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Hungry Happenings

Featuring Fun Food, Edible Crafts, Kid's Treats, Party Food, and Recipes for holidays and special occasions.

Conversation Heart Cheesecakes – A sweet Valentine’s Day dessert

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This Valentine’s Day tell your sweethearts how you feel by adding personalized messages to brightly colored, rich and creamy, Conversation Heart Cheesecakes. This fun twist on a holiday classic is sure to win the hearts of your loved ones.

This Valentine's Day tell your sweethearts how you feel by adding personalized messages to brightly colored, rich and creamy, Conversation Heart Cheesecakes. This fun twist on a holiday classic is sure to win the hearts of your loved ones.

I’ve heard people, including my husband, say, “I’ve never met a cheesecake I didn’t like.” Well, I can’t say the same.

I’ve been known to pay upwards of $10 for a slice of cheesecake and take one bite and shove it aside.

To me, cheesecake should be lusciously creamy and smooth with a bit of crunch from the graham cracker crust. I love when it just melts on my tongue. It should taste delicately rich with just a hint of tang from the cream cheese. I wont settle for dense, spongy, crumbly and or sour cheesecake; it better be good if I’m going to indulge.  If it’s not perfection, I don’t want it.

Do you feel the same?

Add personalized messages to your own homemade Conversation Heart Cheesecakes to serve at Valentine's Day.

Well, I have the perfect cheesecake recipe for you.

Many years ago, after many failed attempts at finding a cheesecake with just the right texture and taste, I discovered Tyler Florence’s Ultimate Cheesecake. It is the best I’ve ever tried.

I’ve used his cheesecake recipe dozens of times and my family and friends all rave out it.

You can imagine how they reacted when I turned that wonderful dessert into cute Conversation Heart Cheesecakes for Valentine’s Day.

Personalize your own brightly colored Conversation Heart Cheesecakes with messages for your sweetheart. Each lusciously cream dessert with surely win his/her heart.

Each sweet little dessert was brightly colored and personalized with a special message printed on the top just like the candy conversation hearts.

The cheesecake hearts made for the perfect ending to a lovely Valentine’s Day meal.

This Valentine's Day tell someone how much you care by sharing some Conversation Heart Cheesecakes.

These desserts are really fun to make and only take about an hour of actual prep time, but do require several hours, from start to finish. You need time to bake, cool, freeze, un-mold and decorate them before serving.

Each of the cheesecakes is colored pink, orange, yellow, blue, purple, and green using food coloring. You can use the liquid food coloring your find in the grocery stores or any icing or candy coloring you might have on hand. Just be aware that the color will intensify as the cheesecakes bake.

If you prefer to use natural coloring, you can either purchase bottles of natural food coloring or use fruit and vegetable purees.

naturally colored conversation heart cheesecakes

A few years after making my original Conversation Heart Cheesecakes, I created a batch of naturally colored conversation heart cheesecakes using fruit purees (pictured above.) The cheesecakes are flavored and colored with blueberries, raspberries, lemon, and orange/carrot.

If you enjoy fruit flavored cheesecakes, this is a wonderful, natural, alternative. They taste great and, although the colors are a bit more muted than the original cheesecakes, they look equally festive.

You will also notice, the lettering on those conversation heart cheesecakes is a lot nicer. Check out the other tutorial to see how to achieve this really clean look using cookie stamps.

Wilton Silicone Heart MoldTo make these heart shaped cheesecakes, you will need three Wilton Heart Shaped Silicone Molds. The molds are the perfect size to make an individual serving of cheesecake.

I only had 2 of the molds at the time I made these hearts and ended up using the extra cheesecake filling to make some mini cheesecake hearts. The bite sized treats were cute, but I would have preferred having 3 of the larger hearts in each of the six colors.

Check out the recipe to make these sweet little Conversation Heart Cheesecakes at HungryHappenings.com

Conversation Heart Cheesecakes

 Supplies Needed:

stand mixer or a mixing bowl and hand held mixer
rubber spatula
3 Wilton Heart Shaped Silicone Molds
fine tip paint brush (new or food only brush)
roasting pan big enough to fit your heart shaped molds

 

Roasting pan with flat rack insert.

You will need a water bath to bake your cheesecakes, so either place your roasting pan in the oven filled with enough water to go half way up the sides of your heart molds and allow the water to heat along with the oven or bring some water to a boil in a tea pot or the microwave then pour it in the bottom of the pan.

My roasting pan has a flat rack that fits inside. I set two heart molds on the rack, filled them, then used the handles to help me lower the molds into the hot water.

After the cheesecakes bake it’s so easy to lift them out and cool on the rack.

Use a silicone heart mold to create heart shaped cheesecakes for Valentine's Day.

Once you have your molds ready to fill, equally divide a mixture of graham cracker crumbs, butter and cinnamon in the bottom of the heart shaped cavities.

You’ll use about a tablespoon of crumb mixture in each heart cavity. Press the crumbs down making an even crust. Refrigerate until ready to fill with cheesecake mixture.

