Cute as a button Malt Ball Cheesecakes are the perfect single-serving Easter dessert! The pastel eggs and rich chocolate ganache make these mini cheesecakes irresistible. We’ll walk you how to make delicious mini cheesecakes step by step.
Love cheesecake? Try our Chocolate Cheesecake recipe is decadent, delicious, and loved by everyone. Or lighten things up and try our easy Lemon Cheesecake recipe!
Mini Easter Cheesecake Recipe
These little cheesecakes are downright adorable–and they taste even better.
Here are a few more reasons why you’ll love this malt ball cheesecakes recipe.
- Homemade crust. This chocolate graham cracker pie crust is easy to make and beats store bought crust by a mile. You can also swap it out for an oreo pie crust.
- Malted milk flavor. With real malt powder in the crust AND the filling, these mini cheesecakes have a hint of toasty, nuttiness just like a chocolate malt ball.
- Easy ganache recipe. You only need TWO ingredients to make a delicious chocolate ganache topping for your malt ball mini cheesecakes.
Not Easter time? No worries, use whopper’s instead for a decadent chocolate treat.
Ingredient Notes
- Malted milk powder. Use original flavor malted milk powder for best results. Find it in the baking aisle of your supermarket or online.
- Malted milk balls. We used Robin’s eggs chocolate malt balls to make these Easter ready. Sub other colors or shapes of Whopper’s malt balls for any occasion!
- Cream Cheese. Be sure to choose full fat (not light) and make sure it’s been softened to room temperature (for extra creaminess)!
- Vanilla Extract. Learn how to make vanilla extract at home for a cheaper alternative!
- Chocolate Graham Crackers. If you can’t find them, you can use Oreo cookies or even regular graham crackers!
- Milk Chocolate Morsels & Heavy Cream. The dynamic duo to creating the creamiest ganache!
Cheesecake Tips and Tricks
- Prep it Right: Set out ingredients about 10 minutes before baking to work with them at room temperature. Allow your oven to preheat while preparing your filling.
- Be Gentle: Do not over-beat. Over-stirring can add too much air into the batter, which can cause cheesecake to crack. Beat in eggs, one at time, on low speed until just blended.
- Practice Patience: Don’t peek! Opening the oven door while cheesecake is baking causes drafts that may lead to cracking.
- Malt Balls: When smashing them, be sure to not pulverize into crumbs. Big chunks are delicious!
How to Make Ganache
This is the hands down the easiest Chocolate Ganache recipe you’ll ever make!
STEP 1. Heat heavy cream in the microwave.
STEP 2. Stir in milk chocolate morsels until melted.
Spoon the warm ganache onto cooled mini cheesecakes. Top with malt balls and chill.
Don’t want to use malt balls? No worries! Add peanut butter cups, M&M’s, or chocolate chips!
Have leftover ganache after topping the cheesecakes? Go ahead and eat it with a spoon. We won’t tell. It’s too delicious to let it go to waste!
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can omit the malt powder in the recipe. If you do, they definitely won’t be as malty since the only malt flavor comes from the topping. The cheesecakes will still be tasty though!
Before serving, these mini cheesecakes need at least 2 hours in the refrigerator to chill. You can store them covered in the fridge for 3 -5 days without the topping.
Go for it, just know that many malt balls do not contain a candy coating (like original whoppers). The candy coating adds lots of bright color which makes the cheesecakes so pretty.
Yes, you can freeze these cheesecakes. I recommend freezing them before adding the ganache or malt ball topping. Store double wrapped in foil and freezer bags. Thaw and enjoy within 6 weeks.
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Mini Malt Ball Cheesecakes
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 9 chocolate graham crackers whole
- 1 Tablespoon malted milk powder original flavor
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted
For the Cheesecake:
- 2 packages cream cheese, softened 8oz each
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 2 Tablespoons malted milk powder original flavor
For the Ganache:
- 2 cups milk chocolate morsels
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 cups malted milk balls chopped
Instructions
- In a food processor, pulse graham crackers until fine crumbs. Pulse in the malted milk powder and sugar. Using a fork, mix in the melted butter. Spoon about one tablespoon of crust into the bottom of 20-24 paper lined muffin cups. Press into bottom of paper liner using a tart shaper or bottom of cup. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla on high for about 2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating until fully incorporated. Beat in malted milk powder. Spoon filling into muffin cups until 2/3 full. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 18-22 minutes. Remove and cool on wire rack.
