Assorted Cheesecake Bites Recipe

Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Line an 8x8-inch square pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal, and lightly grease the sides with butter or nonstick spray.

In a medium bowl combine graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, granulated sugar and salt. Mix until mixture is evenly moistened and holds together when pressed.

Press the crumb mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan using the bottom of a measuring cup or the base of a glass to compact it. Bake 8–10 minutes until set and slightly golden. Remove from oven and let cool while preparing fillings. Leave oven on.

In a large bowl, beat 16 oz room-temperature cream cheese with 2 tbsp granulated sugar and 1 tbsp flour on medium speed until very smooth and free of lumps, about 2–3 minutes. Scrape down the bowl as needed.

Add 2 eggs one at a time, mixing on low speed and just until combined after each addition. Mix in 1 cup sour cream, 2 tsp vanilla extract and 1 tsp lemon zest (if using) until the batter is smooth and slightly satiny. Do not overmix; stop as soon as uniform.

Set aside approximately half of the baked crust surface area for the vanilla portion (you will be layering three flavors). Pour the vanilla batter into one third of the pan or into three shallow wells if using dividers—aim for roughly equal areas for each flavor.

Place 4 oz finely chopped semisweet chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and melt in 20–30 second intervals, stirring between bursts, until smooth. Let cool slightly but still pourable.

In a medium bowl, beat 8 oz room-temperature cream cheese with 1 tbsp granulated sugar until smooth. Add 1 egg and mix on low until combined. Beat in 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/2 tsp vanilla and 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder until evenly incorporated, then stir in the melted chocolate until homogenous.

Pour the chocolate batter into a third of the prepared pan next to the vanilla portion, smoothing the top gently so it meets but does not overly mix with adjacent fillings.

Make a quick stabilized strawberry purée: combine 1/2 cup strawberry purée or seedless jam with 1 tsp lemon juice and 1/2 tsp cornstarch in a small saucepan. Warm over medium-low heat, whisking until gently thickened, 1–2 minutes. Remove from heat and cool slightly.

In a medium bowl, beat 8 oz room-temperature cream cheese with 1 tbsp granulated sugar until smooth. Add 1 egg and mix on low until combined. Beat in 1/2 cup sour cream and 1/2 tsp vanilla until smooth.

Stir 2–3 tbsp of the cooled strawberry purée into the cream cheese batter to create a pink strawberry cheesecake filling; reserve about 2 tbsp of purée for swirls.

Pour the strawberry batter into the remaining third of the pan next to the other fillings. Drop small teaspoons of the reserved purée across the surface of all three fillings where you want swirls (vanilla and strawberry benefit from swirls; chocolate can be left solid or swirled lightly). Use a thin skewer or butter knife to gently drag through the dollops, creating a marbled swirl pattern. Be careful not to over-swirl—the goal is pretty streaks.

Place the pan in the preheated 325°F (160°C) oven. Bake 25–32 minutes, or until the centers are set but still slightly jiggly (edges will be slightly puffed). Rotate pan halfway through baking for even color.

Turn off the oven and prop the oven door open with a wooden spoon. Let the cheesecake cool inside the oven for 30 minutes to reduce cracking.

Remove the pan to a wire rack and cool completely to room temperature, about 1 hour. Then refrigerate at least 3 hours, preferably overnight, to fully set and make clean slicing easier.

When fully chilled, lift the cheesecake slab from the pan using the parchment overhang and place on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry between passes, trim the edges if desired and cut into bite-sized squares—about 1-inch to 1.25-inch pieces for bite-sized portions (yields roughly 36–64 bites depending on size). Clean and heat the knife between rows for neat edges.

Arrange cheesecake bites on a serving platter. Dust lightly with powdered sugar, top some chocolate pieces with mini chocolate shavings and garnish strawberry pieces with thin strawberry slices. Keep refrigerated until serving.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4–5 days, or freeze for up to 1 month (thaw overnight in refrigerator).