These Mini Blackberry Lavender Cheesecakes are made with lavender cheesecake, blackberry topping, whipped cream and a fresh blackberry on top! Don’t let these little treats fool you – they are AMAZING! They might just be the biggest surprise hit to come out of my kitchen!
So if you hang around here much, then you know I love cheesecake. I have a gajillion cheesecake recipes on the site and I love them all. There’s everything from your classic vanilla cheesecake to fun flavors like my Oreo Brookie Cheesecake.
But every once in a while, I try some flavors that are a little more unique. Back in December it was the Raspberry Goat Cheese Cheesecake that rocked my world and today it’s these Mini Blackberry Lavender Cheesecakes.
I’m not kidding when I tell you that the hubs and I both let out an audible “WOW” when we first bit into these little bites of heaven. Blackberry lavender is a flavor that sounded fun to try, but I didn’t expect them to be THIS GOOD. I mean seriously. Even if you think floral things taste funny, these might just change your mind. Amaze-balls. Please, please make them. Yes, I’m begging.
So let’s talk about making these Mini Blackberry Lavender Cheesecakes. First let me say that if it’s possible to go a little heavy on the purple, then I just might have done it with these, LOL. So feel free to tone that down a bit, if you like.
To get started, make the blackberry topping. It takes a little time to cool and it’s something that could be made a day or two ahead, if you want. You’ll puree the blackberries and then strain the puree to remove the seeds so it’s nice and smooth.
Combine the puree with some sugar and cornstarch and cook it over the stove until it boils, then let it slowly boil for about 5 minutes. The cornstarch will thicken the mixture right up and make a lovely topping for these cheesecakes. Set it in the fridge to cool.
Next up is the graham cracker crust. Combine the ingredients and then divide them between the cups. I like to use the smooth rounded end of my muddler to press the crusts firmly into the cups, so if you have something similar, use that.
Bake the crusts for about 5 minutes, then let them cool.
Ingredients:
For the Crust:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
For the Blackberry Cheesecake Filling:
1 cup fresh blackberries
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon gelatin, dissolved in 1 tablespoon of warm water
12 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup sour cream
For the Blackberry Topping:
1/2 cup blackberry puree
2 tablespoons sugar
Fresh blackberries for garnish
Instructions:
Prepare the Crust:
Combine graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and sugar in a bowl. Mix until well combined.
Press the mixture into the bottom of a lined mini cheesecake pan or muffin tins. Chill in the refrigerator to set while preparing the filling.
Make the Blackberry Puree:
In a saucepan over medium heat, cook 1 cup of blackberries with 1/4 cup water and 2 tablespoons sugar until the berries are soft and the sauce is syrupy. Blend the mixture and strain to remove seeds, if desired.
Prepare the Cheesecake Filling:
In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese with 1/2 cup granulated sugar and vanilla extract until smooth and fluffy.
Mix in the sour cream and dissolved gelatin until well combined.
Fold in half of the blackberry puree into the cheesecake mixture. Reserve the remaining puree for the topping.
Assemble the Cheesecakes:
Spoon the cheesecake filling over the crusts in the mini cheesecake pan. Smooth the tops with a spatula.
Chill:
Refrigerate the cheesecakes for at least 4 hours, or until firm.
Prepare the Blackberry Topping:
Before serving, combine the remaining blackberry puree with 2 tablespoons of sugar. Heat slightly if needed to dissolve the sugar.
Serve:
Top each mini cheesecake with a spoonful of blackberry topping.
Garnish with fresh blackberries and a dusting of powdered sugar.