*These tiny desserts are wonderful topped with fruit or jelly. This recipe makes 12 mini cheesecakes. Is there anything better than a holiday that requires you to eat cheesecake?
Ingredients
2/3 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons margarine, melted
2 (8 ounce) packages of cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
3 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest, grated
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
Directions
1) Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease a 12 cup mini muffin pan.
2) In a medium bowl, mix together the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and margarine with a fork until combined. Measure a rounded tablespoon of the mixture into the bottom of each muffin cup, pressing firmly. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 5 minutes, then remove to cool.
3) Beat together the cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla until fluffy. Mix in the egg.
4) Pour the cream cheese mixture into the muffin cups, filling each until 3/4 full.
5) Bake for 25 minutes. Cool completely in pan before removing. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
*Recipe by Shelley Neese, vice president of The Jerusalem Connection. Click here for her articles and videos.
