I Don’t Share My Cheesecake

…which is why I make little individual ones; this way, no one has an excuse to try to eat mine!

So here’s how I do it, almost following my mom’s recipe! (I say almost, because I tweak.)

You Will Need:

1 Box of Vanilla Wafers
2 (8 ounce) packs of Cream Cheese
¾ Cup of Sugar
2 Eggs
1 Tsp. Vanilla Extract (random fact: I had to force myself to type “vanilla,” because I would honestly rather call it ‘nilla.  You’re welcome.)

That’s for the first part! This is for the second part:

1 ¼ Cup of Sour Cream
¼ Cup Confectioner’s Sugar (honestly, I used more.  But this is what the recipe says.)
1 (21 ounce) Can of Cherry Pie Filling (Or, if you’re cool like me, a jar of Maraschino Cherries)

Okay, so Step 1!

•  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 
• Use cupcake papers to line a cupcake pan.  (I used Cars cupcake liners...I got them because my sister loves Cars!  It’s her favorite movie.)
• Using 1 vanilla wafer per cupcake, crush them into the paper and spread somewhat evenly on the bottom.  (My mom felt the need to specify that I should not use my teeth for this part because “it’s germy.”  So, there goes that plan.)
  

• Mix the Cream Cheese, Sugar, Eggs, and Vanilla Extract!  Please do not try to mix this with a fork like I did, because it seriously feels like weight-lifting.  If you have an electric mixer, make use of it!
• Spoon the batter over the crushed ‘nilla wafers.

•   Bake for 15-20 minutes (I ended up baking mine for about 23 minutes, but I have an old, not-quite-all-there oven.)

• Take them out and let them cool for an hour!

On to Step 2!

• While the cheesecakes are cooling, blend Sour Cream and Confectioner’s Sugar until they’re smooth.  I used a fork for this.  I also kept taste-testing it and adding more sugar because I’m like that…don’t be afraid to add sugar to it.  The sour cream does have a strong flavor.
• When the cheesecakes are cool, spread some of the glaze over them.

•   Drop a cherry on it! (If you’re using the Pie Filling cherries, use two or three!  If you’re using Maraschino, hold back and only use one.  The flavor is a little different, don’t forget.)

• Cool in fridge for an hour.  (My mom is very fond of saying “That’s forty minutes more than twenty minutes, Bonnie.  You have to be patient.”  She also tells me that measurements are there for a reason.  I’m more of a guestimator than a measurer =P )

And now, eat up! And share!  Also, store these in your fridge.  You don’t want them sitting out for any long period of time.

-Bonnie