By Jennifer Alexander Ruple

Spring brings an opportunity to celebrate special occasions with a delightful Build-Your-Own Mini Cheesecake Bar. This colorful and cheerful dessert bar is ideal for Mother’s Day, birthdays, graduations, or any spring party and provides guests of all ages with the fun of assembling their own custom desserts.

To create your bar, begin by baking an assortment of creamy, mini cheesecakes – choose a favorite flavor for the crusts such as graham crackers and chocolate cookies, or make some of each. On a large serving tray or wooden board, arrange cheesecakes down the middle. Surround the cheesecakes with fresh fruit – sliced strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries. Then fill small bowls with warm toppings for drizzling such as fruit sauces, salted caramel and chocolate fudge. Finally, add ramekins to corral nuts, chocolate chips and sprinkles.

To elevate your presentation, garnish the mini cheesecake bar with fresh herbs and edible flowers such as pansies or violets to complement the vibrant toppings and add a festive touch.

Mini Cheesecakes
Makes 18  
1 pound cream cheese, softened
¾ cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs

Crust Options

Graham Cracker
1 ¼ cups graham cracker crumbs
¼ cup sugar
⅓ cup butter, melted

Chocolate Cookie
16 chocolate sandwich cookies, crushed
3 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions
Heat oven to 375 F. In a small bowl, combine crust ingredients of your choice.

Line a cupcake pan with paper baking cups. Evenly distribute crust mixture into cups. With a ¼ cup measuring cup, press crumbs down firmly. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix all ingredients until smooth.

Pour filling over crusts. Bake for 15 minutes.

Topping Ideas:
Fruit – strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, black cherries
Warm sauces – salted caramel, chocolate, fruit, butterscotch
Nuts – chopped pecans, walnuts, pistachios
Chips – chocolate, peanut butter, white chocolate, mint, M&Ms, rainbow sprinkles
Garnish – fresh mint leaves and flowers