Mini Cheesecakes

This recipe is to die for.  I had the tasteful opportunity to eat about five of these in one sitting during Christmas, when my Sister-In-Law brought these over for our family gathering.  I am all about trying new things, and this is one EVERYONE MUST TRY AT HOME!

I had to get the recipe, and she found it online through social media - Facebook to be exact.  These cheesecakes are super easy and will please any crowd.  I made them for the first time this past weekend, and brought them to the office, and they were gone in 30 minutes.  They are kind of like the Pringles slogan, "once you pop you can't stop", even though you know you should.  See below the recipe and my step by step pictures or you can view the link below to watch the video that is posted online on how to make them.

http://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a56968/cheesecake-cookies-recipe/

Ingredients:

• 1 16.5 ounce tube sugar cookie dough
• I used Pillsbury
• 1/2 cup cinnamon sugar
• 6 ounce cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• pinch of salt
• 6 ounce cool whip
• Assorted fruit for topping (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease two 12-cup muffin sheets with cooking spray
2. Slice the cookie dough into 20 portions, and then press each disc of dough into a muffin cup, patting the sides down gently to form a well.
1. Use cooking spray on your fingers so the cookie dough doesn't stick to your fingers
3. Sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly golden.
4. As soon as they're out of the oven, use a shot glass (sprayed with cooking spray) to gently press down the center of each cookie.
5. Set tray aside to cool for at least 20 minutes.
6. Remove from baking tray to cool completely on wire rack
1. I used a knife to run across the outside of the cookies in removing them from the tray, to not break them in pulling them out.
2. They may be a bit gooey on the bottom, that is normal
7. Make the cheesecake filling in a large bowl using a hand mixer, combining the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and salt until smooth.
8. Gently fold in Cool Whip
9. Spoon filling into cooled cookie cups, smoothing the top with an offest spatula
1. I used a cookie dough scooper and it worked perfectly to make sure each cheesecake had the same amount of filling
10. Optional - top the cheesecakes with assorted fruit and servie

Cookie Dough

push into mold and push dough up the sides to create well

Add Cinnamon-Sugar

Out of the Oven they Come

Use shot glass to push down centers

What it looks like after pushing in centers

Mix filling ingredients

Smooth filling ingredients before Cool Whip

Filling after folding in Cool Whip

Cups out of muffin trays ready for filling

Filling added to cakes

Fruit added to top off the final product