Buttery Walker shortbread cookies are the base for these incredible mini cranberry cheesecake tarts.
It’s officially the holidays, and I am so excited to be bringing you these phenomenal mini cranberry cheesecake tarts, courtesy of Walker shortbread. This recipe starts with Walkers adorable mini shortbread stars, crushed and combined with butter and a bit of sugar. This irresistable crust is filled with creamy cheesecake and topped with homemade whipped cream, sugared cranberries, and Walker shortbread stars. They are as beautiful as they are delicious, and I’m going to tell you exactly how to make them.
What you’ll need to make these mini cranberry cheesecake tarts :
Walker Shortbread Star Cookies
Salted Butter
Granulated Sugar
Cream Cheese
Heavy Cream
Pure Vanilla Extract
A Large Egg
Fresh Cranberries
Greenery (optional for garnish)
The Crust
This shortbread crust starts with crushing about 2 ½ bags of Walkers Pure Butter Shortbread Mini Festive Stars. These incredibly flavorful cookies make the perfect crust, and it only needs to be combined with a little bit of sweetness plus melted butter for total cheesecake crust perfection.
Begin by crushing your cookies, either in a food processor, or in a large Ziploc bag with a rolling pin. You will want fine cookie crumbs, so your crust is nice and smooth. Melt your butter in the microwave on high for about one minute, and then combine it with the crumbs and the sugar in a medium sized bowl. Mix until no dry cookie crumbs remain. Gently press a fourth of a cup of the crust mixture into each of your eight 4” tart tins. Set these aside while you make the filling.
The Filling
Creamy cheesecake is a staple in our household, and this cranberry version will absolutely delight your holiday guests.
Begin by beating your cream cheese until light and fluffy, about 30 seconds. Add the remainder of your filling ingredients, and beat on high for about 30 additional seconds until smooth. Place about a fourth of a cup of filling into each of the eight tart pans.
Bake at 350° for 15 to 18 minutes, or until slightly golden on the edges and mostly set in the middle. These tarts will firm up in the center once they are completely cooled. Allow these tarts to cool completely before topping them. Additionally, you can store these in the refrigerator overnight, so you can make them a day in advance. Simply whip up fresh cream to add right before you serve them.
The Toppings
There is no substitute for homemade whipped cream in my opinion, and this three-ingredient whipped cream is about as easy as can be. Simply combine all ingredients in a small to medium size bowl, and whip on high until soft peaks form. If you wish to pipe your cream, whip it further until stiff peaks form. Add the whipped cream to the top of your tarts just before serving. Gently spray a bit of water onto your fresh cranberries {or gently run them under the faucet in your hands, and shake the excess water off before placing them in a bowl. Toss the cranberries in a bit of granulated sugar. Top your cheesecake tarts with a few of the sugared cranberries, additional walker shortbread cookie stars, and sprigs of greenery for garnish. Serve immediately.
The Dietary Substitutions
I love providing gluten and dairy free substitutions so that those with alternate dietary needs can enjoy my recipes to their fullest! These are subs that I have either used and continue to stock in my own home, or that have come highly recommended from others. I want your baking experience to be the best it can be, and avoiding gluten or dairy shouldn’t hinder that process in the slightest.
As always, here is a list of tried and true dietary substitutes, so that you can enjoy this recipe without the additions of gluten or dairy.
Walker makes a Gluten Free Shortbread that would be neigh identical in this crust. Simply sub in at a 1:1 ratio and continue as instructed.
Due to the nature of the butter cookies in this crust, it would not be possible to make the crust dairy free. If you desire a dairy free crust, I suggest subbing in my Graham cracker crust and choosing dairy free grahams crackers.
Miyokos butter is a plant based brick that closely resembles dairy butter not only in its look, but it’s taste as well. It melts, browns, and spreads just like real butter, and truly is a fantastic substitute in this recipe. Use it at a 1:1 ratio in this recipe.
Miyokos also makes a wonderful cream cheese that would be an excellent dairy free base in this recipe.
Silk Dairy Free Heavy Cream is a great option for both the cheesecake and the whipped topping.
I hope you adore these mini cranberry cheesecake tarts, and a sincere thank you to Walker for sponsoring the recipe.
If you did love it, I’d be so grateful for you to leave a 5 star rating + review!
Tag @heathershomebakery on Instagram if you upload a pic too, because I want to see your creations. 😊
Lastly, post this recipe to any of your boards by tapping the Pinterest icon and clicking on your favorite photo. Save and enjoy.
Happy holiday baking!
XO,
Heather
PS- if you love cheesecake tarts, you must try my Caramel Cheesecake Tart… it would go beautifully with this Walker crust subbed in!
Mini Cranberry Cheesecake Tarts
Ingredients
FOR THE CRUST:
- 2 ½ Cups Walker Shortbread Star Cookies, crushed (about two and a half of the 4.4 ounce bags)
- ½ Cup Salted Butter, melted
- 1 Tablespoon Granulated Sugar
FOR THE CHEESECAKE FILLING:
- 8 Ounces Cream Cheese, softened to room temperature
- ⅓ Cup Granulated Sugar
- ¼ Cup Heavy Cream
- 2 Teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1 Large Egg
- ½ Cup Fresh Cranberries plus more for topping
FOR THE WHIPPED CREAM:
- ½ Cup Heavy Cream
- 1 Tablespoon Granulated Sugar
- ½ Teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
FOR THE GARNISH:
- Walker Shortbread Stars
- Sugared Cranberries
- Greenery
Instructions
- Begin by crushing your cookies, either in a food processor, or in a large Ziploc bag with a rolling pin. You will want fine cookie crumbs, so your crust is nice and smooth. Melt your butter in the microwave on high for about one minute, and then combine it with the crumbs and the sugar in a medium sized bowl. Mix until no dry cookie crumbs remain.
- Spoon ¼ cup of crust into each mini tart tin, using the bottom of a glass or measuring cup to press down until even on the bottom and around the sides. Set aside while you make the filling.
- Make the cheesecake filling: Beat the cream cheese on medium for about 30 seconds. Add granulated sugar and mix until well incorporated. Add remainder of ingredients, and mix until smooth and lump-free, about 30 more seconds. Fill each tin with about ¼ cup cheesecake filling, to just below the top of each tart pan.
- Press three cranberries into each tin, ensuring that they are partially covered by the cheesecake. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes or until set on the outside and slightly soft in the middle. Allow to cool completely.
- Place all whipped cream ingredients in a medium size bowl. With a standing or hand mixer, whip until stiff peaks form. Spoon or pipe a small amount of whipped cream onto each cheesecake tart, and top with cranberries tossed in sugar plus a walker shortbread star. Add a sprig of greenery for a festive finish. Makes eight 4” tarts. Enjoy!
- Cover and store any leftovers in the fridge for up to three days. Best stored without whipped cream; add whipped cream right before serving each day.
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