Bailey’s Irish Cream Mini Cheesecakes
These Bailey’s Irish Cream Mini Cheesecakes have an Oreo sandwich cookie crust (or gluten free sandwich cookies for an entirely gluten free dessert!), two layers of cheesecake flavored with Bailey’s, and a chocolate ganache glaze. A bite sized dessert that is perfect for parties and potlucks!
These Bailey’s cheesecakes really are as amazing as they look, and I hope you’ll try them and share them with friends. I make them for adult events and even Kids Tea Parties! You may also be interested in my roundup of Best Mini Cheesecake Recipes.
Bailey’s Mini Cheesecakes: The Perfect Party Dessert
Bob’s work Holiday Party was earlier this month, and everyone was encouraged to bring a snack or dessert. This party fell on the same weekend as our Holiday Open House, so I was already in full dessert mode – what’s one more?! I thought for a while about what to make, then remembered my mini cheesecake pans. It’s rare that I get the opportunity to use them, and this seemed like the perfect event for a bite-sized, easy-to-grab dessert. One of my favorite cheesecakes is the Bailey’s Irish Cream Cheesecake, so I decided to adapt the recipe to a mini version.
Developing the Recipe
I wasn’t sure how this would work, but they turned out great! Like I did for the Cheesecake Factory Godiva Chocolate Cheesecake Copycat, I pulled together different aspects I’ve liked from other recipes.
I used the Oreo/sandwich cookie crust from the Black Bottom Caramel Pumpkin Cheesecake Bites recipe, the cheesecake layers from the Bailey’s Irish Cream Cheesecake recipe, and the ganache glaze from the Almost Fudge Gateau recipe. Note: if you do not have Bailey’s Irish Cream or prefer not to use it, you may substitute cold coffee instead, as I did with the Cheesecake Factory Copycat Cheesecake.
These mini Bailey’s cheesecakes were a big hit at the party, and I had many requests for the recipe. They are actually pretty simple to make, but certainly don’t look simple.
LOVE BAILEY’S? Try these Oreo Shamrock Shakes with Bailey’s in place of milk!
Mini Cheesecake Pans
I realize that very few people actually own a mini cheesecake pan. A friend of mine tried the Pumpkin Spice Magic Bar Mini’s in a muffin pan and she had a very difficult time getting them out of the pan – in fact they fell apart. I can see why this happened considering the cheesecake pan allows you to push the removable bottom up to remove the cheesecake from the pan without disrupting the crust.
If you would like to make this recipe and don’t have a mini cheesecake pan, go ahead and use a mini muffin pan (or regular muffin pan for larger cakes), but make sure you use paper or aluminum cupcake liners (either for mini muffins or regular muffins). You can always remove the liners before you top with the ganache to get the drip appearance – just make sure you coat the liners with nonstick cooking spray!
Making the Ganache Glaze
I use Ghiradelli Bittersweet Baking Chips for this ganache. Most recipes state not to use chocolate chips for a ganache or melting chocolate because they typically have a coating that helps them from sticking in the bag. I find that these bittersweet chips in particular melt so smoothly and give me the perfect ganache.
The scientist in me has to measure ingredients with a kitchen scale. I have an old one that, as you can see, is obviously very well loved.
The ingredients for the ganache are simply chocolate, heavy cream, and a tiny amount of light corn syrup to give it a little sheen. You can eliminate the corn syrup if you prefer.
First the chocolate is melted carefully, while the cream is brought to a boil. Then the hot cream is poured on top of the melted chocolate. When you pour it in, it’s not going to look right. I use a small wire whisk to get it smooth. If it doesn’t look right, just keep whisking! The corn syrup is added last for that little bit of shine you see in the photos. The original glaze recipe says to stir it in carefully, so if you’d rather do that, the small silicone spatula would be used instead of a whisk.
I mention these little silicone spatulas time and time again because I use them ALL.THE.TIME. Literally every single day. I use them with this ganache to get it all out of the bowl. You definitely don’t want to waste ganache. These spatulas make “licking the bowl” so much easier! 😉
Glazing the Bailey’s Mini Cheesecakes
One of my favorite parts of this recipe is how the ganache glaze drips down the sides of the mini cakes. If you prefer a more polished look, you can leave them in the pan (or with the liner on if you used a mini muffin or muffin pan) and add the ganache, then remove them after the ganache has chilled and set. It’s really just a matter of personal preference on the final appearance of the dessert.
