6-Inch Vanilla Bean Cheesecake

This 6-Inch Vanilla Bean Cheesecake is small batch, made with plenty of cream cheese and vanilla bean paste, and is perfectly decadent.

Course: Cheesecake, Dessert, vanilla bean

Cuisine: Cheesecake, Dessert, small batch

Keyword: 6 inch, cheesecake, small batch, vanilla bean

Servings: 8 servings

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.