Looking for a deliciously easy dessert to whip up for your next holiday gathering?
Try out these festive cranberry swirl mini cheesecakes which harness the impossibly creamy nature of mascarpone cheese and the sweet tartness of Wisconsin cranberries to create a memorable bite-sized treat.
Cranberry swirl mini mascarpone cheesecakes
Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 22 minutes
Servings: Makes 24 mini cheesecakes
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries, thawed if frozen
1 1/4 cups sugar, divided
5 ounces (about 1 cup) graham crackers, crushed
4 tablespoons butter, melted
8 ounces Wisconsin mascarpone cheese
8 ounces Wisconsin cream cheese
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 eggs
Directions: Line 2 12-cup muffin tins with paper liners; set aside.
In small saucepan, combine cranberries, 1/2 cup sugar and 2 tablespoons water. Simmer over medium-high heat 8-10 minutes, until cranberries begin to pop. Remove from heat; cool. Place in food processor or blender with 1 tablespoon water and purée.
Heat oven to 350°F. In food processor, process graham crackers into fine crumbs. Add melted butter; mix. Press 1 tablespoon mixture into bottom of each muffin cup. Bake 5-7 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.
Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.
In bowl of electric mixer, mix mascarpone and cream cheese. Add remaining 3/4 cup sugar and vanilla; mix 2-3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time; mixing well after each addition.
Fill muffin cups with mascarpone mixture slightly more than 3/4 full. Place 1 teaspoon (up to 1 tablespoon) cranberry mixture in center of each; use toothpick to swirl through cheesecake batter, creating a marbled effect.
Bake 12-15 minutes, or until puffed and golden but not brown. Remove from oven; cool 15 minutes. Refrigerate 1 hour or up to 3 hours.
More recipes
Find more great recipes – including a great new idea for serving brie at holiday parties – in the 2016 holiday issue of Grate. Pair. Share., an online magazine dedicated to all things Wisconsin cheese.
As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "Milwaukee Food". Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or planning for TV and radio spots, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
