Category: Desserts and Treats

Dinner and lunch are good, but life isn’t quite as enjoyable without something sweet. Some of these recipes are a single serving, some are small batch desserts and treats. The small batch recipes are half- or quarter-size cake recipes for cakes and brownies.  They are more than one serving, but just enough for one person to finish over the course of a few days.  In other words, no stale cake!

By the way, if you don’t have one, I do recommend getting a small baking dish to make these recipes.  A dish that’s about six inches square is perfect.

No mug cakes though.  I just don’t think they work well!

There are a couple of exceptions. The cheesecake and the chocolate mousse are full size recipes.

Single Serving Desserts

Poached Pears with Chocolate Sauce and Ice Cream

Cinnamon Sugar Bananas with Brandy

Small Batch Cakes and Desserts

Peach Crumble Recipe

Greek Yogurt Coffee Cake Recipe

Small Batch Cinnamon Sugar Apple Bread

Small Batch Chocolate Dessert Recipes

Small Batch Brownies with Cocoa Powder

Greek Yogurt Chocolate Cake

Poached Pears with Chocolate Sauce and Ice Cream

It’s the holiday season, so that means it’s also dessert season.  Whether you’re having company, or just treating yourself, this recipe for poached pears with chocolate sauce and ice cream is going to be a hit. The long name makes it sound kind of complicated, but it’s really easy.

First, you poach the pears by letting them simmer gently in a bit of sugar and water.  Let them cool off a bit, then put them on a plate with ice cream and drizzle chocolate syrup over them.  It feels like you’re doing something fancy for company, but you don’t have to share!

Pears were on sale this week (three pounds for only three dollars!), and I just couldn’t resist making this recipe.  I used Bosc pears  but Bartlett or Anjou will work just fine.

The pears were exceptionally sweet, and that plus the sugar, and the ice cream made the original recipe (from The New York Times cookbook), a bit cloying.  Sweet is good, but not that sweet, so I reduced the sugar.  The full amount of sugar is 1/4 cup.  Use that if your pears aren’t that good.  If you have sweet, juicy pears, cut the sugar by a teaspoon or two.




Substitutions and Variations for Poached Pears with Chocolate Sauce and Ice Cream

  • Sprinkle some sliced or slivered almonds on top of the pears
  • Poach the pears with a pinch of ginger and a slice of lemon
  • Make your own hot chocolate sauce: combine 1/2 C cocoa, 1 C sugar, 1 C light corn syrup, 1/2 C light cream, 1/4 tsp salt, and 3 tablespoons butter in a saucepan.  Cook on medium heat.  Stir the mixture constantly until it boils.  When it’s boiling merrily, you can cut back to stirring only occasionally. Let it boil for three minutes.  Take the pan off the burner and add  1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Serve the sauce warm over the pears.  You can store the rest in the refrigerator and serve it with more pears, or over ice cream. Or, be really decadent and serve it over small batch brownies.

More Dessert Recipes

pear dessert crepeEasy Pear Crepe Dessert Recipe for One Person

Dessert doesn’t have to be hard to be good. This one is ready in five minutes. The secret? That crepe isn’t a real crepe. Shhh. Don’t tell.

 

Rustic Pear Tart

Want sweets? Make this rustic pear tart. Warm, sweet, and fragrant with cinnamon, nutmeg, and a touch of ginger.

 

 

cinnamon sugar bananasCinnamon Sugar Bananas with Brandy

Got five minutes? You can make a fancy dessert. Rum, brandy, and cinnamon, plus gently heated bananas. Great by itself, or topped with ice cream.

 

Peach Crumble Recipe for One

Take advantage of juicy summer peaches and toss together this peach crumble topped with butter, cinnamon, and sugar.

 

cinnamon sugar apple breadSmall Batch Cinnamon Sugar Apple Bread

The perfect treat, downsized for one person. Packed with apples and finished off with a crackling cinnamon sugar topping.

