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Homemade Cheesecake Bar {for a crowd}

Having a cheesecake bar is a great dessert option when you’re hosting a large crowd. The cheesecakes can be made ahead of time and frozen until being served which makes the day of the party go much smoother.

Needing a make ahead desert that is easy to serve to a crowd? This cheesecake recipe is just that...and more!

Serving dessert to a crowd can be a challenge some times, especially if you’re serving a full meal. We have a list of desserts that can be made ahead of time that my kids can choose from when we have big celebrations such graduation parties.

Mini cheesecakes is the one they choose most often.

Needing a make ahead desert that is easy to serve to a crowd? This cheesecake recipe is just that...and more!

I can get about 5 dozen mini cheesecakes from one recipe. When you’re making a large number of individual items little variances can add up. So if you use bigger muffin tins or fill them more than I did you might only get 4 1/2 dozen. If you use smaller muffin tins or don’t fill yours a full as I did then you might be able to get 5 1/2 dozen from each batch. But they’ll all be good. 

We serve them with some chocolate sauce, caramel sauce, cherry pie filling and dewberry preserves.

A make-your-own cheesecake bar is always super fun and easy to manage.

Yield: 5 dozen

Cheesecake Bar for a Crowd

Cheesecake Bar for a Crowd

Mini cheesecakes are a great way to serve cheesecake to a crowd. This recipe has a graham cracker crust and smooth, creamy cheese cake.

Ingredients

For the Crust

  • 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
  • 1/2 cup of butter (1 stick)

For the Cheesecake

  • 3lbs cream cheese - room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 9 eggs
  • 1 tbsp vanilla
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice (optional)

Instructions

To make the crust:

Put graham crackers in food processor and whirl until they are crumbs. Cut butter into 8-10 pieces and add to crumbs. Give it another whirl.

To make the cheesecake batter:

Crack eggs into a bowl and mix well. Set aside. Cut cream cheese and put it in a mixer with the whisk attachment (or in a bowl and use a hand mixer). Add sugar and mix until smooth. Add vanilla and lemon juice. Mix until well blended. Slowly add eggs and mix well. Stop mixer as soon as eggs are mixed in.

To make cheesecakes:

Preheat oven to 350°. Line muffin tins with paper liners. Press just over 1 tsp of graham cracker crust into each liner. Fill liner almost to the top with cheesecake batter. Bake for 16-20 minutes until tops are firm. Cool on wire rack (or pop into the freezer to cool faster). Refrigerate or freeze.

To serve:

If the cheesecakes are frozen, thaw for about 30 minutes before serving.

Arrange the mini cheesecakes on a platter.

Top with your favorite toppings such as chocolate sauce, caramel sauce, cherry, strawberries or other preserves.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

Needing a make ahead dessert that is easy to serve to a crowd? This cheesecake recipe is just that...and more!

What are some of your go-to recipes for serving a crowd? Share them in the comments! 

Thanks for sharing with your friends!

Trina

Monday 20th of September 2021

I love this recipe, it held well

Angi Schneider

Friday 24th of September 2021

Thanks! I'm so glad to here this!

Caryn Strasser

Sunday 9th of December 2018

Stupid question: The recipe as printed on your website calls for 3 pounds of cream cheese. Will that make approximately 60 mini cheese cakes? Thank you for your reply.

Angi Schneider

Sunday 9th of December 2018

Yes. And that's not a stupid question at all, I didn't communicate that well. Each batch makes approximately 5 dozen mini cheesecakes.

Shelly

Tuesday 21st of March 2017

Thank you! I am gonna make a trail batch soon. My husband has an upcoming bday/promotion party. We are not store bought cake people. Plus, we have a tight budget. We have 80 to 100 guests coming! I am hoping this works. I am glad to know they freeze well. Only thirty minutes to thaw? Awesome!

Angi Schneider

Tuesday 21st of March 2017

I hope you like them! We've have large gatherings like that more and more as my kids are graduating and have other events happen in their lives that require big celebrations. Congratulations to your husband on the promotion!

Jen Keith

Saturday 21st of May 2016

fyi - These are delicious! (In case we were debating trying the recipe.) Happy Baking!

Angi Schneider

Monday 23rd of May 2016

Thanks Jen!

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