Mini Chocolate-Orange Cheesecakes
Inspired by the seasonal confection “Terry’s Chocolate Orange“, these bite-sized orange flavored cheesecakes have a yummy chocolate crust, and are topped with a sugared orange zest.
To make the cookie base for each mini cheesecake, grind up the cookies using a food processor. The amount of melted butter needed can vary depending on what type of chocolate wafer cookie you’re using. Just stir in enough butter until mixture sticks together when pressed with fingers.
To fill the muffin tins, place a heaping teaspoon or so of mixture into each well of a greased a mini muffin pan. Press down firmly to pack – a wood tart forming tool works great for this, just make sure you grease the end of the tool so the crumbs don’t stick to it. 
After blending together the cheesecake filling ingredients, use a tablespoon and fill the muffin pan up with the cream cheese mixture so its about ¾ full. They won’t rise much when baking, so you shouldn’t need to worry about it rising up and spilling over. Pop them in the oven and bake until the edges just start to turn golden.
Allow to cool for 30 minutes, then refrigerate for 15 minutes (this will help the cheesecake pull away from the edges, making them easier to release from the pan).
If necessary run a knife around the edges, then pop out each mini cheesecake. Refrigerate until ready to serve. For garnish, combine remaining sugar and orange zest.
To serve, top each cheesecake with about ¼ tsp of the sugar mixture (add some orange liqueur-flavored whipped cream to each as well if desired).
Mini Chocolate-Orange Cheesecakes
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup finely crushed GF chocolate wafers
- ¼ cup butter or margarine melted
- ½ cup cream cheese
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 orange zested
- 1/4 tsp orange extract
- 1 egg
Garnish
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 1/2 orange zested
- 1 cup whipped cream + 1 Tbsp Grand Marnier optional
- Grated chocolate optional
Instructions
- Blend together the crushed cookies and melted butter, place a heaping teaspoon of mixture into each well of a grease a mini muffin pan. Press down firmly to pack (a wood tart forming tool works great for this).
- Using a mixer or food processor, blend together until smooth the cream cheese, sugar, orange zest, extract, and the egg.
- Use a tablespoon and fill the muffin pan up with the cream cheese mixture so its about ¾ full. They won’t rise much when baking, so you shouldn’t need to worry about it rising up and spilling.
- Bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes, or until the edges just start to turn golden.
- Allow to cool for 30 minutes, then refrigerate for 15 minutes (this will help the cheesecake pull away from the edges).
- If necessary run a knife around the edges, then pop out each mini cheesecake. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- For garnish, combine sugar and orange zest. To serve, top each cheesecake a dollop of whipped cream, about ¼ tsp of the sugar mixture, and some shaved chocolate.
FYI…Terry’s Chocolate Orange does not contain gluten (as per the ingredient label), however it is made in a facility where other gluten-containing products are made. So if you are very sensitive to gluten, cross contamination may be an issue, and you may want to avoid this confection (but our version is perfectly safe, so enjoy!)