You can bake this crust for 8-10 minutes, if you want it to be a bit more crisp. Either way works fine.

Make the best cheesecake you've ever tasted using Tyler's Ultimate Cheesecake Recipe.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a mixing bowl using a hand held mixer, beat the cream cheese on medium high until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Be sure to scrape the cream cheese out of the mixing blade as well. You don’t want lumps in your cheesecake.

Add sugar and beat for one minute. Add eggs and beat until creamy, 1 to 2 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl once. Add the sour cream and vanilla and mix just to combine.

Color cheesecake filling to make Conversation Heart Cheesecakes.

Equally divide the filling among 6 bowls. Add food coloring to create the colors you’d like.

The colors will intensify a bit once baked, so make them a little less bright than you want them. I was not happy with how intense the blue cheesecakes turned out. I would only a few drops of blue.

Fill a heart shaped silicone mold with colorful cheesecake filling and turn them into Conversation Heart Cheesecakes.

Pour the colored cheesecake filling into the heart shaped cavities in your Wilton silicone molds. If you are using 3 heart molds and making 18 cheesecakes, equally divide each color among 3 hearts. The cavities will be a little over 3/4 full.

I filled mine completely, as I only made 12 of this size. I then used the remaining batter to make some mini hearts (see image below.)

Bake Conversation Heart Cheesecakes in a water bath.

Bake cheesecakes in a water bath for 18-22 minutes.

When baked thoroughly, the cheesecakes should still jiggle, but not look wet.

Notes:

  • Use a roasting pan with a removable rack to make it easier to remove cheesecakes.
  • You can set your heart molds in your roasting pan, then carefully pour boiling water around the heart molds.
  • If baking tiny cheesecakes, bake for 10-14 minutes.
  • If you bake one large heart shaped cheesecake, it should take between 42-50 minutes.

Bake brightly colored conversation heart cheesecakes in silicone molds.

Remove your baked cheesecakes from the oven and water bath and allow them to cool at room temperature for an hour.

Then cover the mold with a piece of paper towel and wrap in plastic wrap. Freeze for at least 2 hours or up to several weeks.

It’s easiest to remove the cheesecakes if they are frozen solid.

How to make heart shaped cheesecakes.

Remove from freezer, uncover, then push on the underside of each heart mold, releasing the cheesecakes.

Carefully lift them out of the mold. If they don’t pop right out, you need to freeze them longer.

How to make heart shaped cheesecakes.

To add the conversation heart phrases, squeeze a few drops of red food coloring into a small bowl. Use a fine tip paintbrush to paint the words onto each cheesecake heart.

Notes:

  • Traditional conversation heart sayings are printed in all capital letters.
  • Don’t worry if your words are off center, as many conversation hearts are printed that way.
  • If you have too much food coloring on your brush, your letters will bleed.
  • The food coloring will dry if you refrigerate your cheesecakes for a while.

How to make heart shaped cheesecakes.

Store in the refrigerator for up to several days or freeze for up to a month.

I suggest storing them in an airtight container. To keep the condensation from developing on the tops of the cheesecakes, set a piece of paper towel, that is larger than the container’s lid, across the underside of the lid. Close and seal. The moisture will get wicked up by the paper towel.

Items used to create this project that are available on Amazon.com (commission earned for sales)

  
 
Conversation Heart Cheesecakes
 
Save Print
Brightly colored heart shaped cheesecakes decorated to look like conversation hearts.
Created by:
Recipe type: Dessert
Makes: 18
Ingredients
Crust
  • 1 cup graham cracker crumbs (15 squares)
  • pinch of cinnamon
  • 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, melted
Cheesecake
  • 16 ounces (2 blocks) cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 pint (16 ounces) sour cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • food coloring - pink, purple, blue, green, yellow, and red
Instructions
  1. Fill a roasting pan with enough water to come half way up the sides of the silicone heart molds.
  2. Set pan in oven.
  3. Heat oven to 325 degree Fahrenheit.
  4. Mix together the graham cracker crumbs, cinnamon, and melted butter.
  5. Equally divide the crumbs among 18 heart shaped silicone mold cavities.
  6. Press the crumbs into an even layer and refrigerate until needed.
  7. Beat cream cheese until creamy and smooth.
  8. Add sugar and beat until incorporated.
  9. Beat in eggs then add sour cream and vanilla and mix just to combine.
  10. Equally divide batter into 6 bowls.
  11. Color one bowl of filling pink,another lavender, yellow, orange, green, and blue using food coloring.
  12. Equally divide each color of filling among 3 heart cavities.
  13. Bake cheesecakes in a water bath for 18-24 minutes until the edges look set but the center is jiggly but not wet.
  14. Remove from oven and water bath and allow to cool at room temperature for an hour.
  15. Freeze for at least two hours then remove and un-mold.
  16. Paint conversation heart phrases onto the tops of the cheesecakes using red food coloring.

Naturally colored Conversation Heart Cheesecakes are flavored with raspberries, lemon, blackberries and orange.

