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These Deep-Fried Cheesecake Bites are crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside for a decadent dessert that puts regular cheesecake to shame. Get ready to fall in love with your new favorite party favor or weekend treat!
Try these delicious sauces with your cheesecake bites: Hot Fudge Sauce, Sea Salted Caramel, Bourbon Sauce, and Bananas Foster Sauce.
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Nowadays, it seems like everyone is constantly looking for healthy alternatives to classic desserts. While I’m all for a good light dessert every now and then, sometimes you just can’t beat the real thing. These deep-fried cheesecake bites are made from scratch and fried to golden brown perfection for the best deep-fried desserts you’ll ever try.
This deep-fried cheesecake recipe is easy enough but takes a bit of time to make, mainly since you’ll need to bake the cheesecake the day before you fry the bites. However, the moment you take that first bite, you won’t even care how long it took to make them. Trust me. Every time I make these bad boys for my family or friends, the reaction is wild. People go nuts for these little bites of heaven!
I love serving my fried cheesecake bites with homemade blueberry sauce and a few scoops of vanilla ice cream. For an even more indulgent dessert, you could drizzle chocolate sauce over the cheesecake bites and then sprinkle powdered sugar on top. No matter how you choose to serve this dish, it’s guaranteed to be a huge hit.
Key Ingredients
Here are the key ingredients you’ll need to make the best deep-fried cheesecake.
- Cream Cheese: This is not a weight loss treat, so I don’t want to see any of that low-fat stuff. Full-fat cream cheese is going to give you the best flavor!
- Graham Crackers: What’s a cheesecake without the graham cracker crust? I stuck with these since it’s the classic choice, but feel free to use your favorite cookie instead if you want.
- Sugar: Adding the right amount of sugar is essential to getting a perfectly flavorful cheesecake. I only use Imperial Sugar because it’s non-GMO and pure cane sugar, so I know it’s a brand I can trust. Be careful with alternative sweeteners, as some leave an unpleasant aftertaste. Imperial Sugar has a pretty good Steviacane® (Stevia + sugar blend).
- Eggs: Eggs make the cheesecake light and fluffy. Use too little and you’ll be left with a stiff cheesecake; use too many and you’ll end up with a soggy mess.
- Sour Cream: This adds a light and creamy texture to the cheesecake, ensuring that each bite is rich, creamy, and decadent. Be sure to use regular sour cream and not the low-fat kind.
How to Make Deep-Fried Cheesecake Bites
This deep-fried cheesecake recipe is a two-step process. First, you have to make your cheesecake bites; then, refrigerate them overnight and fry them. Let’s break down the steps you’ll need to take to make this dish. Don’t forget to check out the recipe card below for the full recipe and exact measurements.
Step 1: Make Graham Cracker Crust
Preheat the oven to 325°F. In a food processor, add graham crackers and sugar, then blitz on high until crumbles form. Cut on low and slowly drizzle in 3 tablespoons of butter. The crust should hold together when squeezed in your hand.
Use the remaining butter to butter the 12-cup silicone muffin pan. Press the mixture evenly and firmly into the bottom of the pan. Place on a baking sheet and pop in the oven for 7-8 minutes. Let crust cool for 10 minutes before pouring in filling.
Step 2: Make Cheesecake Mixture
Reduce oven temperature to 300°F. In a large bowl, add the cream cheese and sour cream, then mix on low speed for 1 minute with a hand mixer. Next, add the sugar and kosher salt, mix on low for 1 minute, then scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Now add lemon zest and vanilla extract, mix on low for 1 minute, then scrape again. Add eggs one at a time and mix on medium for 1 minute. The mixture will be smooth and loose when finished.
Step 3: Bake Cheesecake
Pour the filling ⅔ of the way into the muffin pans and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cheesecake bites cool for 5 minutes, then run a knife around the inside of the cheesecake to release it. Cool at room temperature for 30 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 1 hour or overnight.
Step 4: Make Blueberry Sauce
While the cheesecake cools, heat a medium pot over medium heat. Add blueberries, orange juice, and sugar, then bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer for 5 minutes until the sauce has thickened. Cool for 10 minutes before transferring to an airtight container.
Step 5: Deep Frying Time
Fill a large skillet halfway with oil to 325°F. In a medium bowl, add cornstarch and in another bowl add buttermilk. Once the oil is hot, dip the cheesecake bites into the buttermilk then cornstarch, and fry for 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Serve with blueberry sauce and enjoy.
Recipe Tips for Success
- Don't use fat-free cream cheese; treat yourself to the good stuff.
- For a different flavor, use lemon juice or almond extract instead of vanilla extract.
- If you only have salted butter at home, use it and omit the salt from the recipe.
- If you don’t want to make a whole cheesecake from scratch, you can get a pre-made frozen cheesecake from the grocery store or your local bakery.
- Feel free to make a strawberry sauce by replacing the blueberries with strawberries if you want your cheesecake bites to taste more like a traditional NY cheesecake.
- You can make your deep-fried cheesecake extra decadent by drizzling chocolate, caramel sauce, and chopped pecans over the bites.
