Individual Black Forest Cheesecakes (GF)

Individual Black Forest Cheesecakes are the perfect sweet ending to any meal. Just the right size and every bite is luscious. A beautiful creamy cheesecake with an Oreo crust and topped with cherry pie filling and a white chocolate mousse! These are heaven in every bite!

It is believed that the original dessert was created in the Black Forest region of Germany and was made with a chocolate sponge cake with whipped cream, cherries and Kirsch, a cherry brandy. It is commonly garnished with shaved chocolate which is reminiscent of the trees in the beautiful forests.

Glutino Gluten-Free Chocolate Creme Sandwich Cookies

You will see this combination of flavors in many forms, cakes, cupcakes, tortes, ice cream sundaes, etc. If the recipe combines chocolate and cherry, it is likely going to be called “black forest” something.

These cheesecakes have a chocolate cookie crust, the cheesecake, cherries on top, whipped white chocolate mousse, and chocolate cookie crumbs. Lots of the elements of the original in a different format. This also doesn’t have any liqueur in it but you could add a little of your favorite to the mousse or cherries if desired. Just be careful not to throw off the ratio of liquids to dry ingredients!

I love to use Glutino’s Chocolate Vanilla Crème Sandwich Cookies which are gluten free and absolutely delicious. Just like Oreos but safe for anyone following a gluten-free diet. There are also GF Oreos now that you can find in many grocery stores. Either brand work beautifully.

Remember that cheesecakes take a long time to cool to room temperature and then sit overnight in the refrigerator. Plan for a very full day or two days to assemble these beauties. Day one you bake and cool the cheesecakes, day two you decorate and serve them. Be sure you store them covered, in the refrigerator!

If you have a muffin tin with a snap-on lid, that is the best of all worlds. It keeps the cheesecakes tender without ruining the toppings. If you want, make the cheesecakes a couple days ahead, keep them covered in the refrigerator, and top them just before serving.

The white chocolate mousse sounds complicated and challenging but it is surprisingly easy and quick to make! You melt the chocolate with a little cream, beat the remaining cream to your desired texture, then beat in the melted chocolate. That’s it! It is ready to serve with these beautiful cheesecakes or any other dessert you love.

Be sure the cream is whipped fully before adding the white chocolate. After mixing in the melted chocolate, taste the mousse and if you want it sweeter, just add a little powdered sugar and mix it in before serving.

I made these with a topping of cherry pie filling which is fabulous, but you can use any flavor you want – blueberry would be fantastic too! And the cheesecakes are so good you can serve them with just the white chocolate mousse spread over the top. They will be monochromatic so if you do that be sure to add a sprig of mint if you can for a pop of color.

I love the creaminess of the cheesecake with the slight crunch of the cookie crust, the tartness of the cherries and the sweetness of the white chocolate mousse – it’s all a wonderful combination in every bite!

Give these Individual Black Forest Cheesecakes a try and I know everyone in your family or at your party will go crazy for them. What’s not to love! A little chocolate, cream cheese, cherries, and white chocolate mousse. Yes please, I’ll take two (they’re small) LOL.

If you try this recipe, let me know! Please leave a star rating in the recipe card, comment below, and don’t forget to snap a pic and tag it @theheritagecook on Instagram! Seeing your creations makes my day and I love hearing from you!

Ingredients needed for Individual Black Forest Cheesecakes:

• Crust: gluten-free chocolate sandwich cookies with cream filling
• Cheesecakes: cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, vanilla, eggs
• Toppings: crushed cookies, white chocolate, cream, fruit pie filling

PRO Tip:

Using foil liners for the cupcake pans helps keep the moisture in the cheesecake and not weeping through the paper liner. Once set and chilled overnight, you can unwrap and move the cheesecakes for presentation and easy eating.

How to make Individual Black Forest Cheesecakes:

1. Remove the top cookies from the sandwich cookies and crush them into crumbs. Place the remaining bottom half of the cookies with the cream filling into lined muffin tins, cream side up.
2. Filling: With your electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and sour cream until smooth. Mix in the sugar and vanilla. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition just until incorporated.
3. Pour the filling into the lined muffin tins about 3/4 full. Sprinkle the tops with some of the cookie crumbs. Bake at 325°F (160°C) for 18 to 22 minutes until the edges are set and the centers are a little jiggly when nudged. Cool to room temperature on a rack, cover, and refrigerate at least 4 hours and up to overnight.
4. White Chocolate Mousse: Melt the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl by pouring 3-1/2 tbsp hot cream over the top. Mix until the chocolate is fully melted and the mixture is smooth. Cool at room temperature.
5. Whisk the remaining cream to medium-firm peaks. Stir in the cooled white chocolate mixture. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
6. To Serve: Top each cheesecake with 2 tbsp of the cherry pie filling and a dollop of the whipped white chocolate mousse. Garnish with mint if desired.

