Blackberry Lavender Mini Cheesecakes (Print Version)

Creamy individual cheesecakes with floral lavender and fresh blackberry topping, no oven required.

# What You Need:

→ Graham Cracker Crust

01 - 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
02 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
03 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

→ Cheesecake Filling

04 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
05 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
06 - 1/3 cup powdered sugar
07 - 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
08 - 1/2 teaspoon dried culinary lavender, finely ground
09 - Zest of 1 lemon

→ Blackberry Topping

10 - 1 cup fresh blackberries
11 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
12 - 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

# Directions:

01 - Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or use silicone molds.
02 - In a bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, granulated sugar, and melted butter until evenly moistened. Press approximately 1 tablespoon of the mixture firmly into the bottom of each liner. Refrigerate while preparing the filling.
03 - In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer until completely smooth. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, lemon zest, and ground lavender, then mix until fully incorporated and no lumps remain.
04 - In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture in two additions, maintaining as much volume as possible, until light and fluffy.
05 - Spoon or pipe the filling evenly over the chilled crusts, dividing it among all 12 cups. Smooth the tops with a spatula.
06 - Cover the muffin tin tightly and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or until the filling is firm and set.
07 - Combine the fresh blackberries, granulated sugar, and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally and gently mashing the berries, until the mixture becomes syrupy, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
08 - Spoon the cooled blackberry sauce over each mini cheesecake. Garnish with a sprig of fresh lavender or a whole blackberry if desired, then serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • No oven required, which means you can make these in the dead of summer without breaking a sweat.
  • The lavender is subtle and floral without tasting like soap, and the blackberry topping makes them look like they came from a bakery.
02 -
  • Do not skip softening the cream cheese, because cold cream cheese will leave you with stubborn lumps no amount of mixing can fix.
  • Grind the lavender finer than you think you need, because coarse bits between your teeth will ruin the delicate experience.
03 -
  • Test your lavender by rubbing a pinch between your fingers and smelling it first, because some brands are far more potent than others and you can always add more but you cannot take it away.
  • Use a piping bag or a zip top bag with the corner snipped off to fill the cups cleanly and quickly without making a mess of the edges.

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