You may have to let your glaze cool for a few minutes before applying it to the cheesecakes. If it’s too warm, it will run all down the sides of the cakes. You don’t want it too cool too much or it will thicken and be more of a frosting than a glaze that drips. If you prefer it that way, you can let it cool more.
To apply the glaze, you can use a small spoon or small icing spatula to add a little of the glaze to the center of a cheesecake and carefully smooth it out towards the edges. Alternatively, you can pour it in the center and then use the spoon or spatula to guide the glaze towards the edges. If it starts to drip too much, let it cool a bit more before proceeding to glaze the rest of the cakes.
Gluten Free Bailey’s Irish Cream Mini Cheesecakes
I’ve also made these using gluten free sandwich cookies instead of Oreos for an entirely gluten free dessert and had identical results!
Not into mini desserts?
You can find the full sized version of the Bailey’s Irish Cream Cheesecake with a graham cracker crust HERE.
Other Mini Cheesecake Varieties
Best Mini Cheesecake Recipes
Mini Hot Cocoa Cheesecakes
Mini Red Velvet Cheesecakes
Mini Mocha Cheesecakes
Black Bottom Caramel Pumpkin Cheesecake Bites
Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes
Mini Pina Colada Cheesecakes
Pumpkin Spice Magic Bar Minis
Mini New York Cheesecakes
Looking for more chocolate?!
Check out these recipes:
Rainbow Brownie Ice Cream Sandwiches
Cherry Chocolate Cheesecake Bundt Cake
Easy Homemade Cream Puffs
Mocha Cream Cake
Samoa Bundt Cake
Samoa Bars
Salted Caramel Chocolate Fudge Cake
Rich Chocolate Bundt Cake
Chocolate Pear Tart
Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies
Dark Chocolate Mascarpone Brownies with Blueberry Ganache
Roasted Cherry Brownie Sundaes with Cherry Port Sauce
Graham Cracker S’mores Cookies
Homemade Dairy Queen Ice Cream Cake
Thick and Chewy Double Chocolate Cookies
Double Chocolate Banana Bread
Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Looking for more cheesecakes?
Check out these recipes:
Mocha Cheesecake
Cherry Chocolate Cheesecake Bundt Cake
S’more Cheesecake Bars
Pumpkin Spice Magic Bar Minis
Cheesecake Factory Godiva Chocolate Cheesecake Copycat
Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
Pumpkin Chocolate Cheesecake Bars
Bailey’s Irish Cream Cheesecake
Chocolate Cheesecakes for Two
Ambrosia Pie
Mexican Chocolate Black Bottom Cupcakes
Red Velvet Brownies with Cheesecake Swirl
Red Velvet Cheesecake
Bailey’s Irish Cream Mini Cheesecakes
Equipment
- two 12-cup mini cheesecake pans or one 24-cup mini muffin pan or one 12-cup muffin pan
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 16 whole Oreos or gluten free sandwich cookies (finely ground in food processor)
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
For the filling:
- 16 ounces cream cheese (two 8-ounce packages)
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/3 cups sour cream
- 3 tablespoons Bailey’s Irish Cream (or cold coffee)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate (melted and cooled slightly)
For the ganache glaze:
- 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate (coarsely chopped)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons light corn syrup (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F.
- If using mini cheesecake pans, the pan is ready to use. If using a mini muffin pan or regular muffin pan, line each cup with a paper or aluminum cupcake liner and spray the insides lightly with nonstick cooking spray.
- Combine the ground Oreos/sandwich cookies and melted butter into a bowl until well combined. Spoon into 24 mini cheesecake or mini muffin cups. Press the crumbs into the bottom of each cup so the crust is flat. If you have a small cup or container that fits in the well of the pan, that can be used to help flatten the crust evenly. Partially bake for 10 minutes then remove from oven.
- In a large bowl with a handheld or stand mixer, beat the cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Stir in sour cream, Bailey’s, and vanilla.