If you’d prefer a naturally colored version of this Conversation Heart Cheesecake recipe, check out my tutorial and recipe for heart cheesecakes colored using fruits and vegetables. In that tutorial I will show you how to imprint the words using stamps to make a nicer looking design on top of each cheesecake. 

UPDATE:

Here’s a video tutorial. You’ll notice I made pastel colored conversation heart cheesecakes. I used 1-3 drops of food coloring to create these pretty hearts.

If you like these, you might also like make some other fun food crafts for Valentine’s Day…

Have fun making food crafts and Valentine's Day treats. See recipes to make chocolates, cookies, cupcakes, and more at HungryHappenings.com.

Reese’s Cup Teddy Bear Cupcakes • Conversation Heart Piñata Cake
Creamy Coconut Candy Hearts • Chocolate Buckeye Bears
Mozzarella Cheese filled Heart Pastries • Sweet Chocolate Cherry Bombs
Warm Fuzzy Cake Balls and Cupcakes • You Make My Heart Roar Lion Cupcakes

If you recreate these Conversation Heart Cheesecakes for Valentine’s Day
be sure to link to this tutorial and send a picture to [email protected],
so I can  share it in my Readers’ Gallery.

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Thanks for sharing!

Comments

    • i love this idea! i only have one question, i live in colorado and have issues with baking in this altitude, any suggestions? Sites i can use to help get the hang of baking on the altitude?

    • Unfortunately, I've never done any baking at higher altitudes and don't know anything about it. I'm sure there are sites that can help, I just don't know of any. Sorry I'm no help with this one.

  5. These are beyond awesome! I mean, I am seriously in awe and just keep going back and forth over your pictures! This might actually make me break down and buy those silicone pans. And now I'm seeing the thumbnail up above for a Chocolate Caramel Apple Cauldron and my jaw just dropped again! I would love it if you would come link up to my party, and actually… let me know if you ever want to do a guest post! You could even repost this if you wanted to get some views! Off to pin it! http://www.aturtleslifeforme.com/2012/02/share-wow-wednesday.html

    • Hi Natalie. I'm so happy you found my blog and like my recipe ideas. I linked up and added your button to my Featured On/Linky page. I wish I had extra recipes to do guest posts, but I work on one idea at a time and spend 2-3 days working on each. I need to get ahead someday, so I can honor all the guest post requests I get. I'd be happy to re-post this recipe on your site next week, if you'd like. Thanks!

    • Hi Beth! I'm so sorry, but I just saw this reply now! Absolutely you can re-post this on my site (or if there's another post you wanted to promote more, I'm cool with that too!). Just let me know and if you're interested, send me the HTML code. I'm not too picky with making sure it's new content or anything! I figure, even an old post that's posted on a new site can get you more traffic! aturtleslifeforme at gmail dot com

  6. love! those are so adorable! awesome job!

  8. These are so cute – I really hope I can make some time to try these! I pinned this and am now following your blog & following on FB. It looks like you have tons of great ideas!

  10. I love these. They are so cute. I can't wait to make them for my family. I featured them on my blog tonight.

    • Thanks for the feature Laura! I'll add your button to my Featured On page. If you do make these for your family, be sure to send me a picture so I can feature it in my reader's gallery along with a link to your blog.

  11. OMG!!! I love your blog! Such creativity!! I am going to check out your book 🙂 Wow I can't wait to see all of your goodies! Do you sell them/have a bakery/online store? You go girl!! <3

    • OH, that is so nice to hear. I'm sure you'll love Hungry Halloween. It is packed with some really clever Halloween recipes. I do sell my goods in Ohio only – unfortunately I'm not allowed to sell out of state.

    • Thanks Beth. I hope you have a great weekend too. Good luck to your favorite team, if you're cheering anyone on at the Super Bowl. I'll probably be busy in the kitchen tomorrow. I don't have too many days left to get more Valentine's Day stuff made and posted.

  13. I too am pinning photo and link. Hope to make this for v-day. I love cheesecake too, but it has to be good! I have a great recipe handed down to me from a little ole italian lady in NY, a real NY cheesecake, really the only one I make. I will give this one a try.

    • The advantage to silicone is that is is pliable enough to turn inside out, which helps when removing the cheesecakes. I do think using disposable aluminum pans would work, you'd just have to cut the pans off with scissors and pull the pan away from the cakes. Let me know how it turns out and I'll share that suggestion.

  20. Theses look delicious and adorable! Thank you so much for sharing at Sharing Saturday! We look forward to seeing what you will share next week.

  22. Hi Beth – these are so darn cute! Love, love, love, love, love them!!! Fabulous photos too – so glad you documented the process for us. Will have to keep these in mind for the family – I make all kinds of cheeseake, but none as impressive as these little cuties.

    I'm off to check out more of your blog.

    🙂
    ButterYum

  26. Just saw these on foodgawker – they are AMAZING! I love the silicone molds – they're so easy to work with, but have never used ones for cheesecake. Thanks for the freezing tip for getting them out. Love, love these.

