Mini Oreo Cheesecakes

Two of my very close friends will both be turning the big 19 on Thursday. Woah. 

Kelly is easy to please, Chocolate Cupcakes... No problem (that's tomorrows project though) but Mycah is a tougher cookie. She doesn't like cupcakes.... ummm... who doesn't like cupcakes? That's like saying you don't like The Beatles. You just don't say it. But for some reason or another, she's not a fan, so as an alternative she will be receiving Mini Oreo Cheesecakes. Yum! They're pretty simple to make, here's what you'll need:

• 2 Packages of regular stuffed Oreos (actually 1 1/2 packages so if you have an opened package that'll work fine!)
• 2 Pounds of Cream Cheese (4 Packages... sounds healthy right?)
• 1 Cup of Sugar (it just keeps getting healthier.... and more delicious)
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 4 Large Eggs, room temperature
• 1 Cup Sour Cream (you can use light, it'll taste the same, and a few less calories to worry about!)
• a tiny pinch of Salt

Step One

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees.  Woah, that was a tough step. I hope you made it through okay.

Step Two

Place 15 Oreos in a large ziplock bag (the ones with a slide zipper work better as they are more secure). Here's the fun part, go ahead and take out your day's frustrations on the cookies.. Smash the cookies up into small pieces, but don't get too carried away or you'll end up with powder, and we're looking for small 'chunks' of cookie. 

Step Three

Mix the Cream Cheese in a large bowl with a hand mixer until smooth. Slowly  add the sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, and mix until combined. Add Vanilla.

-Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl regularly or your mixture will be inconsistent.

Step Four

Beat the eggs in a glass bowl until light and airy. Be sure to use a glass bowl any time you beat eggs (especially if you're making a meringue)  it will allow them to 'fluff' up better. Plastic bowls are grainy and retain some oils from previous use that prevent the airy outcome wanted. Slowly add the eggs while still using the hand mixer.

Step Five

Sprinkle the pieces of cookie and fold in using a spatula (not the hand mixer).

Step Six

Fill muffin tins with paper liners, and then place one whole Oreo in the bottom of each, these will serve as the 'crust'. Fill each liner to the top with batter, don't worry they won't rise much at all so go ahead and fill them up.

 

Step Seven

Place in the oven for 30-35 minutes. The tops will rise a tiny bit, and show small cracks in the center when done, though may still jiggle a little upon removal. Let cool, (they should settle back down flat, or even become a tiny bit concave in the center) and then refrigerate (unncovered) for at least 5 hours. Makes about 30.

Optional Flower Toppers

I added small chocolate flowers to my cheesecakes to finish them off. To make these (they don't take long, I had them done well before the cheesecakes were even out of the oven) melt Candy wafers in your chosen color and using a piping bag trace small flowers onto Parchment Paper. When the first color was dry I went back added a yellow middle to them. Let the flowers harden completely in the refrigerator. add them to the Cheesecakes when they have cooled significantly so that they don't melt as soon as they're placed, but be sure to add them while the cheesecakes are still a little warm, so that the chocolate will melt just enough to adhere itself the surface. 

 

Step Eight

ENJOY! 

beecheerful always