- Pour or spoon batter into cheesecake pan cups to fill to a little less than half of the cup. Then add the melted chocolate to the rest of the batter. Fill the cups to about 3/4 full. Do not overfill or the cakes will rise up over the top of the pan. Extra batter may be baked separately in a small dish.
- Bake for 25-28 minutes until cheesecake is cooked through. Remove to a wire rack to cool.
- Once the cheesecakes have cooled, loosen the edges with a plastic knife and remove them from the pan by pushing up on the removable bottoms. If using a mini muffin pan, you may remove the wrappers. Arrange cakes on a piece of waxed paper and make the glaze. For a cleaner look, leave the cheesecakes in the pan when applying the glaze.
- To make the ganache glaze, put the chocolate in the top of a double boiler and melt above simmering water (or use microwave to melt, being careful to heat on 50% power and for short amounts of time, stirring often). The chocolate should be just melted and only warm, not hot. Meanwhile, bring the cream to a boil in a small saucepan. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and stir very gently with a rubber spatula until the mixture is smooth and shiny. Stir in the corn syrup.
- Pour the glaze over the cheesecakes and smooth the top with the back of a spoon or a metal icing spatula. Don’t worry if the glaze drips unevenly down the sides of the cheesecakes, it actually makes for a pretty presentation. If you left the cheesecakes in the pan, pour the glaze on top and refrigerate until set, then run a plastic knife around to loosen before lifting each cake out.
- Refrigerate cheesecakes until ready to serve. If keeping overnight or longer, wait until glaze sets, then cover loosely with foil.
OMG!! I could dive face-first right into those today! They look SO good! Yum, yum, yum!!!!!!
I made your Grandmothers Oatmeal cookies (twice). Best recipe EVAH!!! I posted about them on my blog last week, I think, and linked back to your recipe.
Even my kids like them and my kids don't like Oatmeal cookies!
((Hugs))
Laura
Thanks Laura!! I'm so glad you liked the Oatmeal cookies – they are definitely one of my favorite cookies! 🙂
Why didn't I see this post before!?! Huh, the luxuries of working retail during the holidays! These look fab & I'd like one RIGHT NOW!!! 🙂
Oh wow, these look so decadent! Mini desserts are always such a hit at parties 🙂
Can these be made into a single cheesecake? I don't have individual cheesecake pans… They look decadent!
Hi Terri, The original Bailey's Irish Cream Cheesecake (which is linked in the post) is for a single cheesecake. I would probably just increase the crust and ganache amounts listed for the mini's by 50% – I think that should work! 🙂
making these right now and they look and smell great. went out and bought the mini cheesecake pan because i want it to look like the picture. can't wait to have them. Thanks for sharing.
Can these be frozen?
I have never tried, but I'm sure they would still be good. The ganache might get a white sheen to it (the way chocolate chips do when you put them in the fridge), but the taste should be the same. You could always freeze the cheesecakes and add the ganache a day before serving, then chill.
in step 3, what melted choc. r we to use?
The 6 oz. of semi-sweet chocolate (melted and cooled slightly). It is the last ingredient listed for the filling.
A friend shared this recipe, not realizing it had been grabbed by some other blog. I let her know that if she didn't see a link back (especially if the recipe is written under the photo) it wasn't legal. That said, I love this dessert and will definitely be trying it soon!
At least it helped me find your blog 🙂
Do u think this would work with white chocolate and using the white Oreos instead? My household prefers white chocolate. If i can't find the cheesecake pan would muffin liners work?
I don't see why it wouldn't work with white chocolate! Please let me know how it turns out! I think the muffin liners would work.
Thanks for letting her know about the link back! 🙂
For those who don't have mini cheesecake pans, what about making it in a square baking pan (maybe lined with foil that sticks over the edges – a "sling" – to make it easier to get it out of the pan) and then cutting into squares before adding ganache? If you like circles, maybe use a biscuit cutter? The "scraps" would make for a tasty snack… 🙂
It doesn't say but do you out these in miniature cupcake liners?
Can I use my mini muffin pan that I got from a home sales company? I makes 24 or do I need a special pan?
NOT SURE IF YOUR AWARE but this facebook Profile used your recipe and photos. if you didn't submit it and its stolen you might want to report it to facebook.
