Cheesecake Cupcakes

For my first food-related post since my hiatus, I would like to share with you a recipe previously posted over at Our Krazy Kitchen (PS if you've never visited, you should.  Just make sure you're not hungry before you do or else you may wake up from a food coma in front of the monitor, magically surrounded by empty food containers and crumpled-up wrappers.  Or maybe that's just me?).

Since the 4th is coming up, and for so many people this means hosting a barbecue or bringing food to someone else's party, it seemed like a good idea to share this with you today.  These little gems are super easy to make and very portable - plus they just get better with time, so you can make them in advance and store them in the fridge until it's time to go!

Without further ado, I bring you...cheesecake cupcakes.

The very mention of the name sends shivers down my spine.

Here's what you'll need:

Muffin tins
Liners for tins
1 pkg of break-and-bake cookie dough (24 cookies)*
2 8 oz pkgs cream cheese, room temperature
1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
Topping for cheesecake (cherries, strawberries, whatever you like)

*it occurs to me that I've used chocolate chip because that's what the friend who gave me this recipe uses, but I'm betting that sugar cookie dough would totally rock!

Okay.  Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.

Line your muffin tins with the pretty liners you bought just for the occasion.  Mine were pastel colored.

Drop one square of cookie dough into each liner and bake for 8-10 minutes.  The cookie will spread out and cover the bottom of the liner as it bakes.

As your dough is baking, mix up your softened cream cheese until it is smooth.  Then add the condensed milk, eggs and vanilla and mix it well to smooth out any lumps.  If you've ever made cheesecake you know that this takes...a while.  But it's worth it!

Fill each liner around 3/4 of the way and bake for an additional 18-20 minutes.  Let them cool, then refrigerate them for at least 1 hour.  They will set up beautifully.

Once chilled, or whenever you're ready to serve, top with whatever it is you like on your cheesecake (or leave 'em plain!).  I happen to enjoy cherries...

Yes.  I enjoy cherries quite a lot.

Tell me these aren't the cutest little things you've ever seen.  Tell me and I will call you a liar, without even knowing how many cute things you've seen in your life or their degree of cuteness.  That's how sure I am.

As I said earlier, they keep really, really well when covered in the fridge and in fact taste better the longer they're in there.  After two days I would literally jump through a ring of fire for one of these.  Luckily I don't have a ring of fire at home.  Whew.

Take them to a party and watch them disappear.  You'll be a superstar! Or, keep them for yourself.  Either way.

I hope you enjoy them as much as we did!

I'm sharing this recipe with my friend Lish and her pals over at...

...come pay a visit! I'm already drooling over some of these entries!