Limoncello Cheesecake Cupcakes

Here is another delicious Golden Girls cheesecake recipe. The Golden Girls cookbook has provided a series of excellent cheesecakes, including this recipe. By making this recipe in a muffin tin, they are all set for immediate service. This lemony cheesecake is so delicious.

Limoncello is an intensely lemon alcohol that is often used as a palate cleanser. It can be enjoyed on its own or mixed with other ingredients. If you do not have limoncello, you could use more lemon juice or lemon extract in this recipe. I especially like the use of wafer cookies as a crust. The cookies, although hard, soften up when baked into the batter. 

Limoncello Cheesecake Cupcakes 

• 1 pound cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tsp. cornstarch
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 egg plus 1 egg yolk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 3 tbsp. limoncello
• zest and juice of one lemon
• vanilla wafer cookies

Line the compartments of a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper cupcake liners. Place a wafer cookie in each cup. Make the batter  by mixing the cream cheese, sugar, corn starch, and salt together until just creamy and lump-free. Beat in the egg and yolk. Blend in the heavy cream, limoncello, lemon juice and zest. Mix until well-blended. Spoon the batter into the cups. Place another wafer cookie on top of the batter. Bake at 325 for 10 minutes. Turn the pan around and bake for 5 to 10 minutes more. Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake cupcakes inside with the door open for about an hour. Chill the pan in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours. Enjoy!