  28. I just found this page by accident and am glad that I did. I love baking cheesecakes and can't wait to try these. My daughter is getting married on March 31 with just a few friends and family so I thought I would make one for each of the guests. I will try them out on others first though just in case mine don't turn out like yours. lol I can't wait to go and check out the rest of your page. Thanks once again.

  33. This looks absolutely wonderful! I may attempt to make it for an upcoming Valentine's party and then I'll post pictures (and credit you, of course!) on my blog: welovefoodblog.com

  34. WOW! These are awesome! There are so many cheesecake possibilities with using different mold shapes! Love the colors!!!

    • Thanks so much Kristi. It's nice to hear how much my effort is appreciated. I spend more time than I ever imagined I would on my tutorials, but I love it. I linked up on your site and grabbed your button and added it to my Featured On/Linky page.

    • Oh Jill, you are so right. I am a total perfectionist. I spent a few hours this afternoon working on my next Valentine's Day recipe, but wasn't totally happy so I'm re-doing it again tomorrow. I'll be sure to stop by your linky party on Friday.

  41. I really want to make these. Is there something else I could use instead of a roasting pan? Or suggestions of where to buy one that is super expensive?

    • You just need a pan that is big enough to fit at least one of your heart shaped silicone molds. A 9"x13" casserole dish will work fine. If you don't have one of those, you can buy a tin foil roasting pan for a few dollars. You don't absolutely need to bake the cheesecakes in a water bath, but there are two reasons it's better to do so: the texture of your cheesecake will be creamier and the top of the cheesecake wont crack.

    • I just baked this without the water bath and it turned out just fine. I did one big hearth cheesecake for my boyfriend and he absolutely loved it! thank you very much for the recipe!

    • I just baked this without the water bath and it turned out just fine. I baked one big hearth cheesecake for my boyfriend and he absolutely loved it! Thank you for this amazing recipe and idea!

  44. oh that's such a lovely idea! i often color dought but i've never baked a colored cheesecake!
    i love it!

    I linked to your recipe on my blog – thanks for sharing!

    doro K.

    • Thank you and no, the cheesecakes were not difficult to get out of the mold because I froze them for a few hours. They really pop right out when you turn the silicone mold inside out. If you don't freeze them, you'll still be able to get them out, they just might not come out as perfectly.

  46. This is so cute, I'd love to do it, but my boys and hubby would have a hissy fit if I changed my recipe after all these years. they won't allow it. I tried a few times mixing things up a little with different flavors, etc., and they wouldn't eat it. Same with my deviled eggs – only the old way will work.

    • Hey, I'm with them, when you find a recipe you like, stick with it. Just use your cheesecake recipe for this project and I'm sure they'll love it. I'm picky about deviled eggs too, so I totally understand!

  48. Wow these are absolutely amazing! I've never seen anything like this, and how perfect for Valentine's Day! These look like they came straight from a page from a magazine! AMAZING!!!!

  49. Unbelievable!! This are perfectly amazing! I have never attempted a normal cheesecake much less something so fabulous…GREAT JOB!

  53. Thanks so much for sharing these amazing recipe at Taking A Timeout Thursday! I've had this repinned so many times….Just wanted to let you know that you are being featured this week! Thank you for the inspiration 🙂

  54. These are the cutest cheesecakes I have ever seen! I LOVE cheesecakes and can't wait to try a new recipe! Looking forward to making these for my hubby and 3 kiddos for Valentines Day! Thank you so much for this awesome idea!

    • Thank you so much Beth. I really appreciate being featured. This recipe has turned out to be my most popular one to date, by a huge margin. I am shocked and excited to see how many people have stopped by my blog to see the tutorial. I'll be sure to link up on your site.

  57. Your conversation cheesecakes are incredible! I've never seen this done before and that's a real shame because I LOVE cheesecake… I have featured this post in today's Friday Food Fetish roundup. Let me know if you have any objections and thanks for the inspiration

  59. These are so incredibly cute! I am so glad that I saw these before Valentine's day! I am definitely making them this weekend! Thanks for the awesome idea! =)

  61. These look amazing. Do you know of anywhere I can find the heart molds? Like in a store? maybe walmart? I would rather not buy online and pay for shipping.

    • Thanks for letting us know about the molds Susie. I appreciate it. I haven't been out shopping at all for Valentine's Day but figured Target might have something that would work – you can always count on them!

  63. dude. these. are. awesome.

    ….people think they're posting valentines day recipes??? holds nothing compared to this. THIS is a valentines day recipe. Well done!

  69. Love your blog! I fancy myself a baker and I can't wait to try your recipes! I adore cheesecake so I am tackling the conversation hearts this weekend!

  70. I made these yesterday and they turned out great. you definitely need to leave them in the freezer for the full two hours! also, you don't need much food coloring. thanks fir the great idea…I'm sure everyone will love them.