 




Small Batch Cinnamon Sugar Apple Bread

It’s apple season! It’s also the time of year when it’s traditional to eat apples and honey (for a sweet Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year).  I brought a full batch of this cinnamon sugar apple bread to my brother’s house for the holiday. They gobbled it up! Pretty good, considering it was competing with mom’s New York cheesecake.

I originally planned to post the entire recipe, which I adapted from Cookies and Cups.  Then I remembered (duh), that this is the “single serving chef” blog, and the portions should be smaller!

I have reduced the sugar and the vanilla, because the original recipe was far too sweet for me. The result is a delicious, and easy to make, quick bread (think banana bread, but with apples rather than bananas), that’s full of apple flavor and topped with a sprinkling of cinnamon sugar.

If you can get them, use a Canville Blanc D’Hiver apple (which is a French tart apple). If not, Granny Smith, Mutsu, or GingerGold will work well. You want an apple that’s firm, crisp, and not too sweet.

I once accidentally made this with cayenne (!) instead of cinnamon. I mention it because it was much better than I would have expected.  I’m not sure I’d do it again deliberately, but it did give me an idea (see the substitutions section).




Substitutions and Variations for Cinnamon Sugar Apple Bread

  • Add 1/2 tsp ground ginger and the seeds from two cardamom pods for some extra warm spiciness (skip the extra topping)
  • Give it a bit of a kick with some brandy or Calvados
  • If you’re brave, or like spicy sweets, go for the cayenne
  • Top the bread with bourbon sauce (2 T bourbon, 1/4 C sugar, 2 T butter, heated in a small pan) instead of the cinnamon/sugar.

Tools for Small Batch Cinnamon Sugar Apple Bread

Wilton Mini Loaf Pan

I’m having a grand time with these mini loaf pans. They allow me to make “half-size recipes” without a lot of leftovers. And I don’t have to worry about having bread or cake going stale before I can finish it.  Just take a recipe for a single loaf of bread, divide the dough in half, and you have two mini-breads.  Perfect!

More Quick Bread and Fruit Dessert Recipes

cinnamon sugar bananasCinnamon Sugar Bananas with Brandy

A five-minute dessert that’s a real treat. Think streamlined Bananas Foster.  Great alone, or topped with ice cream.

 

easy one serving apple crisp recipeEasy One Serving Apple Crisp Recipe

You only need a single bowl to make this simple apple crisp.  It’s warm, spicy, sweet, and made with oatmeal. That makes it healthy. Right?

 

chocolate banana breadMini Chocolate Banana Bread

Plain banana bread is good. This is even better. It’s packed with rich, chocolatey goodness that takes ordinary banana bread to the next level.  Or, go all out and add chips too.

 

caramelized pineapple chunksCaramelized Pineapple Chunks for One Person

Cooking pineapple deepens the flavor and brings out the sweetness. Add chopped nuts for crunch. Dessert in minutes.

 




Peach Crumble Recipe for One

The peaches are particularly good this summer, so I’ve been buying them like a crazy woman. They’re so good, even my dad (who didn’t like peaches) was gobbling them down. Then, of course, I have to figure out what to do with them all! Some get eaten fresh (with lots of napkins). A few more went for chicken with peaches and basil. The rest get turned into this peach crumble recipe.

Traditionally, the difference between cobbler, crumble, and crisp was the topping.  Fruit cobblers had a biscuity topping (using an egg).  To make a crumble, you topped it with a butter and flour mixture (think coffee cake).  A fruit crisp topping had oats.  Now, it’s all mixed up and also seems to depend on what part of the country you live in.

Whatever you call it, peach crumble is easy to make. Just mix the peach base in one bowl and the crumble topping in another.  Since it’s a small portion, you don’t even have to pull out the mixer.




Substitutions and Variations for Peach Crumble

  • Use half peaches and half blueberries
  • Try nectarines or plums
  • Go back to the future and use apples (add a pinch of nutmeg)

Tools and Ingredients for Peach Crumble

HIC Porcelain Square Baking Dish 6.5- by 6.5- by 1-inch

Perfect for peach crumble, a small batch of brownies, or apple crisp. It’s heavy, well-made, and dishwasher-safe too. If you have extra crumble, you can heat it in the microwave right in the dish.

