Mini Pie Recipe

Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C) if baking the mini cheesecakes; otherwise, for no-bake chill method, no oven preheating needed.

Place 1.5 cups Oreo cookies in a food processor and pulse until they are fine crumbs (about 20–30 seconds). If you don't have a processor, place cookies in a resealable bag and crush with a rolling pin.

Transfer crumbs to a bowl, stir in 3 tablespoons melted butter and 1 teaspoon granulated sugar until combined and texture is like damp sand.

Divide crumb mixture evenly among 12 (2–3 inch) mini tart pans or a standard 12-cup muffin tin lined with paper liners and press firmly into the bottom (and slightly up the sides for shallow cups) using the bottom of a measuring cup. Each should have roughly 2 teaspoons of crust mixture.

For baked mini cheesecakes: bake crusts 5 minutes to set, then remove from oven and let cool slightly. For no-bake: chill crusts in freezer 10–15 minutes to firm up before filling.

Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat 8 oz room-temperature cream cheese on medium speed until smooth and free of lumps, about 1–2 minutes.

Add 3 tablespoons granulated sugar and beat until incorporated, scraping down the bowl as needed.

Add 1 large room-temperature egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; beat on low speed just until combined (do not overmix).

Mix in 2 tablespoons sour cream and 1 teaspoon flour (if using) until smooth. The mixture should be creamy and pourable but not thin.

Spoon or pipe approximately 1 tablespoon of vanilla cheesecake mixture into each prepared crust, filling each about halfway. This will be the base layer under the cookies-and-cream filling.

If baking: bake at 325°F (160°C) for 12–14 minutes, or until edges are set and centers still slightly jiggly. Remove and cool to room temperature, then chill at least 1 hour (preferably 2) before final filling. If using no-bake method: chill the filled shells in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to set before adding cookies-and-cream filling.

While cheesecake bases chill, prepare Oreo filling: beat 4 oz room-temperature cream cheese until smooth (about 1 minute).

Add 2 tablespoons powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons cold heavy cream; beat on medium-high until light and slightly fluffy, about 1–2 minutes. Mixture should hold shape but be soft enough to pipe.

Fold in 6 chopped Oreo cookies (or 6–8 mini Oreos), leaving small pieces for texture — about 1/4 to 1/2 inch pieces.

Pipe or spoon approximately 1 tablespoon of the cookies-and-cream filling onto each chilled vanilla cheesecake base, filling to the top and smoothing the surface. Leave room if you plan to add a crumble or more crumbs on top.

Sprinkle each mini pie with a pinch of the 1/2 cup finely crushed Oreo crumble (about 1/2 to 1 teaspoon per mini pie) to create a crunchy topping.

Optional: dust lightly with 1 teaspoon powdered sugar divided across the minis for presentation.

Chill completed mini pies in the refrigerator at least 1–2 hours before serving to allow fillings to firm (longer is fine — up to overnight).

To serve, remove from tart pans or liners. Let sit 5–10 minutes at room temperature for easier slicing if desired. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.