Ingredients:

  • 1.5 cups chocolate sandwich cookie crumbs
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 16 oz full-fat cream cheese, room temperature
  • 0.5 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 0.25 cup sour cream
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 12 large fresh strawberries, hulled
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream, cold
  • 4 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 0.5 cup powdered sugar
  • 12 mini peach candies or pink chocolate pearls

Instructions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 160°C and line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
  2. Pulse 1.5 cups chocolate sandwich cookie crumbs with 3 tbsp melted butter and 1 tbsp sugar until it feels like wet sand.
  3. Press the mixture firmly into the bottom of each liner. Note: Use the bottom of a shot glass to get a perfectly flat, compressed base.
  4. Beat 16 oz cream cheese and 0.5 cup sugar until velvety and no lumps remain.
  5. Whisk in 2 eggs one at a time, followed by 0.25 cup sour cream and 1 tsp vanilla extract.
  6. Pour the batter over the crusts, filling each about three quarters full.
  7. Bake 18 minutes until the edges are set but the centers still wobble slightly.
  8. Cool completely at room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
  9. Whip 1 cup heavy cream with 4 oz softened cream cheese and 0.5 cup powdered sugar until stiff, cloud like peaks form.
  10. Pipe a generous 'beard' onto each chilled cheesecake, then position a hulled strawberry on top as a hat.
  11. Nestle a mini peach candy nose into the frosting just below the edge of the strawberry.