It is eggless, creamy, full of Indian flavors, and the ultimate fusion dessert. This mini Gulab Jamun Cheesecake is easy to make, portable looks super cute, and will be a showstopper at your next party! Diwali is around the corner and I am sharing new and fusion recipes. This year, So far I have shared Chinese samosa, Schezwan Mathri, Pineapple jaljeera, Butterscotch burfi, and Dabeli dhokla! And now I am here with yet another fusion recipe – Eggless Mini Gulab Jamun cheesecake to share with you all. This recipe will surely light up your dessert table. The beauty of this recipe is, it can be made ahead of time.
About this recipe
Let’s start with gulab jamuns. Gulab jamun is a classic Indian dessert/sweet. The name comes from two words. Gulab means “rose” and refers to the rose syrup. Jamun is a kind of deep purple-colored Indian berry fruit, which the dark brown dumplings resemble after they’re cooked. The rose-flavored syrup gives the dessert a beautiful fragrance and makes it feel both decadent and very special. It is a favorite Indian sweet for most people. At parties, weddings, and even in Indian thalis, this Indian sweet happens to be one of the desserts served after the meals. Now let’s talk about cheesecake Cheesecake is a sweet dessert consisting of one or more layers. The main creamy layer consists of a mixture of soft, cream cheese, eggs, sour cream, and sugar. The bottom layer consists of a crust or base made from crushed graham crackers and butter. It is flavored in different ways. Vanilla, spices, lemon, chocolate, pumpkin, or other flavors are added to the main cheese layer. When you combine both, gulab jamun and cheesecake, you create a masterpiece! These both desserts go so well together and compliments well each other. Not only is this mini gulab jamun cheesecake insanely delicious but is also easy to make with very simple recipe instructions.
Why you will make this recipe?
It is packed with so many flavors.Indian-inspired and fusion Desserts are always a hit at all the parties.Individual servings, no need to slice and serve.Can be made ahead of time so perfect for any party or gathering.Perfectly Portable looks cute, festive, and adorable.One of the biggest advantages is – Portion control.
Ingredients required
For crust
Graham crackers – Use original graham crackers (without any flavors). You can also use Parle-G or digestive biscuits. I have used a food processor to crush the crackers as it’s the easiest and quickest way to get your cheesecake base ready.Butter – Salted or unsalted can be used. Make sure the butter is melted.
For Cheesecake filling
Cream cheese – the base of the recipe. Please use regular cream cheese only, do not use light or fat-free cream cheese.Sour cream – Even sour cream adds moisture to the cheesecake. It also adds a little bit of sour tang.Whipping cream – Adds some moisture. It also enhances the cake’s velvety texture.Corn starch – Adding a small amount of cornstarch to the cheesecake improves the texture, makes the cheesecake more firm and sturdy and prevents the cheesecake from cracking without changing the flavor.Sugar – I have used Organic granulated sugar. You may use powdered sugar too. Add or less according to your taste.Flavoring – for the flavorings, I have used rose essence, saffron, and cardamom powder.
Other ingredients
Gulab jamuns – You can either make them from scratch or use good quality store-bought ones. If you want to make them, don’t forget to check out my very detailed gulab jamun recipe post.Garnishing – Finish the dessert with chopped nuts, dried rose petals, and silver varq if you like.
Step by step process
Pre-prep
Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line 12-count 2 muffin pans with cupcake liners and set aside.Take out all the ingredients from the fridge 1 hour in advance. All the ingredients should be at room temperature.Place the gulab jamun on a mesh strainer to drain excess syrup.
For Crust
Using a food processor, pulse crackers until their sand-like textureAdd butter and pulse a few times until all of the crumbs are moistened.Evenly distribute (around 1 and ¼ tbsp) the mixture between all 22 to 24 liners and firmly press it down into one even layer with the help of a bowl or muddle.Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and let it cool down.Keep oven temperature at 350°F (180°C).
