Strawberry Swirl Cheesecake Cupcakes

Ingredients

Makes about 32 cupcakes

Crust:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
4 Tablespoons butter, melted
3 Tablespoons granulated sugar

Berry Swirl:
6 oz. fresh strawberries or raspberries
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar

Cheesecake Filling:
2 lbs. cream cheese, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 large eggs, at room temperature

Directions

Preheat oven to 325F.

As this recipe will make about 32 cupcakes, you may need to bake in batches.

Line the cupcake tin with paper liners or silicone baking cup liners.

Crust:

In a small bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs, butter, and sugar until combined.

Press about a tablespoon of the crust mixture into the bottom of each cupcake liner. Use a small drinking glass to press down the crumbs into their liners.

Place into the preheated oven and bake for 5 minutes. Remove and transfer to a cooling rack.

Berry Swirl:

Combine berries and sugar in a food processor or blender. Process until mixture is smooth.

*If you decide to use a fresh raspberry, strain the puree to remove the seeds

*Note: you could substitute ready made jam of any flavor.

If you use jam, it needs to be a runnier consistency, more like the fresh berry puree, so just warm it up in a small saucepan over low heat, then let cool first.

Filling:

Place the cream cheese into a mixing bowl and use an electric mixer, beating at medium-high speed until smooth.

Mix in the sugar until smooth. Mix in salt and vanilla.

Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

Spoon 2 heaping tablespoons of the cheesecake batter over the crust in each cupcake liner.

Dot 1 teaspoon of the berry puree or jam in a few dots over each cheesecake. Use a toothpick to lightly swirl and create a marbled effect.

Place into the preheated oven and bake about 22 minutes, until set, rotating halfway through baking.

They will puff up slightly then fall back down.

Bake in batches if necessary.

Remove and place onto cooling racks.

Cool to room temperature then transfer to refrigerator for at least 4 hours.

Don't remove the papers until cooled and firm.