More Fruit Dessert Recipes for One

easy one serving apple crisp recipeEasy One Serving Apple Crisp Recipe

Just enough for one, with a crumbly sweet oatmeal mixture folded in (that makes it healthy, right?)

 

pear dessert crepePear Crepe Recipe for One

“Standard” crepes are hard. This isn’t. It’s not really a crepe at all. Still works, tastes great, and it’s easy!

 

cinnamon sugar bananasCinnamon Sugar Bananas with Brandy

Speaking of easy, if you have five minutes, you can make yourself a dessert. The splash of brandy (or rum) makes it elegant (even though you only need a few minutes to make it).

caramelized pineapple chunksCaramelized Pineapple Chunks for One Person

This can be fresh or canned (doesn’t matter).  Ready in minutes, just heat the pineapple slightly, add a little sugar, and sprinkle with chopped nuts.

 




One Ingredient Juice Popsicles

It doesn’t get any simpler than this. These one ingredient juice popsicles are refreshing, delicious and the perfect treat on a hot, hot summer’s day!

When I was a kid, my mom used to make us juice pops during the summer. She had some plastic molds with removable tops. You just pour in the juice, put the top on, wait a few hours, and voilà, a healthy, refreshing, frozen snack.

They were a big hit with the neighborhood kids too (who probably had no idea they were eating something good for them).

When I saw juice pops in the store as an adult, I initially got excited. Then I looked at the ingredients: water, high fructose corn syrup, artificial colors, potassium lord knows what.

Yech.

Simple, Easy One Ingredient Juice Popsicles

All you really need to make delicious juice pops is juice (and popsicle molds). That’s it. I’m putting this under dessert because it’s sweet, but really you can eat it any time you like.

I’ve used cranberry grape juice to make my juice pops, but any juice will do: grape, orange, pineapple. Sometimes mom would mix the flavors to make orange pineapple, or apple grape. There are far more options now, so you could make them with strawberry orange banana juice if you like.

If you want to get fancy, add a few slices of fruit to your juice popsicles.




Just pick your favorite juice flavor and start freezing!

Tools and Ingredients for Juice Pops

I have this set, but I don’t recommend it. It’s too hard to get one pop at a time! For better (or worse) they haven’t cracked or broken, so I can’t bring myself to replace them. I recommend you try the molds below instead.

 

Tovolo Groovy Popsicle Molds

This is the closest thing I can find to the molds mom had when I was a kid. Hers were plain, clear plastic, but these have grooves and pretty colors. Plus, unlike the set I currently have, it’s easy to get one pop at a time. Fill the molds, pop the top on and freeze. The waiting is the hardest part!

Zuko Quick Juice Pop Maker

If you really want to get fancy, try out this juice pop maker. Freeze the pop maker ahead of time, then add the ingredients, and you’ll get tasty pops in just 7 minutes. It doesn’t even need electricity.

Note that this will only work with sugar-sweetened pops (not sugar-free or artificial sweeteners)

 

More Dessert Recipes

strawberry banana yogurt popsicles plateStrawberry Banana Yogurt Popsicles

With a little more effort, and a few extra ingredients, you can make these refreshing strawberry banana popsicles.  Just the thing for a hot summer day.

 

frozen mango yogurt dessertFrozen Mango Yogurt Dessert Recipe Without an Ice Cream Machine

A cool, refreshing sweet treat that requires no special equipment to make.

 

banana smoothie for one

Banana Smoothie Recipe for One

An easy, quick snack when you don’t have time for a real meal. Or, have it with a salad for a light lunch.

 

cinnamon sugar bananasCinnamon Sugar Bananas with Brandy

An elegant dessert that only takes a few minutes to whip up.  Serve plain, sprinkle with chopped nuts, or go all out and top it with ice cream.