If you do not use a mini cheesecake pan, which is specially designed so that the bottoms of each section lift up, then you should use cupcake/mini-cupcake liners or I think it would be very hard to get them out of the pan. You can then just remove the liner before you put the ganache on (or leave the liner on if they're cute!) As Anonymous suggested, you could also make them in a square pan using a foil or parchment sling and cut them into squares/shapes. Tricia- Thank you for letting me know about this! I did NOT submit my photo and will have to look into it further. If they just provided a link to my blog, it would be ok, but I don't think they did!
I have never used mini cheesecake pans but will for this recipe. Is there a trick to get the bottom off the cake? I assume you don't serve it with the metal bottom in attached
The bottom should slide right off since there is butter in the Oreo crust, but if you have trouble, you could gently pry it off using a knife. I have the Norpro mini-cheesecake pans, which are nonstick, and never had a problem with them sticking.
Can you make these as regular cupcake size? If so, do you have any suggestions on baking times?
I made another version of these for Thanksgiving yesterday and used a regular cupcake pan with cupcake liners. I peeled the liners off after they had completely cooled. My recipe called for a salted caramel sauce with mini choco chips sprinkled on. I will be trying these for a New Years party my daughter is having. Love the third layer and the chocolate glaze. Easy to make but so impressive to serve.
So the last step before putting it in the oven is to pour the melted choco. Isn't that going to burn in the oven? Or the cheesecake will sort of mix in on the process? Coz your pics looks like cakeish – the top part.
If Im understanding the instructions correctly, I think that you pour the melted chocolate on after they have finished in the oven?
Yes Tracey is correct, the ganache glaze is added AFTER the cheesecakes have been baked, to the cooled cakes.
I'm sure you could make these regular cupcake size! I would think they would require a bit longer to bake, so you'd have to watch them closely and check every few minutes.
I used the cup cake tray with paper liners to make mine. Using your ingredients for the chocolate layer (not the ganache) but the layer on top of the cream cheese, mine seems to not be as thick as yours. Any tips?
Did you use a standard size cupcake pan? The mini-cheesecake pan makes cakes about the size of mini-muffins, not average-sized muffins. Perhaps if you want to make them bigger you will need to add more of the batter(s) before baking to make them thicker?
I made these for a dinner party last night. FABULOUS!!!! The recipe is easy to follow and they came out perfectly. Next time I may add a bit of espresso to the glaze and the chocolate layer for an Irish coffee feel.
Euh…. Magnifiques! Succulents! Pas trop sucré, bien chocolaté, dense… bref, Merci!
Bonjour Meghan, ça l'air tellement décadent ton gateau. C'est sur que je vais l'essayer mais je crois qu' il manque une étape à ton gateau. L'étage de gateau juste avant le glaçage au chocolat. Car la photo comporte 4 étages en 4 étapes… Éclaire moi SVP merci pour cette délicieuse recette 🙂
Bonjour Helene! I will have to type in English and hope you can translate. In step 3, a portion of the yellow batter is added to each cup, then the melted chocolate is combined with the remaining batter to create a chocolate layer, that is then added to each cup. This explains the layers: 1) cookie crust, 2) cheesecake, 3) chocolate cheesecake, 4) ganache. Hope that helps!
This looks so good! How do I translate the recipe into a one 9 inch cheesecake instead of the mini's?
Here's the link to the original recipe which was a 9 in cheesecake.
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You probably could use the same amount of crust & ganache as this recipe since they are a bit different in the original.
These are AMAZING!
This recipe has certainly generated a lot of interest, and it’s well-deserved! These mini cheesecakes are delicious, and easy to make. It’s very adaptable…whether made as one whole cake or minis or standard cupcake size….they are impressive.
THESE ARE SO TASTY! THEY LOOK GREAT AND ARE. PERFECT FOR SMALL PARTYS . THESE TREATS ARE VARY CREATIVE.
Where is the brownie layer showed in the picture??????
Hi there, there is an Oreo crust on the bottom, and then two layers of cheesecake – it’s the same batter, but the chocolate colored layer has melted semisweet chocolate folded into the cheesecake batter- perhaps that is what looks like a brownie? There is a chocolate ganache on top. No brownie layer in this recipe. Thanks!