For Cheesecake filling
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer, mix the cream cheese and sugar until smooth and creamy.Note – Please note – do not use a wired balloon whisk for making the batter.Add the heavy cream, sour cream, corn starch, cardamom powder, rose essence, saffron, and mix until fully combined, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.Evenly distribute the batter (about 2 and ½ tbsp) with the help of an ice-cream scooper between all liners in the cupcake pan, filling each one ¾. (Make sure to fill only ¾, don’t fill full. We need some room for gulab jamun).
Place one gulab jamun in the middle of each cup. (If your gulab jamuns are too big, cut it into half and place it in the middle).
Place the cupcake pan into the oven.Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 18-20 minutes or until the cheesecakes are set. It took 20 minutes for me to bake them.Remove from the oven and allow cooling in the pan for 1 hour.Important Note – You will need a couple of muffin trays to make 24 Gulab Jamun cheesecake. If you have only one, you need to wait at least an hour to bake the next batch. Don’t remove baked cheesecake for at least an hour.
Carefully remove from the pan and chill in the refrigerator for 3 hours or overnight. Don’t remove the liners at this point.Once they are set and you are ready to serve, remove the liners and garnish them with your choice of nuts, rose petals, and silver varq. Enjoy!
Always work with room-temperature ingredients.Don’t mix the batter for too long. The longer you mix the cheesecake batter, the batter becomes too runny and may cause the cheesecake to crack.Please note – do not use a wired balloon whisk for making the batter.Wait… Wait and Wait until cheesecake sets and chill completely in refrigerator, minimum about 3 hours or overnight.If you eat the cheesecake before chilling, it will have a flan kind of texture. And you will think that you have done something wrong or this recipe is not worth trying. So if you want velvety, creamy, and lush cheesecake, Please let it chill overnight before cutting it.Cheesecake is done when it looks slightly underdone. You’ll see the edges set, while the centers appear jiggly. As it cools, the cheesecake will continue to set.
How to make in Instant Pot?
To make mini cheesecake in the instant pot, I prefer to use 4 oz or 6 oz mason jars.Take 20 4 oz. Mason Jars.Press the crust mixture into the bottom of the mason jars, about 1 ½ tablespoon crust mixture in each jar.Pour the cheesecake mixture on top of the crust, about 3 tablespoon cheesecake mixture in each jar, smooth the top, and tap once or twice on a palm to get rid of any air bubbles. DON’T OVERFILL YOUR MASON JARS, JUST FILL ¾.Place 1 gulab jamun in each jar, cover Mason them with aluminum foil.Place a trivet in the inner pot of the Instant Pot.Add 2 cups of water.Now place 5 to 6 Mason Jars in Instant Pot. I prefer cooking jar cheesecake in small batches.Cover the Instant pot with a lid. Make sure the vent is sealed.Set the Instant Pot Manual High for 15 minutes.Once done, turn off the Instant Pot and let the pressure release naturally.Take out the mason jars, let them rest for 20 minutes, and refrigerate them for at least 2 hours.Do the same process with the remaining ones. Add water in the pot if needed.
How to bake in Springform Pan?
Use 9-inch springform pan.Place the pan on a foil square cut out and wrap it roughly around the pan.This will ensure that the water doesn’t seep into the pan.Prepare the crust and the cheesecake filling according to the recipe. Press the crust mixture evenly in the prepared pan. Use a small bowl to press it down firmly. Now, bake this at @350 degrees F. for about 10 minutes. Let it cool down.Then arrange gulab jamuns on the baked crust and fill the pan with cheesecake filling and gently tap the tray to remove the air bubbles.Now fill another baking tray with boiling water to about one-two inches, place the springform pan in it and bake the gulab jamun cheesecake in a preheated oven @350 degrees F for 50 to 60 minutes.Take it out and let it cool down for about 2 hours. Then refrigerate it for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight.Garnish it and enjoy!
More Fusion dessert recipes
No-Bake Shrikhand TartEggless Chocolate Lava CakeStrawberry Cheesecake TacosThandai Melting Moment Butter CookiesRasmalai Cake Jars
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