  71. I'm so happy to hear they turned out so well for you. Yeah, it is much easier to un-mold them if they are really frozen. You can even leave them in the freezer overnight or longer. I made my hearts pretty bright so they'd show up nicely in pictures, but I agree with you that you don't really need to add much food coloring in order to get nice pastel hearts. If you took pictures and would like to share them in my Reader's Gallery, send them to [email protected]

    • Thank you. If you have a 9"x13" casserole pan, you can set one of the heart molds down into it. You'll have to bake just one heart mold at a time that way, but that is fine. You can also set a baking sheet on the lowest rack in the oven and fill it with water then set the heart molds on the shelf above it. It's not a perfect option, but it will allow steam to fill the oven which will help the cakes bake without drying out.

    • Sorry I didn't respond sooner, I was out for the evening. If you are using a springform pan, you need to wrap the bottom of it with a few layers of tin foil to keep the water from entering the pan or set it in a pan that is just a bit bigger than the springform pan itself and set that bigger pan down into the water. I have even had success putting the pan of water in the oven on a rack below my cheesecake. I hope it worked out for you.

    • Your no-bake cheesecakes look great. Yeah, I don't think you'd have been able to get the cheesecakes out of a metal pan, so it was a good idea to do it the way you did. How did you get the words on the cakes? Did painting with food coloring work? I posted pictures in my Reader's Gallery. Thanks so much for sharing. I would love to be invited to one of your holiday dinners. You two look like you have so much fun in the kitchen together. I'm sure your guests have a ball at your parties.

    • We did do the painting with food coloring and it worked great. We just had to wipe off the paintbrush between letters as the soft cheesecake goo tended to accumulate on the brush fairly quickly. We used a flat, fairly stiff, small brush and gently dabbed it, like connect-the-dots. We have so much fun putting together holiday dinners 🙂 Thank you for inspiring us with your fantastic ideas. Your step-by-step instructions make everything seem more "do-able". (Oh, and we would love to have you at any of our dinners. Anytime you are in Lillooet lol!) 🙂

  85. Thanks for the tutorial, I just saw today, now I have to go buy the molds and try it. What a great idea.

  86. I made these yesterday and really knocked the socks off my dinner guests! Thank you thank you thank you for all the tips and your fabulous tutorial! I'm totally going to web-stalk you now. 🙂

  87. Beth, these are the cutest cheesecakes… EVER!!! I also have paid big bucks for a piece of cheesecake only to be disappointed. I feel your pain! 😀 I am pinning this! Thanks for sharing! 😀

    Stephanie Hill @ Ladywiththeredrocker.com

  88. These are the best ideas ever! My valentine and I are celebrating Saturday and the only molds I've been able to find are small metal ones – do you think if I smoothly lined them with buttered foil and froze them, I'd be able to lift them out alright?

    • Thank you Caitlin. I think you could get it to work. If you can find non-stick foil, that might work best, but buttered foil should work too. Once you remove the hearts from the pan, you can even use a knife or metal spatula to smooth out the sides of the cheesecakes. Just dip the spatula in hot water, dab with a paper towel, and run along the edges of the cakes. Good luck and let me know how they turn out for you.

  89. Can I make the batter and leave it in the fridge for a few hours? I want to make the hearts but I only have one pan. Would the batter be okay while the first pan bakes, cools and freezes? or could I half the recipe?

  90. I made this recipe tonight and it turned out beautifully! I only wished that I had a roasting pan with the handles like yours has. Mine worked fine though–just had to be extra careful. Thanks for sharing!! I also linked this page on my personal xanga page. Take care!

    • I'm happy to hear they turned out well for you. When I made these hearts and was pulling out my roasting pan, I went to take out the rack and realized it would work perfectly to hold the wiggly molds. As you found it isn't necessary, but it is nice to have. Thanks for linking this recipes on your xanga page (what is that by the way?)

  91. your idea started me on baking cheesecake hearts. its amazing 🙂 have yet to try the actual conversation hearts though, but will do so, when i get a hand on cheap food coloring stocks.

    i have the very same molds and would like to ask you the following:

    1. does the cinnamon stick to your molds? i have a problem taking the cinnamon smell off the molds. do you have a trick to clean it?

    2. waterstains: got lazy on drying one of the mold, and now, i have waterstains. do you know of a way to take them out?

    i hope you could help out. im planning to buy another set of silicone heart molds to be able to bake bigger batches, and i dunno if its an investment, or if im just throwing money away on inferior bakeware?

    thank you!
    anne nime

    • Hi Anne,

      I'm glad you've enjoyed making the cheesecake hearts.

      I have not used cinnamon directly on any of my molds but there is some cinnamon in the cheesecake crust. I haven't noticed that my molds smell of cinnamon nor have I ever had anything really stick to these molds. If your molds smell like cinnamon, you could try a few things to get rid of the smell. You could make a paste out of baking soda and water and scrub the mold with it, allow it to dry, then wash it off. If that doesn't work you could try rubbing the inside of the mold with lemon juice or perhaps some diluted bleach. I don't know if either will work, but they might be worth a try.