 




Greek Yogurt Coffee Cake Recipe for One

I was in the mood for something sweet with my morning coffee one weekend. After some thought, I settled on a Greek yogurt coffee cake.  The trouble was, I didn’t have a recipe I liked, and most of the small batch recipes for coffee cake I found were the sort of thing you make in a mug, which I didn’t want.

I have tried a few of those and did not like them. I wanted something made from scratch, in a real pan, in the oven.  That way, the flavors have time to meld, and the flour/sugar/fat can work their magic.

I found a great recipe for sour cream coffee cake muffins (for two), but that required a muffin pan. I got rid of mine because I never used it and it was taking up valuable kitchen space.  The funny thing is, she said she decided to make the recipe as muffins instead of a cake since most people have muffin tins. So, I had to revert to her original plan and make a single small batch dessert coffee cake instead!

I made a few other changes too.  The topping sounded delicious, but much too sweet for me, so I decided to cut the sugar she called for in half.




Next, since I have a Kitchenaid mixer, I only mixed the oil and sugar for two minutes, rather than four. Because I usually have Greek yogurt in the fridge, but not sour cream, or heavy cream, I used that instead. You can use the traditional sour cream if you prefer.

Because my mini baking pan is porcelain, and I didn’t want the batter to stick, buttered and floured it before I added the cake mixture.

Since I was baking a single, solid small cake instead of muffins, I also reduced the cooking temperature and increased the baking time slightly.

The result was a delicious, not too sweet, crumbly, cinnamony cake that was just perfect for a weekend treat.

Tools and Ingredients for Greek Yogurt Coffee Cake


Farberware Classic Stainless Steel 5/8-Quart Butter Warmer

This mini saucepan is great for melting butter, making a single cup of cocoa, or for filling in (in a pinch) when you’ve broken your French coffee press again (oy!).

 

HIC Porcelain Square Baking Dish 6.5- by 6.5- by 1-inch

I have been using this dish quite a lot. It’s great for this cake, for my small batch brownies, and a single serving of apple crisp. And, it’s dishwasher safe, if you have one. If there’s any leftover cake, the dish can also go in the microwave, if you want to reheat it.

More Small Batch Cake and Dessert Recipes

greek yogurt chocolate cakeGreek Yogurt Chocolate Cake

Triple chocolate (cake, chips, and ganache) cake that’s decadent, rich, but not too rich (it’s got yogurt!).  The ganache adds extra chocolatey oomph (and it’s easier than you might think).

chocolate banana breadMini Chocolate Banana Bread

Banana bread is good. This is even better. Serve as is, or topped with vanilla ice cream. Because you’re worth it.

 

cinnamon sugar apple breadSmall Batch Cinnamon Sugar Apple Bread

This is really snickerdoodle apple bread. Snickerdoodles are cinnamon sugar cookies. This recipe adds apples and transforms the cookies into a quick dessert bread. Much easier to make too.

Peach Crumble Recipe for One

Transform sweet, juicy summery peaches into a crumble dessert. You only need two bowls and the baking pan.

 

 




Small Batch Brownies with Cocoa Powder

There’s nothing like a fresh batch of warm, slightly gooey brownies to make a cold day seem more cheerful. The trouble is that most recipes make dozens of brownies, which is way too much! This recipe is for a small batch of brownies, made with cocoa powder. So, you don’t even have to go out and buy baking chocolate or special ingredients.

I made it in my new  favorite little baking dish (it’s about 6.5 inches square, instead of 8 or 10, so it’s perfect for baking small batches).

The other great thing about this recipe is that you only need one bowl to make it. Just put everything in the bowl, mix it all up, pour it in the dish, and bake.

I don’t know where the original recipe came from, but I did cut down the sugar a bit and change the sugar it used. As written, it called for all brown sugar. It also said to use an entire cup of sugar. I thought that was a bit much for a small portion, and I also thought that all brown sugar would be too sweet. I used half granulated sugar and half brown sugar, and reduced the total to 2/3 C (1/3 C each kind of sugar).

