Lemon Cheesecake Cups

This year for Thanksgiving, I was tasked with coming up with a healthy, light and delicious dessert that my non pumpkin pie lovers would eat. I decided making individual lemon cheesecake cups would be the perfect solution for my picky eaters.

Light and creamy cheesecakes that melt in your mouth with a little tangy lemon and buttery honey graham crust. They are cute in their fun cupcake liners and I love the fact I get to eat the whole cheesecake without busting my Weight Watchers Smartpoints budget.

I guarantee even if your not a cheesecake fan, you will love these. The Husband isn’t excited about cheesecake of any kind, but, he managed to devour these asking for them every day until they were gone!

LEMON CHEESECAKE CUPS (print it!)

INGREDIENTS:

For the crust:

• 3 full sheets honey graham crackers
• 3 Tbsp butter, melted
• 2 Tbsp sugar

For the filling:

• 12 oz Light Cream Cheese (one tub) at room temperature
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 lemon, juiced and zested
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 2 egg whites

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 and line a 12 cup muffin pan with cupcake holders.
2. In a food processor or blender, process the graham crackers until you have fine crumbs. Pour into a mixing bowl adding melted butter and 2 Tbsp sugar. Mix together. Divide mixture into 12 muffin cups (about 1 heaping tablespoon each) and use the bottom side of the spoon to press firmly forming the crust. Bake for 5 minutes, remove from oven and set aside.
3. To make the filling, add the cream cheese mixing bowl and beat about 2 minutes until fluffy.  Add in the sugar and beat 2 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl. Add the lemon juice, zest, vanilla, egg and egg white mixing until well blended. Use an ice cream scooper to divide among 12 muffin cups.
4. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the tops are set. Cool on a cooling rack for 1 hour, then, finish cooling in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours or overnight. Eat straight up or top with berries and whipped cream.

Makes 12 Individual Cheesecakes for 7 Smartpoints each

**I want to do another trial using only 1/3 cup sugar to see if I get the same  results. If I do, that’s only 6 Smartpoints.

Nutrition per cheesecake:

STEP – BY – STEP:

Prepare your graham crust by combining the graham cracker crumbs with butter and sugar. Divide among the lined muffin cups and use the  back of the spoon to press firmly to form the crust. Bake for 5 minutes and set aside.

Warning….this mixture is delicious by itself!After mixing the filling, divide evenly among the muffin cups. I use my 1/2 cup ice cream scoop as it fills each muffin cup perfectly. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the tops set. They will look like this.

Cool 1 hour on the counter then 3-4 hours in the fridge or overnight.I could easily just peel and eat. But, I decorated them in my not fancy way with some homemade whipped cream, berries and red sugar sprinkles to match the muffin cup paper.Light, creamy, lemony, buttery good! Seeing the cute bottom of the muffin cup makes me a less sad that my cheesecake is gone.Night all!