      As far as the water stains go, I do experience this all the time. Just take a damp paper towel and wipe them off or rewash them just before you plan to use them. The stains aren't permanent. I can wash my molds and they will look perfectly fine, then I store them and after time they get a white film on them, so I just always plan to wipe them clean before use.

      I just bought a shamrock mold and a bunny mold. I think they are great molds and have quite a collection.

    • Hi Aida, yes baking cheesecakes in a water bath helps the cakes bake evenly creating a really creamy texture throughout the entire cake. Being these are small cheesecakes, you could skip the water bath, but the edges will cook faster than the center.

  95. Hi, I've been trying to find a cheesecake idea that will really work for the mother's day brunch I'm planning, and these are just too adorable.
    I can't wait to make them
    I do however have one question, What is the appropriate cooking time if i were to make a dozen mini hearts rather than these medium sized ones?
    Please do let me know as soon as possible
    Thanks 🙂

  96. Hi! I am in the process of making these for the second time. I love them! They are so easy and delicious! I was always scared to attempt cheesecake before- but I absolutely love this recipe and will use it again and again! Love your website too! Thanks!

    • You could certainly bake cakes in the heart shaped silicone molds, You would just have to write the conversation heart phrases on with frosting, chocolate, or perhaps the food coloring, but I'm not sure how that would work. If you give it a try, I'd love to see a picture!

    • I think little hershey kisses or chocolate chips would be awesome for putting the phrases! Is there something else i could use other than the heart shaped silicone molds?

  98. This is such a cute idea, i want to do this for my fiance. Im going to take a box and made it look like the sweatheart box to put them in. What size mold did you use? 6'- 8'

  99. Love this cute idea. I want to do this for my fiance. Im going to make a box and make it look like the sweatheart box to put them in. What size mold did you use? 6'-8'

    • Sounds like a great idea. The Wilton silicone mold I used for this project has 6 heart shaped cavities and they are only about 3" wide. They make individual size cheesecakes, which is really nice. You could use a heart shaped springform pan, if you prefer, you just will have fewer hearts of various colors.

    • Hi Kaylee, I've not ever made cookie dough cheesecake, but you can bake anything in the silicone molds including cookies and cakes. If you want to have a cookie dough crust, just press the dough into the pan and bake as you would in your recipe. If you want the cookie dough to be uncooked, I really don't know how you would add it unless you make a no-bake cheesecake. If you do that, just freeze your no-bake cheesecake then you'll be able to push them out of the silicone molds.

  103. Sorry if my comment is going through twice–couldn't remember my google password, so not sure if it went through. Anyway, I would LOVE to make this recipe but I do not have a hand held mixer or a roasting pan (college life haha). could i hand mix the ingredients? and would a casserole dish be ok instead of a roasting pan? Thanks so much!

    • You can certainly make this recipe using just a mixing spoon or spatula, just be sure that the cream cheese and sugar are very well blended so you don't end up with lumps in your cheesecakes once you add the other ingredients. Any pan that will hold water and is larger than the silicone mold will work as well as a roasting pag. A cake pan or casserole dish will work just fine. Good luck with your cakes and have fun decorating them!

    • Hi! Well I almost fell over when I read your email today. You made my day!!!!! I just saw it on Pinterest randomly. No Martha does not follow lil ole me. You're an awesome talent and its fun to watch your star rise.

  108. Amen, to your words on Cheesecake. I too am VERY picky about my chessescake, if it does not meet my standards, I give it to my husband. My grandmother made the best cheesecake, which set my standards. I have her recipe and everyone raves about it! I love your hearts and I am going to make these for V-day! I just started a new link party and would love for you to come over and share your post or any social media sites. Talkin’ About Thursday – http://designeddecor.com/talkin-about-thursday-link-party4/
    [email protected]

  109. Beth,
    I am so impressed, Wow, these look yummy and cute and your pictures are great. I pinned and pinned and shared on goodle+. I would love for you to share on my link party Tuesday at http://www.memoriesbythemile.com
    Have a beautiful week. By the way I am a new follower and can't wait to follow you.
    Wanda Ann @ Memories by the Mile

  110. I just tried out this recipe and the cakes were absolutely delicious! However, the tops turned out uneven and unsuitable for writing on. Would you have any suggestions on how I could achieve perfect tops like the ones in your photos? Thanks, Beth!

    • Hi Krista,

      Sorry you had trouble with the tops of the cakes. The only reason I can think of that would cause this problem is if the cakes got too hot or were over baked. If you use a water bath the cakes should bake really evenly. Without the water bath they can rise in the middle and even crack.

    • That sounds a lot like what happened. Hmm, perhaps I didn't fill the roasting pan with enough water. I'll have to try again and see! Thank you!

    • PRIVET DOROGAYA BET…MNE OCHEN PONRAVILOS..SPASIBO.SKAJI POJALUSTA GRADUS DUXOVKI SKOLKO

  112. Hi,

    This might seem a bit random to you in terms of questions I ask, but just bare with me 🙂

    1. Is it possible for you to sell me the silicone moulds (heart-shaped) ones that you have, because i cant seem to find good ones online and in stores. And it would mean a lot to me if I could get my hands on them, because im planning something special and I require it. Please?