I still think that’s a bit sweet, so I may reduce it to 1/4C of each the next time. However, since I know I tend to like less sugar than many other people, I’ll leave the larger amount here in the recipe.





Tools and Ingredients for Small Batch Brownies with Cocoa Powder


First, you’ll need a small baking pan. Since this is a small-batch recipe, using a large one will likely cause the brownies to get overcooked and burn. It’s not just for brownies though. Use it for a small lasagna, for quiche, or to bake a small coffee cake.

The next important thing is the cocoa. Use a high quality brand, such as Cadbury or Droste if you can.


Cadbury Bournville Cocoa
This is what I used to make my brownies. It’s dark, rich, and delicious (makes great hot cocoa too). It is a bit pricey, but it lasts forever so long as you keep it in a cool, dark place, away from anything damp.


Nielsen-Massey Vanillas 8-oz. Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Extract

For this, or any other recipe that calls for it, make sure to use genuine vanilla. Not “vanilla flavored,” but the real thing. The artificial stuff is made from wood! It’s a large bottle, and since you don’t use much vanilla in most recipes, it should last a long time.

More Dessert Recipes

easy chocolate mousseEasy Chocolate Mousse

The absolute easiest mousse recipe I’ve ever seen. It’s got only five ingredients and there’s no need to separate eggs, use a double boiler or do anything else that’s difficult.

 

pear dessert crepePear Crepes

These crepes have a secret. They’re not really crepes at all. They’re something else entirely that works just as well and is a whole lot simpler to cook with.

 

cinnamon sugar bananasCinnamon Sugar Bananas

A super-easy dessert with some bananas, some warm seasonings, and a splash of brandy. Only takes a few minutes to make.

 

greek yogurt chocolate cakeGreek Yogurt Chocolate Cake

Is this decadent? Why yes it is. Sort of. There are three kinds of chocolate, it’s true. But, there’s also yogurt. And that’s healthy. So there.

 




Easy Pear Crepe Dessert Recipe for One Person

This easy pear crepe dessert recipe is ready in just a few minutes, without a lot of fuss and bother.  It’s nearly winter, the temperatures are dropping, and it’s the perfect time for a holiday treat.

The pears were still fresh at the greenmarket, so I pounced.

You’re probably wondering how the words “crepe” and easy go together. After all, crepes are a bit of a pain to make from scratch. It takes a bit of work to get going (even if you’re accustomed to it) and it’s not really practical to make just one.

The secret is that I didn’t use a standard crepe recipe, or even a crepe recipe at all.  I used a very thin, whole wheat tortilla instead.  That meant I could cook it quickly, and didn’t have to worry about extra crepes lying around.

The rest of the tortillas will be used for another day’s dessert, for wraps, and turkey enchiladas (next week’s recipe). And, since the tortilla is sturdier than a real crepe, it holds together better, and I can fill it with more pear! I haven’t tried it yet, but it might also work well with bananas.




Single Serving Pear Crepe Dessert Recipe Substitutions and Variations

  • try pear brandy instead of standard brandy
  • serve topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream
  • add a pinch of ginger to the cinnamon/pear/sugar mixture
  • drizzle the crepe with chocolate syrup

Tools and Ingredients for this Pear Crepe Dessert Recipe

oxo kitchen tongsoxo kitchen tongsKitchen tongs

These tongs are great for flipping tortillas, turning steaks, or transferring chicken or fish cutlets from pan to plates. They lock in place when you put them away, so they won’t take up lots of space in your drawer or gadget holder.

 

cuisinart skillet
Cuisinart Chef’s Classic Stainless 8-Inch Skillet

This is a classic, simple frying pan that’s just the right size for tortillas, a couple of fried eggs, fajitas, or vegetables. It’s not non-stick, but I found that my non-stick pans started peeling (!) and and didn’t hold up so I got rid of them. This is better. Turn the flame on, heat the pan, add the oil or butter, and then add your food. You can even put it in the oven (just don’t broil it).