PRO Tip:

Keep the cheesecakes and white chocolate mousse refrigerated before serving and if there are any leftovers. They will hold for a week as long as they are covered and chilled.

Recommended Tools (affiliate links; no extra cost to you):

• Food processor
• Kitchen scale
• Chef’s knife
• Muffin/cupcake pan with a lid
• Stand mixer or hand mixer
• Small saucepan
• Heatproof bowls

Gluten-Free Tips:

* You can adjust any baking recipe to gluten-free by using 120 grams per cup of my favorite gluten-free flour blend. If you are using another brand of flour or regular flour, whisk it, spoon it lightly into a measuring cup until mounded, level off the top with a knife, and weigh the flour left in the cup. Use that weight as your standard per cup of that specific flour. Do this for each flour blend you use. Commercial gluten-free blends such as Pamela’s All-Purpose Artisan Blend, Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1, or King Arthur Measure for Measure are all good choices.

You will get the best and most consistent results by using a digital kitchen scale and weighing your ingredients, especially when you are baking. And use grams, they are much more specific than pounds and ounces.

All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.

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Yield: 12 cheesecakes

Individual Black Forest Cheesecakes (GF)

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Individual Black Forest Cheesecakes are the perfect sweet ending to any meal. Just the right size and every bite is luscious. A beautiful creamy cheesecake with an Oreo crust and topped with cherry pie filling and a white chocolate mousse! These are heaven in every bite!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Additional Time 4 hours

Total Time 4 hours 35 minutes

Ingredients

Crust

• 12 gluten-free chocolate sandwich cookies with cream filling

Cheesecake Filling

• 16 oz (2 blocks; 454g) cream cheese, softened
• 6 tbsp (85g) sour cream
• 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs

Toppings

• Crushed chocolate cookies (from the top half of the cookies)
• 3 oz (85g) white chocolate bar, finely chopped
• 2/3 cup (151g) heavy whipping cream, divided
• 1 (21 oz; 595g) can cherry pie filling

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Line 12 regular muffin cups preferably with foil liners or regular paper liners.

2. Make the Crust: Twist to remove the top from each sandwich cookie; leave the cream filling on the other half. Crush the top cookies in a heavy plastic bag using a rolling pin or food processor, and set aside. Place the remaining cookie halves with the cream centers in the prepared muffin cups, cream-side up.

3. Prepare the Cheesecake Filling: In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and sour cream until smooth with an electric mixer. Add the sugar and vanilla and beat until combined. Scrape the bowl thoroughly then mix again to be sure there are no lumps! Mix in the eggs, one at a time. Beat until incorporated but do not overmix!

4. Fill the lined muffin cups 3/4 full and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers jiggle slightly when nudged. Take the pan out of the oven and place on a wire rack to cool to room temperature. The tops will sink as they cool. Sprinkle a little of the chocolate cookie crumbs on top of each one. Then cover and place the cheesecakes in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight.

5. Make the White Chocolate Mousse Topping: When the cheesecakes have chilled and you are ready to serve, place the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set to the side.

6. Heat 3-1/2 tbsp of the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat. Remove from the heat before it boils, there will be bubbles around the edges of the pan and the cream will be steaming. Pour the hot cream over the chopped white chocolate. Let it sit for a minute to soften, then mix with a spatula until the chocolate melts, the cream is fully incorporated, and the mixture is smooth and silky. Set aside while you whip the cream.

7. Whip the remaining heavy cream on low until foamy using the whisk attachment, and then turn up to med-high speed until medium-firm peaks form. beat the melted white chocolate into the whipped cream. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

8. To Serve: Just before serving, top each cheesecake with 3 to 4 cherries and the juice of the pie filling and a dollop of white chocolate mousse. You can sprinkle a little more of the cookie crumbs on top if you like. Garnish with a sprig of mint if desired and serve. Enjoy!

9. Store leftovers, covered, in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Recipe found at www.theheritagecook.com

Notes

You will get the best results by using a digital kitchen scale and weighing your ingredients, especially when you are baking.

All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.

Adapted from an allrecipes.com post and a recipe from Sweet Spicy Kitchen

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 370Total Fat: 27gSaturated Fat: 16gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 96mgSodium: 317mgCarbohydrates: 20gFiber: 1gSugar: 12gProtein: 12g

The nutritional information for recipes on this site is calculated by online tools and is merely an estimate. If you need nutritional calculations for medical reasons, please use a source that you trust.

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