    In the recipe:

    2. when you say graham cracker crumbs, can I just use the biscuits that I normally use for cheesecakes? and can i have measurements in grams? because its easier for me to do things~

    3. how many grams is half a stick of butter?

    4. my oven doesnt go up to 300 degrees celcius…is there another temperature I could use that could work?

    5. what is the reason of having a water bath? because I've never made any cheesecakes with a water bath before.

    6. how do I change the cream cheese fillings into fruit purees? Because won't the purees be heavier than the cream cheese filling?

    Have a good day.
    Michelle

    • 1. You can buy the same silicone molds that I purchased from Amazon.com. They are made by Wilton and they work great. Click here and you'll go directly to the product page.

      2. You can use any type of biscuit or cookie for the crust.

      3. 1/2 stick of butter is 56.7 grams

      4.The oven temperature is 300 degrees fahrenheit or 148.889 in celcius

      5. Water baths help bake the cheesecake more evenly, so the finished cake is creamy and smooth. You can bake these cheesecakes without a water bath, but there is the possibility that the tops of your cakes will become uneven and bumpy and even crack.

      6. If you use fruit purees instead of cream cheese you will be making a completely different recipe. You might want to try making a fruit mousse.

      Hope this helps.

      Good luck and Happy Valentine's Day,

    • Yes, you can use heart shaped springform pans instead. There are a few things to consider. First make sure you wrap the bottom of each pan with a few layers of tin foil to keep the water from entering the pans. Second depending on the size of the pans, you'll need to watch how long you bake them. The total time will be different. A whole cake takes 45 minutes and the small heart cakes for 20-25 minutes, so you're cakes will take somewhere between 25-45 minutes. I hope this helps.

  116. First, these are absolutely adorable! I also agree with the cheesecake flavor/texture. I will say I was wholly unimpressed by a certain "Factory"'s cheesecake–especially for the price!! Anywho, I was thinking these would be perfect to send with hubby for his work's bake sale. Any suggestions on cute ways to package them so that they're manageable but also stay looking so pretty? Thanks in advance! (I was thinking maybe keep them in the mold and send them that way, then they could just be popped out as purchased?)

    • Hi Danielle,

      You can buy small bakery boxes from a restaurant supply store or from a craft store. I would not suggest sending them in the mold and having them popped out as purchased, as they really need to be frozen in order to come out really nicely. I've brought them places before and just put them in a Rubbermaid container, then used a spatula to lift them out of the container when I want to serve them.

  118. This looks wonderful! Definitely going to make them for my family.

    Just a quick question, is there any alternative to a water bath? I don't have a roasting pan with a tray that won't drown the cupcakes.

    Thank you!

    • Thanks, I'm glad you like them.

      If you don't have a pan to use for the water bath, the next best thing is to add a baking tray filled with water on the rack below the cheesecakes. It isn't a perfect solution, but it will at least add moisture to your oven.

  120. These look absolutely delicious! I really love cheesecake and these would be the perfect addition to the dessert table on Valentine's Day! Thanks for linking up to Family Fun Friday! You have so many delicious & adorable ideas!

  121. These are so adorable! I will be making a bunch of these (probably about 4 dozen) for my law school friends for V-day this week. I'm doing a test run as we speak! 🙂 I was able to pick up some similar silicone heart molds at Walmart for $3.50. They have a ruffle edge but are otherwise identical to the Wilton ones, and more inexpensive 🙂 I plan on putting these in Valetine-themed treat cups, wrapping them up in red saran wrap, and tying a fork to it with some white yarn. I am so excited to work on these! Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful idea!

  122. Hello,

    I really love this idea and I want to try it out for valentines day (: it's so cute and creative! I was just wondering if you think minis would come out as good if they were made with a non-bake cheesecake recipe. I don't have a large roast pan and I'm worried my heart tray will melt, I'd really appreciate your opinion and help ^^

    • I'm not sure how the no-bake cheesecake will work, but assume if you can get it frozen hard enough so that it comes out of the mold nicely, it will be fine. If you do make then, I'd love to hear how they turn out.

      If you use the baked cheesecake recipe, you can set your heart pan in a 9"x13" baking dish and fill it with water. You'll only be able to bake one heart tray at a time, but that is fine. If your heart tray is silicone, it won't melt. You can also just bake your cheesecakes without a water bath. The texture of the cakes will be less creamy, but still very good. Just be sure that you don't over bake then as the tops of the cakes can crack.

  124. oh my goodness im going to attempt to make these for this valentines day to surprise my boyfriend…might have a little trouble hiding them from him tho since he's off before me :/

    • HI Jasmine. The recipe you are looking at makes a New York Style Cheesecake which is a bit different than what I made. Once baked it will have a browned exterior and a creamy interior, so your colored hearts will look brown especially around the edges. I'm sure your recipe will work, I just don't know how you'll like the look of the cheesecake hearts. As far as baking them, I would say bake at 500 for 4 minutes, then reduce the temp and bake 12-15 minutes. Check the internal temperate of one of the cheesecakes to see how much more they need to be baked. Your oven won't cool down that much in that short amount of time and you don't want to over bake the cakes. You want them to reach an internal temperature of 150 degrees Fahrenheit. Your best bet would be to use a probe thermometer and put it in one of the cakes to monitor the temperature. Good luck.