Check out these Single Serving and Small Batch Pear Recipes

poached pears with chocolate sauce and ice creamPoached Pears with Chocolate Sauce and Ice Cream

Easy, and remarkably elegant. Gently cook the pears, then top with chocolate sauce and ice cream. Simple and delicious.

 

ginger pear bread

Small Batch Ginger Pear Bread

Pears with a bit of a kick. Baking the ginger transforms it from spicy to warm and mellow. A perfect complement to the sweet pears.

 

Rustic Pear Tart

Think pie, with a lot less work.  Make a quick dough, cut up the fruit, let it rest, and bake. Perfect for when pears are at their peak.

 

 




Easy Chocolate Mousse

I started making this easy chocolate mousse recipe when I was 14 or so. It’s now (cough, ahem, mumble) years later, and I’m still doing it.
The original recipe came from Seventeen magazine. It was so easy that I made it for my friends (even hosted a party) and served it to my parents.

This is still remembered today as the infamous, “Jodi, you make dinner tonight episode:” all my favorites — fettucine alfredo and chocolate mousse. 

I’ve now learned to make much more complicated desserts (chocolate and otherwise), but this easy recipe is still a big favorite.

The recipe is so easy, a kid can make it. You don’t have to separate eggs, or follow lots of complicated instructions. There are only 5 ingredients: a chocolate bar, heavy cream, water, vanilla, and an egg.

If you can boil water, you can make this chocolate mousse. The only tools you need are a blender, a measuring cup, a measuring spoon, and a spatula.

This page (which was originally on Squidoo) has the original recipe, along with several delicious variations. Scroll down to find the one you want.




Easy Chocolate Mousse Substitutions and Variations

  • Use a dark chocolate bar (like 70%) for an extra chocolate boost.
  • Freeze the mousse. It comes out like chocolate fudge ice cream.
  • Add raspberries or strawberries on top. If you freeze those too, they get even sweeter.
  • Garnish with shaved chocolate or chocolate sprinkles.
  • Serve layered in parfait glasses with whipped cream in-between.
  • Make it with coffee instead of water.
  • A splash of Kahlua or Amaretto might be fun too!

Get the Right Ingredients


Green & Black’s 70% Organic Chocolate Bars

Make your mousse extra special with Green & Black’s extra dark chocolate. It’s smooth, intense, and super-chocolatey. Use it in this recipe, or just eat one or two squares right out of the package. And, all that dark chocolate is actually good for you.


Nielsen-Massey Vanillas 8-oz. Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Extract

This vanilla from Nielsen-Massey is real vanilla. It costs more than standard vanilla because the plants are pollinated by hand. It takes 9 months for the beans to mature. After that, the beans must be immersed in an alcohol solution to eventually produce vanilla extract.

The fake stuff is cheaper. Want to know why? It’s because it’s made by soaking wood in alcohol. Who wants to eat wood?

More Chocolate Dessert Recipes

small batch brownies cocoa powderSmall Batch Brownies with Cocoa Powder

Rich, gooey brownies made with cocoa powder instead of chocolate. No melting needed, and no double boiler. Just right for one person.

 

greek yogurt chocolate cakeGreek Yogurt Chocolate Cake

Chocolate, chocolate, and more chocolate. The cake is chocolate, there’s chocolate chunks inside, and it’s got a chocolate ganache glaze on top.

 

single serving double dark chocolate pudding recipeSingle Serving Double Dark Chocolate Pudding Recipe

Exactly one serving of chocolate pudding. When you want a treat and don’t want to worry about leftovers.

 

chocolate banana bread

Mini Chocolate Banana Bread

Take banana bread to the next level by adding chocolate.  It’s rich, delicious, and not too sweet.

 




Cinnamon Sugar Bananas with Brandy

I first saw a cinnamon sugar banana recipe similar to this being passed around on Pinterest.  My initial thought was that the combination sounded delicious.

When I took a closer look, it had bananas, cinnamon, sugar, and olive oil spray?! Huh? Sorry, but they lost me there.  However the rest of it sounded good, so I decided to put my own spin on it.

