Ring in any New Year’s meal and meals into the new year with these petite yummy and refreshing mini limoncello cheesecakes topped with whipped cream.

With a bit of cream cheese, fresh ricotta, a splash of limoncello liqueur, some sugar and touch of vanilla, these little packages are a delight at the end of any meal.

Served chilled with your favorite hot or cold beverage, these mini cheesecakes are full of sweet sugar yet have a savory citrus kiss, too.

Mini Holiday Limoncello Cheesecakes

Crust

1½ cups graham cracker crumbs

2 tablespoons sugar

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. (If you are using a convection oven, bake at 325 degrees F.)

Fill your cupcake pans with liners.

In a large bowl, mix all of your crust ingredients together. Divide the mixed ingredients evenly into 24 standard-sized cupcake liners. Press down gently to make a nice even crust. Bake for approximately 5 minutes until baked yet not too dark brown. Set aside to cool.

Filling

2 8-ounce packages of Philadelphia cream cheese, room temperature

1 pound whole milk ricotta that was drained overnight, room temperature

1 tablespoon lemon zest

5 large eggs, room temperature

½ cup limoncello liqueur

1¼ cups sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

The day prior to making these mini cheesecakes, drain your ricotta cheese overnight in your refrigerator. Do this by draining the cheese in a sieve over a bowl, covered with plastic wrap.

In a stand-up mixer bowl, on medium speed beat your room temperature cream cheese until smooth. Add your ricotta and mix to combine. Next pour in your sugar, with your mixer on low. Scrape down the sides a bit. Add each egg, one a time, mixing after each addition. Scrape down the mixing bowl again. Now it’s time to add your flavorings. Pour in your limoncello. Add in your vanilla and lemon zest. Mix to combine.

Divide the batter into your cupcake tins. Gently tap the cupcake tins so that the batter sets but not hard enough to break the crusts.

Add a small pan with water in the bottom of the oven while baking. This seems to help the cheesecakes not crack on top. Bake your mini cheesecakes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 20 to 25 minutes or until there is a slight jiggle in the center. Leave cheesecakes in the oven, with the door slightly cracked open for 10 minutes to set.

Set the pans on a cooling rack for a little while. When the minis are cool, remove each mini cheesecake with an offset spatula or something comparable. Garnish with whipped cream and a ribbon of lemon zest.

Sarah Schweitzer is dual-certified in Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry from the Escoffier School of Culinary Arts. She is a former line cook for Chef Robert Irvine at “Fresh Kitchen by Robert Irvine” which was located at the Downtown Allentown Market. Sarah is currently working as a sous-chef at Ateira’s on First and has her own blog simplysarah.online. She can be reached at sarah.schweitzer18@gmail.com.