheesecake from Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts
Cheesecake Beverages:
- Black Raspberry Cheesecake Milkshake from Blahnik Baker
- Caramel Cheesecake Martini from Happy Food, Healthy Life
Cheesecake Cookies and Bars:
- Caramel Overload Cheesecake Bars from Crumbs and Chaos
- Cherry Cheesecake Brownies from Inside BruCrew Life
- Chocolate Brownie Cheesecake Cookies from Lemons for Lulu
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake Bars from Chez CateyLou
- Healthier Peanut Butter Cheesecake Brownie Bars from Texanerin Baking
- Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Bars from Cooking In Stilettos
- No Bake Coconut Lime Cheesecake Bars from Beyond Frosting
- No Bake Cookies and Cream Cheesecake Bars from Garnish with Lemon
- Strawberry Chocolate Ganache Cheesecake Bars from A Kitchen Addiction
Cheesecake Desserts and Treats:
- Banana Foster No Bake Cheesecake Shooters from Mind Over Batter
- Chocolate Nutella Cheesecake Cake from gotta get baked
- Key Lime Trifles from Hoosier Homemade
- Strawberry Cheesecake Pots from Barbara Bakes
- Triple Brigadeiro Cheesecake Tart from From Brazil To You
Frozen Cheesecakes and Treats:
- Blackberry Cheesecake Popsicles from The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
- Chocolate Caramel Cheesecake Ice Cream from Chocolate Moosey
- Frozen PB&C Cheesecake from Noshing With The Nolands
- Frozen Peanut Butter Cheesecake with Nutter Butter Crust from Crazy for Crust
holly waterfall says
Strawberries and balsamic are such a good combo! And this looks so summery. Perfect for a BBQ!
Shaina says
Those adorable little mason jars are the perfect vessel for such a pretty dessert!
Carla says
I love balsamic vinegar but never tried it was strawberries (yet). I see these in my future!
Tara says
This is my type of cheesecake, I love just a little portion and the fresh berries are perfect!!
Lisa @ Wine & Glue says
This looks delicious! Pinned!
Cate @ Chez CateyLou says
Today was my first cheesecake too! I love love love your recipe – these are so cute and sound amazing! What a fun idea for a summer party dessert. Pinning this! Happy Cheesecake Day!
Toni Dash says
Oh Cate I’m so glad I’m not the only person who has never made cheesecake! After making it I’m not sure why I waited so long but admittedly do love this mini size; it’s just right!
Heather @ French Press says
these are just PERFECT a mall bit of dessert is usually enough but if there’s more I eat it – mini jars are the answer
Lisa @ Garnish with Lemon says
This flavor combination is fabulous! Now that you have started making cheesecake, I can’t wait to see what else you come up with!
Julie says
These are lovely! That strawberry balsamic topping makes it the perfect dessert for a spring or early summer dinner party!
sam says
Gorgeous photos! I’d like to get my hands on 1 (or 4) of these!
Roxana | Roxana's Home Baking says
I love strawberry and balsamic but have never tried with black pepper. Of course you got me all curious and can not wait to try it!
Your single serve cheesecake turned out so pretty! Love that you baked them in mini jelly jars. Such a cute idea!
Thanks for making your first sweet cheesecake to celebrate cheesecake day with us, Toni!
Christine at Cook the Story says
I love that they’re portion controlled!
Aimee @ ShugarySweets says
Those strawberries are gorgeous. And food in jars is my favorite 🙂
Toni Dash says
Me too Aimee!
Katrina @ In Katrina's Kitchen says
These are gorgeous! So so pretty! I can only imagine how delicious they must be.
Toni Dash says
Thank you Katrina! I absolutely love your cheesecake for National Cheesecake Day. It is so unexpected, fabulous and fun. Just like you!
Christie - Food Done Light says
These look amazing. I love mini desserts. They always looks so cute and you can indulge without over doing it.
Toni Dash says
I agree Christie. Also it’s really the first bite that is the best. Having 4-6 more bites is about right and you leave happy rather than overstuffed!
Liz says
Oh, these look heavenly, Toni! If I knew these were in your kitchen, I would have jumped in the car and made that drive north to visit you 🙂
Toni Dash says
I would have LOVED to see you while you were here Lizzy! Sadly I spent 4 full days at an Aquatics Center for the end of summer swim team. It did not seem a fun invitation for a friend visiting the area! We could have had coffee at the concessions stand!
Taylor @ Food Faith Fitness says
I have actually never had Mascarpone before!! But, I have been dying to try it…and anything cheesecake is a win! Pinned!
Toni Dash says
It’s really delicious Taylor. Once you try it I’m sure you’ll think of all sorts of ways to use it!