First thing I did was to ditch the olive oil spray and replace it with butter.  I didn’t use a lot, only one teaspoon.  Next I thought a bit of brandy would add flavor and punch, and since I had a tiny bit left I added that too.

I usually buy a bottle of inexpensive brandy for this sort of thing, no sense using something expensive if it’s not necessary. On the other hand, if all you have is top shelf liquor, you won’t need much, so you don’t have to feel guilty about it.  And, it will likely taste even better.

So, a little butter, some cinnamon, a pinch of nutmeg, the banana, brandy, and just a touch of sugar and I had a delicious, easy dessert for one.

It was so good, I wanted to eat it again!

 




Cinnamon Sugar Bananas Variations

  • top your bananas with a scoop of vanilla ice cream
  • use dark rum instead of brandy
  • drizzle the bananas with a bit of chocolate syrup

More Banana Recipes

chocolate banana breadMini Chocolate Banana Bread

Ordinary banana bread is good. But why not add chocolate and make it even better.  Scaled perfectly for one person.

 

strawberry banana yogurt popsicles plateStrawberry Banana Yogurt Popsicles

When the summer heat hits, popsicles are the perfect sweet treat. Sweet, icy cold, and refreshing!

 

banana smoothie for oneBanana Smoothie Recipe for One

A banana, some nutmeg, and cinnamon, swirl it around and you’ve got a refreshing snack. Great with a salad for a light meal.

 




The World’s Best Cheesecake Recipe

The Best Cheesecake Recipe

My mom got this recipe for New York cheesecake from a family friend in the cream cheese business. It’s a home kitchen version of the original Lindy’s cheesecake – which has been a New York institution since 1921.

In fact, Lindy’s (along with Junior’s) made New York cheesecake famous. It’s got sour cream, cream cheese, and heavy cream, so it’s very rich and very creamy. Everyone who has tried it (friends, family, co-workers) says it’s the best cheesecake they ever had! When my brother got married, this recipe was the first one his wife asked for.

A few years ago, when I was visiting my friend Betsy, she served me cheesecake for breakfast. It was the best breakfast ever!

I had originally posted this recipe on Squidoo, but now that Squidoo is gone and I have my own blog, I have republished it here.




Use a Kitchenaid Mixer!

This cheesecake is thick and rich. You’ll need a Kitchenaid mixer or other powerful mixer to make it. A low-powered or hand-held mixer won’t work.

KitchenAid Five Quart Stand Mixer 

The reason this mixer works so well is because it has dual spinning action (planetary motion), which means it spins both on the beater’s axis, and around the bowl.  That means it mixes faster and you get more mixing power than ordinary mixers.  You also don’t have to keep scraping down the sides of the bowl. You spend less time mixing and more time enjoying your cheesecake.

Some poor fellow tried to make this recipe by hand. It took him two days to mix it! I bet his arm was awfully sore.

If you don’t already have one, you’ll need a springform pan. This one, by Calphalon,  is perfect for cheesecake. It’s extra thick to distribute heat evenly, so your cheesecake will cook properly. The fluted base means it won’t leak. Makes cooking cheesecake easy (and a lot less messy).

Best Cheesecake Recipe Toppings

You can eat your cheesecake plain, garnish it with fresh berries, or go all out and make a topping.

Blueberry Cheesecake Topping

1/2 C sugar
3 T cornstarch
1 pint fresh blueberries (or use frozen)
2 T lemon juice
1 T butter.
Combine everything except the butter in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat until it gets thick. Add the butter and let cool.

Raspberry Topping

2 C raspberries
1 C sugar
1 T cornstarch
Combine berries, sugar, and some water. Bring to a boil. Simmer for 3 minutes. In a separate, small bowl, mix the cornstarch and a little water. Add to the berry mixture. Cook, stirring, for five minutes, or until the sauce thickens.