- If you’re short on time and need to quickly get your cream cheese to room temperature, start by filling a large cup with hot tap water. Place the unopened cream cheese packet in the cup for 1 minute and make sure the water fully covers the cream cheese. This should do the trick. You can also do the same for your eggs if you need to get those to room temperature quickly too.
- Do not cover your cheesecake with foil. The foil can have an acidic reaction from the sour cream and lemon zest, causing the chemicals to leach into your food.
FAQ
Here are the top questions about making deep-fried cheesecake bites.
Fried cheesecake bites taste more like warm cream puffs than the traditional cheesecake you’ve had in the past. Unlike regular cheesecake, that is soft and creamy with a graham cracker crust, deep-fried cheesecake is golden brown and crispy on the outside yet melt-in-your-mouth creamy on the inside. It tastes like an elevated version of cheesecake, where every bite explodes with flavor.
Yes! To store leftover cheesecake bites, place them in an airtight container and store them in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to a month. I recommend waiting to deep-fry your cheesecake until you’re ready to serve, but you can store the cheesecake bites already fried if needed.
You can reheat deep-fried cheesecake bites by simply popping them into the microwave or heating them up in the air fryer. Don’t be afraid to eat them cold—cold cheesecake bites are also delicious!
More Crave-Worthy Dessert Recipes
If you liked this tasty dessert, you’re gonna love these:
- Lemon Ice Box Pie
- Classic New Orleans Beignets
- Southern Tea Cake Cookies
- Key Lime Cheesecake
- Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies
- Sweet Potato Cheesecake
So, what are you waiting for? Make the recipe today and enjoy your new favorite party favor or weekend treat! And if you love this recipe as much as I do, be sure to share it with your friends on social media. They’ll be so grateful that you introduced them to these fantastic deep-fried cheesecake bites.
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📖 Recipe
Deep Fried Cheesecake Bites
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust:
- 6 graham crackers
- 1 tablespoon Imperial Sugar granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoons melted unsalted butter 1 tablespoon divided
NY Cheesecake:
- 1 lb. room temperature cream cheese
- ¾ cups Imperial Sugar granulated sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 oz. sour cream
- zest of 1 small lemon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs room temperature
Blueberry sauce:
- 10 oz. frozen blueberries
- ¼ cup orange juice
- 2 tablespoon Imperial Sugar granulated sugar
Batter:
- ¾ cup cornstarch
- ½ cup buttermilk
- oil for frying
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F, in a food processor add graham crackers and sugar blitz on high until crumbles form. Then cut on low and slowly drizzle in 3 tablespoons of butter. Crust should hold together when squeezed in hand. Use remaining butter to butter a 12-cup silicone muffin pan. Press mixture evenly and firmly into the bottom and sides of pan. Place on a baking sheet and pop in the oven for 7-8 minutes. Let crust cool for 10 minutes before pouring in filling.
- Cut oven to 300°F. In a large bowl add the cream cheese and sour cream, mix on low speed for 1 minute with a hand mixer. Add the sugar and kosher salt, mix on low for 1 minute, scrape down sides of bowl. Add lemon zest and vanilla extract, mix on low for 1 minute, scrape down sides of bowl. Add eggs one at a time, mix on medium for 1 minute. Mixture will be smooth and loose when finished.
- Pour filling ⅔ of the way in the muffin pans and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let cheesecake cool for 5 minutes, run a knife around the inside of the cheesecake to release it. Cool at room temperature for 30 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for 1 hour to overnight.
- While cheesecake cools, turn the heat to medium in a medium pot add blueberries, orange juice and sugar, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer for 5 minutes until sauce has thickened. Cool for 10 minutes before transferring to container.
- Fill a large skillet halfway with oil to 325°F. In a medium bowl, add cornstarch and in another bowl add buttermilk. Once the oil is hot, dip the cheesecake bites into the buttermilk then cornstarch, and fry for 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Serve with blueberry sauce and enjoy.
Notes
- If you don’t want to make a whole cheesecake from scratch, you can get a pre-made frozen cheesecake from the grocery store or your local bakery.
- Feel free to make a strawberry sauce by replacing the blueberries with strawberries if you want your cheesecake bites to taste more like a traditional NY cheesecake.
- You can make your deep-fried cheesecake extra decadent by drizzling chocolate, caramel sauce, and chopped pecans over the bites.
- If you’re short on time and need to quickly get your cream cheese to room temperature, start by filling a large cup with hot tap water. Place the unopened cream cheese packet in the cup for 1 minute and make sure the water fully covers the cream cheese. This should do the trick. You can also do the same for your eggs if you need to get those to room temperature quickly too.
- Do not cover your cheesecake with foil. The foil can have an acidic reaction from the sour cream and lemon zest, causing the chemicals to leach into your food.
- Fat-Free Cream Cheese = Cream Cheese
- Almond Extract = Vanilla Extract
- Lemon juice = Vanilla Extract
- Salted Butter = Unsalted Butter (omit salt from recipe)
- Sugar = Raw Cane Sugar
- Any Salt = Kosher Salt
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