  126. What if i only use 8 oz of sour cream (i think it's about 1 cup). That ingredient it's a little expensive here in my country… what can i used instead of another cyup of sour cream.

  127. What if i only use 8 oz. of soyur cream (i think it's about 1 cup). That ingredient it's a little two much expensive here in my country. What can i use instead of sour cream.

  128. What if i only use 8 oz. of soyur cream (i think it's about 1 cup). That ingredient it's a little two much expensive here in my country. What can i use instead of sour cream.

    • You could use thick yogurt (we call it Greek style yogurt) in place of some of the sour cream. It might change the flavor a bit, but should be a good substitute. If your yogurt is thin, pour it over a piece of cheese cloth or a linen towel and let it sit for 30-60 minutes allowing the excess moisture to drain off.

  129. Hello Beth, it's me again! I really want to make these cheesecakes for Valentines Day and but this is the recipe that I have always used. http://www.cookingforengineers.com/recipe/89/Cheesecake-Plain-New-York-Style
    I was just wondering if you could convert the cooking times for me, like you did for this one. I don't want to screw it up too bad.
    For instance, my recipe says bake at 500 degrees Fahrenheit for ten minutes and then for 140 minutes at 200 degrees. Since the cakes are so much smaller, these times would be way off. Do you think you could help me?
    Thanks for your time.
    -Jasmine

  130. These turned out wonderful!!! I only had one silicone heart tray to work with, so I only colored enough of the filling to make just more than six hearts. I will give these to my husband for Valentine's day. I used the rest to simply make a cheesecake, but I swirled the leftovers of each color into it! We'll have it tonight for Mardi Gras! So fun. Thank you again.

    • Hi Jen, I'm not sure you would be able to get the cheesecake out of the mold if it isn't flexible. The great thing about the silicone molds is that the cheesecakes, once frozen, can be pushed out of the mold, but the mold needs to bend.

    • Sorry to hear that Shaniqua. When I first attempted to make a cheesecake in a silicone mold, mine fell apart too. That's when I realized they need to be really frozen in order to pop out of the mold easily.

  134. Just made these today for my hubby for Valentine's Day! He LOOOOOVED them and thought they were adorable. For him he said they were the perfect bite size dessert. haha. Thank you soooo much for this recipe. It was super easy and fun to make. I found my molds at Joanns for those that haven't been able to find them.

  135. Hi, these are gorgeous! I am looking forward to trying your cheesecake recipe. I don't live in America, so how many grams is 1/2 a stick of butter?

  136. Hi,

    you convinced me at:
    "To me, cheesecake should be so lusciously creamy and smooth that it just melts in my mouth, and tastes delicately rich with just a hint of tang from the cream cheese"

    this looks great!
    Thanks for sharing:)

  142. This really is the best cheesecake recipe I had ever tried! I made some today, and they came out beautifully. (not as beautiful as yours, but they are super cute! and my husband love them! ) And they taste fantastic! Thank you so much for sharing the recipe!!!! x

  143. These are insanely adorable!! Can't wait to make these as a treat for my single girl friends!
    But before I get on that, where did you find the heart mold?

    Thanks!

    xx
    Erika

    • Thanks, Erika. I bought my molds from Amazon. There is a link at the end of the post. You can oftentimes find them at craft stores around Valentine's Day too. I've not been in any this month, but I've seen them at Michael's and JoAnn's in previous years. It's been a while but I've also seen them at Target and WalMart.

    • You can do it either way, but it's just a bit easier when they are frozen, as the coloring goes on really nicely that way.

  148. One day I'll make these, but until then I'll feature them on gift round up. The post should be live tonight sometime.
    ~Allie at craftyallieblog.com

  151. My sister loves these cheesecakes. She wants me to make them for her in the shape of a lion. Do you think they would do okay without the crust, so that I can have the design from the mold of the lion? And this might be dumb, but would it turn out okay if the crust was baked on top and not bottom?

  152. How long should I bake just one heart mold of 6? Okay to make days in advance and thaw out day before in fridge ? Does the writing stay intact when frozen or bleed?

    • The baking time should be the same. You can make these up to a month ahead, and keep frozen until the day before you need them. Then remove them from the molds and thaw in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve. The lettering bleeds just a little bit which makes it look like real conversation hearts. Have fun and Happy Valentine’s Day!

  153. Thank you so much! Great idea! I made these this past Friday for about 20 people and everyone loved them. I can’t tell you how happy it made me feel! Mil gracias!

    • That makes me so happy to know that you made these and shared them with so many people. I’m glad they were a hit. Happy Valentine’s Day.

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