- When cooled, begin ganache. In a glass bowl, add heavy cream and microwave for 30 seconds, until warm. Add milk chocolate and heat an additional 60 seconds, stirring until smooth.
- Spoon about 1-2Tbsp onto each cooled cheesecake. Top with chopped malted milk balls. Refrigerate 2 hours or more, covered. ENJOY.
Notes
- Prep it Right: Set out ingredients about 10 minutes before baking to work with them at room temperature. Allow your oven to preheat while preparing your filling.
- Be Gentle: Do not over-beat. Over-stirring can add too much air into the batter, which can cause cheesecake to crack. Beat in eggs, one at time, on low speed until just blended.
- Practice Patience: Don’t peek! Opening the oven door while cheesecake is baking causes drafts that may lead to cracking.
- Malt Balls: When smashing them, be sure to not pulverize into crumbs. Big chunks are delicious!
- Storage: Keep cheesecakes in refrigerator until ready to serve. If freezing, do not add the candy. Malt balls do not freeze well.
Nutrition
For an Easter gathering, a baby shower or any springtime occasion, Mini Malt Ball Cheesecakes are a hit! Baked in individual cupcake wrappers, they’re easy to serve and even easier to love.
Are these regular cupcake size or mini? Thanks!
Wow, these look fantastic! I don’t think there could be a better combination of sweet ingredients 🙂
I’m hungry. I need that. Period
Ditto 🙂
You’re killing me here with my favorite robin eggs and chocolate ganache and cheesecake! I’m making these some time for sure. I want one right now!
Can’t go wrong with malted milk balls and chocolate ganache!!
Malted eggs on top of a bed of cheesecake?!!! GENIUS! Care to trade some cheesecake? 🙂
Oh if I had some left, YES. Your turtle version looks to die for!!!
So festive and pretty! Can’t go wrong with cute little cheesecakes!
And yes, I did know G.Reader is disappearing and I’ve tried other services and found one I like but as you said, following in other places will be important!
These cheesecakes look fantastic! I love that they are bite-sized so I wouldn’t have to bake an entire springform pan and take up valuable refrigerator space. Yum!
Those look perfect for Easter Aimee! I love malt balls and chocolate ganache….so gooood!
I was going to do something with malted eggs too, but since I’m down in Texas right now and the produce is so fresh, I decided to take advantage of it!
I love your creation…especially the ganache! Yum!
Love your cheesecakes, good choice going with the fresh produce!!!
Love cheesecake and ganache! I always make cheesecake on Easter. Maybe this year I will add a layer of ganache to the top! And I always use Philadelphia. You are right, store brands just are not the same.
Best motto ever…Bake. Eat. Repeat. 🙂 Cheesecake really should be it’s own food group because it is so dang delicious!!! I love how pretty and spring like your pictures are!!!
yeah, I don’t know where I heard that motto before 😉
Thanks for the sweet comment girlie.
The ganache on this. Oh yes.
I LOVE malted milk balls…especially the Easter egg ones. Love this idea…looks so scrumptious!
I love how colorful these are!
Bake, eat, repeat…sounds fantastic! I love blogging too…now if only I could quit my daytime job then I’d be set. But I’m with you in that I don’t make cheesecake nearly enough. Every time I eat it I tell myself to make it more often, and then I somehow always forget. These mini cheesecakes look delicious. Loving the chocolate graham cracker and malted powder crust and malt ball eggs on top!
Thanks Elaine 🙂 They were quite tasty, and I hear ya on the forgetting…so many other goodies to make!
Let’s be cheesecake bffs forever mmmmmmkay?
Deal. This still cracks me up 🙂
So pretty! I wish I had time to make these for my Easter dinner. Just may have to make them after hahaha. Love the tips you shared and yes the “silver” cream cheese is the best to use for anything requiring it. Off brands aren’t as creamy and I think the consistency isn’t the same either.
Oh I just want to pop these little guys right into my mouth! I love the “mini” aspect. Everyone gets their own…and you can eat as many as you want. Great tips too. I’m the worst about peeking!
I was a peeker too. That’s the other nice thing about minis with ganache, cracks are covered up 🙂
Aimee, I just saw these on FB…what a beautiful, Easter-y, springy treat to wake up to on my computer screen! I’m not a big candy eater, but love malt balls and of course cheesecake. These are just wonderful!
Thanks Carol, they really are a match made in Heaven 🙂