This 6-Inch Vanilla Bean Cheesecake is small batch, made with plenty of cream cheese and vanilla bean paste, and is perfectly decadent.
Cheesecake is my favorite. I mean, cookies are my FAVORITE favorite. But cheesecake? It’s glorious, it’s decadent, and it’s just plain drool-worthy. I have a gamut of cheesecake tarts either on the site or in the works, like this Lemon Curd Cheesecake Tart, but this is my first full fledged actual cheesecake. Spoiler: it boasts the same filling as my tarts, just doubled, and it’s extraordinarily easy to make. Simply bake, cool, chill, and consume. This 6-inch vanilla bean cheesecake is about to propel itself into your number one dessert spot.
What you will need to make this 6-Inch Vanilla Bean Cheesecake:
Graham cracker crumbs (I love the Keebler pre-crushed crumbs for ease)
Salted butter
Granulated sugar
Cream cheese
Heavy cream
Pure vanilla bean paste
Large eggs
The Crust
This 6-Inch Vanilla Bean Cheesecake boasts my classic graham cracker crust. I’ve used it in many recipes, and the reason is simple. It’s perfectly proportioned to be buttery, sweet, and sturdy enough for the thickest cheesecake. I usually snag a spoonful because duh, it’s delicious {and I don’t think the cheesecake will miss it 😉}.
The Filling
A classically good cheesecake filling is generally made of five simple ingredients: cream cheese, granulated sugar, eggs, heavy cream, and pure vanilla. The ratio is where it must be perfectly proportioned to create the creamiest, smoothest, and all around best filling. My filling has a full tablespoon of pure vanilla bean paste, and you can absolutely see those glorious specs of vanilla in the batter.
The Topper
Now you do not need to add a topper if you prefer more of a plain cheesecake experience. I have previously done a sour cream topping {¾ cup sour cream, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, and 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste… mix and pour!}, and this time I opted for homemade caramel sauce (my 3-ingredient recipe) + fresh vanilla bean whipped cream.
To make the whipped cream, simply combine ½ cup heavy cream, a tablespoon of granulated sugar, and ½ teaspoon of vanilla bean paste. Whip until stiff peaks form. Pipe or spread onto your cooled cheesecake just prior to serving it.
You can add fruit, a drizzle of ganache, or even lemon curd. The possibilities are as endless as your taste buds are imaginative.
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 use 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:
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 as a 1:1 ratio sub, so the recipe measurements will not change. Miyokos also makes a wonderful cream cheese that would be an excellent dairy free base in this recipe.
Kite Hill makes a dairy free sour cream for those wanting to recreate the topping without dairy.
Silk Dairy Free Heavy Cream is a great option for both the cheesecake and a whipped topping if you choose to add that in leu of the sour cream topping.
Pamela’s Honey Graham Crackers are gluten free and perfect for use in this crust if you want or need to avoid gluten.
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XO,
Heather
6-Inch Vanilla Bean Cheesecake
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 1 ¾ Cups Graham Cracker Crumbs
- ¾ Cup Salted Butter, melted
- 2 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar
For the Filling:
- 16 Ounces Cream Cheese, softened
- 1 Cup Granulated Sugar
- ⅓ Cup Heavy Cream
- 1 Tablespoon Pure Vanilla Bean Paste
- 2 Large Eggs, room temperature
Instructions
- For the crust: mix the crumbs, the melted butter, and sugar in a medium bowl with a fork until fully combined. The texture should be like wet sand. Press the crust into the 6-inch spring-foam cheesecake pan lined with a circle of parchment paper on the bottom. Using the back end of a measuring cup if needed to ensure it is firmly and evenly covering the pan and the sides. Set aside.
- For the cheesecake filling: Beat the cream cheese and the sugar on medium for about 2 minutes. Cream cheese should be light and fluffy. Add the heavy cream and vanilla bean paste, mixing until incorporated, about 20 seconds. Add each egg at a time, and mix until just incorporated. Do not over-mix the eggs into the batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Line the outside bottom of the pan with foil and ensure that it is fully covered three inches up the sides. This should be able to withstand the bath and not get water into the cheesecake. Bake at 350° for 1 hour 30 minutes to 1 hour and 45 minutes. If you find that you top is browning too quickly, lightly cover it with foil at the 40 minute mark. Cheesecake should be mostly set and golden on the edges but slightly jiggly in the middle. It will set up further as it cools.
- Allow to cool at room temperature for 20 minutes and then remove it from the water bath. Gently place it on a towel to dry the bottom and transfer it to the fridge to cool for 2-3 hours or overnight. Top with caramel sauce, whipped cream, fruit, curd, or chocolate drizzle. You can also enjoy as is!
Notes
- See blog for dietary substitutions on dairy and gluten.
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