Mini Basque Cheesecake

Mini Basque cheesecakes have a caramelized crust, a lusciously smooth center, a taste that will simply melt in your mouth, topped with a crunch from baklava filling! These are baked in ramekins or mini pie pans to achieve the perfect individual servings. Basque cheese was created in Basque, Spain, and has since taken off worldwide as a trending dessert. It breaks all the rules when it comes to cheesecakes! So buckle up as we make this crowd-pleasing dessert!

These adorable Basque cheesecakes have been a labor of love, with countless iterations to achieve the perfect texture and caramelized top. You can trust that this recipe has been tested over a dozen times (she says laugh crying).

About this mini Basque cheesecake recipe

Basque cheesecake is also refered to as Burnt Basque cheesecake. It originated from Basque, Spain in a restaurant in the 1990s, so not long ago! Which is interesting it's making it's rounds again right now, as everyone is obsessed with all things Basque cheesecake! And unlike traditional cheesecake, this version is extremely unique and breaks all the cheesecake rules.

The concept behind Basque Cheesecake was to create a cheesecake with a beautifully burnt and caramelized exterior while maintaining a creamy and custard-like center. By using high heat during the baking process, the cheesecake develops a dark caramelized crust, creating a contrast with the velvety texture within.

It's also fairly simple to make, unlike the fussy traditional cheesecake. This version is beginner friendly and consists of just a few ingredients that I go into detail on below.

Around here, we love baklava, and we love a good creamy cheesecake! When I first tried baklava topping on the cheesecake, I fell in and immediately made another batch to share. Making this cheesecake in individual servings is the perfect way to enjoy it on your own, but also share...if you must! And they turned out absolutely perfect this way, so much so that we've continued to make them in mini pie pans and even ramekins.

Ingredient Notes for these mini Basque cheesecakes

For The Basque Cheesecake:

• 12 oz cream cheese, at room temp (equals to 1.5 bricks of cream cheese). Use good quality cream cheese. I find off brands are often harder to work with.
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp salt
• 2 large eggs, at room temp. I take them out at least 30 minutes before I need them.
• ¾ cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour , I used Organic Trader Joe's flour

For The Baklava Topping:

• ⅓ cup raw cashews , or pistachios
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 tsp rose water. This is essential in getting an authentic Lebanese baklava flavor.
• splash of orange blossom water , optional
• dash of salt

How to make mini Basque cheesecake

Prep the Pans:

• Gather all the mini pans and place them on a large sheet pan to keep them stable while baking. This will also help in case there's any spillage. Then spray the bottoms of the pans with avocado oil or brush with melted butter to avoid the cheesecake sticking.

Make the Cheesecake:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• In a stand mixer, add the cream cheese and beat it until smooth and fluffy. Depending on the cream cheese temperature, this can take a couple of minutes or two. Add the granulated sugar, salt and vanilla extract and beat until they're completely combined. Add one egg at a time and beat, and repeat with the second egg. Add the heavy cream slowly while the mixer is on low. Sift the flour into the batter and mix until it's just well combined.
• Pour the cheesecake mixture evenly into the pans. Grab each pan individually and lightly tap it to remove the air bubbles. Then, smooth out the top if needed.
• Optional baklava topping: Add all the ingredients for the topping to a food processor and combine just enough until the cashews are finely chopped consistency. Transfer the mixture evenly over each pan.
• Bake the mini cheesecakes for about 20-25 minutes. Until the cheesecake is puffy and the top has caramelized.

What do you bake these mini cheesecakes in?

This recipe makes about 5 mini pie servings, or 6-7 ramekins. Both ways turn out delicious, though I find that there's less cracking in the pie version.

Traditional Basque cheesecake has a nice burnt top and creamy texture, but I find that will a little boost of flavor and crunch from the baklava topping, it adds a bit more pizzaz.

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