Mini New York Cheesecakes

Preheat the oven to 350℉. Prepare a 12-count muffin tine with parchment paper liners (or any cupcake liners). Prepare for the water bath (if using, see notes) by having a large baking sheet (large enough for the muffin tin to sit in) handy for later in the recipe. Boil water for the water bath.

Stir together the graham cracker crumbs and sugar. Add the melted butter and mix until combined. Distribute between all 12 liners in the prepared muffin tin. Tamp down to form a crust in the bottom. Bake crusts in the preheated oven for 5 minutes. Let cool slightly while you make the cheesecake batter.

Place the room temperature cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl. Mix on high speed for 2 minutes using an electric handheld mixer, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed with a spatula. The mixture should be fluffy and smooth.

Add the vanilla extract, room temperature eggs, and pinch of salt and mix on medium speed just until fully combined (overmixing the eggs could cause the cheesecake to crack). Distribute the batter evenly on top of all 12 still slightly warm prepared crusts. Tap the pan a few times on the counter and swirl a toothpick gently through the batter to break up any large air bubbles.

Place the large baking pan for the water bath (if using) in the preheated oven. Place the muffin tin in the pan and fill the baking with boiling water until the boiling water reaches about halfway up the muffin tin. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until rounded on top and no longer jiggly in the center. Lift the muffin tin out of the water bath and let cool in the tin for about 30 minutes before refrigerating for about 3 hours or until fully chilled. Serve with desired toppings; whipped cream, berry sauce, etc. Enjoy!