Cookies & Cream Mini Cheesecakes

I love these little cheesecakes!  They are deliciously cute & so easy to make.  The ease of using a whole cookie for the crust is a plus in itself.  But the richness of the cookie paired with cheesecake is truly a match made in heaven!  The perfectionist in me cringes every time I make cheesecake.  No matter what I do it always seems to crack on the top.  But not these little cuties.  They come out perfect every time!    The original recipe is from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes Book (thanks Martha!).  The whole recipe makes 30 (or so) mini cheesecakes & can easily be halved. 

Ingredients:

42 Oreo Cookies- 30 whole & 12 coarsely chopped

2 lbs Cream Cheese, room temperature

1 cup Sugar

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

4 Eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten

1 cup Sour Cream

pinch of Salt

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees & get out a package of Oreo cookies.

Line standard sized muffin tins with paper liners.

Place a whole Oreo cookie in the bottom of each liner.

In a zip lock bag, add 12 cookies & crush. 

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese on medium- high speed until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl.  Gradually add the sugar & beat until combined. Then beat in the vanilla.

Drizzle in the lightly beaten eggs, a bit at a time, beating to combine & scraping down the bowl as needed.  Beat in the sour cream & salt.

Fold in the chopped cookies using a rubber spatula.

Evenly divide the batter into the lined tins, filling almost to the top.

Bake, rotating half way through, until the filling is set, about 22 minutes. 

Cool completely then refrigerate for 4 hours or over night. 

Enjoy!!