Temperature control is critical when baking cheesecake. Too high, and your cake will be hard and dry, more likely to weep (pull out all the moisture) or crack; too low and it will fall apart. Get this thermometer to check your oven and make sure your cheesecake comes out perfect!

Chocolate Ganache Cheesecake Topping

1 C heavy cream
8 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
Melt chocolate and cream over very low heat (or use a double boiler). Stir constantly until smooth and thick. Pour it over a chilled cheesecake. Spread quickly before it hardens. Once the cake is covered with chocolate, return to the fridge to set. Keep any leftover ganache in the refrigerator, covered. If you want to reuse it, reheat it gently.

Strawberry Topping

1 pint strawberries
1/3 C sugar
1 tsp vanilla
Chop the strawberries. Set aside about 1/3. Add the remaining berries to a saucepan with the sugar and vanilla. Cook over medium high heat. Stir occasionally, until it thickens. Puree the mixture with an immersion blender (or use a regular blender). Then add the uncooked berries, and serve over your cake.




(Topping recipes adapted from Baking 911)

Cheesecake Baking Tips

Keep the oven door closed and it shouldn’t crack.
Cheesecake keeps well in the fridge and freezer.
Make it ahead and defrost when you need it.

 A Note on Measurements

For anyone confused about the measurements (why 1/2 pint instead of 1 cup), it’s because pints and cups are different depending on whether it’s a liquid or solid volume of measure (yeah, it’s confusing), so a half pint of sour cream is not the same quantity as a 1/2 pint of heavy cream.

It’s also easier to measure that way, since the heavy cream comes in half pints and the sour cream comes in pints (just pour the entire container of cream, or half the container of sour cream, into the mixture).

If you don’t have sour cream where you live, you can use crema salvadorena instead.

Cheesecake Cookbooks


Junior’s Cheesecake Cookbook: 50 To-Die-For Recipes of New York-Style Cheesecake

After Lindy’s, there’s Junior’s, born in Brooklyn, and now famous worldwide. This cookbook has recipes for all of Junior’s best-selling varieties, from Strawberry Swirl to Cappuccino to Peanut Butter and Jelly!


125 Best Cheesecake Recipes

Become the king or queen of cheesecake with the recipes from this book. One reader on Amazon said her cakes used to come out burned or grainy, but now, they’re perfect every time.


A Passion for Baking: Bake to celebrate, Bake to nourish, Bake for fun

Marcy Goldman’s book on everything from cheesecake to muffins and cookies. Who could resist a recipe with a name like Chocolate Eruption Cheesecake?

The Cook’s Illustrated Baking Book

This guide to all things baking tells you not only what to do, but why. For example, it explains how the temperature of your ingredients can affect the final result (particularly important in baking), and when to use different fats (oil, butter, shortening). Each step is easy to understand and follow, whether you’re a beginner or an expert.

More Ways to Use Your Kitchenaid

fresh pasta
mage thanks to Mack Male via Flickr cc 2.0 sa

Kitchenaid Pasta Recipes

There’s just nothing like making your own fresh pasta. It’s more tender than the dried version, and cooks much faster too.  It’s ideal for creamy or buttery sauces. Use it for alfredo, but skip the bolognese.

kitchenaid homemade breadKitchenaid Bread Recipes

The smell of freshly baking bread is enough to make anyone immediately hungry (even if you just ate). And, you don’t even need special tools.  Just use the beater (and/or the dough hook) packed with your mixer.  Instructions for baguettes, whole wheat, potato, challah, and more at the link.

bowl of ice cream
image thanks to JessicaFM

Kitchenaid Ice Cream Recipes 

Commercial ice cream is easy to buy, but it also tends to have fillers and thickeners (to keep the costs down). But, if you make your own, you don’t have to wonder exactly what’s in your ice cream. You’ll know, because you did it yourself. And you can make the exact flavor you want (like oreo, or double ginger).

How to Use Your Kitchenaid Mixer and Attachments

Just got your Kitchenaid, and not sure how to use it? This page will show you exactly what do to to make sausage, grind meat, bake cookies, and puree or shred your own veggies.