I think burnt basque cheesecake is definitely my favourite type of cheesecake. It’s lighter and airier than New York-style cheesecake with a smooth custard-like texture, but also has this caramelised touch from the “burnt top” that makes it such an addictively delicious dessert. These mini Air Fryer Basque Cheesecakes are ridiculously easy to make with just four ingredients: cream cheese, sugar, eggs, and double cream. They cook in only 10 minutes, developing that signature deeply caramelised top while staying wonderfully creamy and custardy inside.
Making Basque cheesecake in the air fryer is particularly handy when you don’t want to switch on the oven. Also, making them in individual ramekins means they cook even faster. There’s no crust, no water bath, and no complicated cheesecake technique involved. Serve them slightly warm for an extra soft, custardy centre, or chill them for a firmer and richer cheesecake texture.
Why You’d Love This Mini Air Fryer Burnt Basque Cheesecake Recipe
- Only 4 ingredients – no flour, vanilla, lemon juice or other extras needed.
- 10-minute cook time – because these are individual cheesecakes rather than one large cake, they cook incredibly quickly.
- No oven required – perfect when you’re craving cheesecake but don’t want to heat up the whole kitchen.
- No water bath – unlike many traditional cheesecakes, Basque cheesecake is supposed to look rustic and deeply browned.
- Perfect individual portions – the ramekin-sized cheesecakes are great for dinner parties, date-night desserts or simply keeping portions small.
- Creamy, custardy centre – high heat gives you the signature caramelised exterior while keeping the middle soft and creamy.
What Is Basque Cheesecake?
Basque cheesecake is a crustless cheesecake known for its dramatically dark, caramelised top and soft, creamy centre. Unlike a classic New York cheesecake, there’s no biscuit crust and no need for a water bath. The cheesecake is baked at a relatively high temperature, which creates its signature deeply browned exterior while leaving the middle rich and custardy. It’s also commonly called Burnt Basque cheesecake or San Sebastian cheesecake, after the city in Spain’s Basque Country where the dessert originated. That makes it particularly well suited to the air fryer, where the circulating hot air helps brown the exterior quickly.
How to Make Mini Burnt Basque Cheesecake in an Air Fryer
Ingredients
- Cream Cheese – Use full-fat cream cheese for the richest flavour and creamiest texture. Philadelphia cream cheese preferred
- Sugar – regular granulated or caster sugar sweetens the cheesecake and helps create its caramelised exterior.
- Eggs – give the cheesecake structure while maintaining its soft, custardy texture. Adding them one at a time makes it easier to create a smooth batter.
- Double Cream – adds richness and helps create that luxuriously creamy Basque cheesecake centre.
Tips for the Best Air Fryer Basque Cheesecake
- You’re going to need an Air Fryer and a few baking ramekins for this recipe.
- When it comes to cream cheese, there’s no brand better than Philadelphia Cream Cheese. The brand of cheese you use will definitely impact the final flavours of the cake, as cream cheese is the main ingredient. Philadelphia Cream Cheese is the king of cream cheeses as it’s so creamy and smooth, and has a lovely little tangy taste to it. I really haven’t come across any better brands and would highly recommend that you use Philadelphia cream cheese for this recipe.
- Whisk in the eggs one at a time. You want to make sure that the eggs get properly emulsified into the mixture and avoid a lumpy texture. Crack one egg, mix until properly combined, before you mix in the other egg.
- Make sure you preheat the air fryer before cooking. It only takes about 2 minutes to preheat the air fryer, and it helps to bake the cake more evenly.
- When filling the ramekins with the cake batter, do not overfill them. The cake would rise a little during the cooking process, and it could be quite a headache to clean up the spillage in the air fryer.
- Burnt Basque Cheesecakes can be served either hot or cold, but we have a slight preference for the latter. We feel that, when chilled, there is a greater depth of cheese flavours.
Common Recipe FAQs
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Equipment
- 1 Air Fryer
- 5 Ramekins
Ingredients
- 180 g Cream Cheese Philadelphia cream cheese preferred
- 65 g Sugar
- 2 Eggs
- 85 ml Double Cream
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together cream cheese and sugar until creamy.180 g Cream Cheese, 65 g Sugar
- Whisk in eggs one at a time.2 Eggs
- Mix in double cream until combined.85 ml Double Cream
- Preheat air fryer to 200°C / 400℉. Line the ramekins with baking paper and divide the cake batter evenly across the ramekins.
- Cook the cakes for 10 minutes until the top is browned (i.e. slightly "burnt") and the cake appears jiggly.
- Allow to cool down before removing from the ramekins. Serve either hot or cold.
Notes
- Philadelphia Cream Cheese is known for delivering the best flavour and its creaminess, which plays a part in both flavour & texture on the final outcome of the cake. Hence, it’s recommended that you use Philadelphia Cream Cheese
- Only whisk in the eggs one at a time. This is to make sure that the eggs get properly emulsified into the mixture and avoid a lumpy texture. Crack in one egg, mix until properly combined before you mix in the other egg.
- Preheat the air fryer to ensure even cooking.
- Do not overfill the ramekins as the cake would rise a bit during the cooking process. You don’t want spillage inside your air fryer!
- Burnt Basque Cheesecake can be served either hot or cold. We do have a slight preference for it serving cold though as the flavours just offer more depth. Simply allow to cool down completely and then store in an air-tight container to chill in the fridge.
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Hi..ive baked this! Next time baked,will less the sugar to 55-60g to make it less sweet.Been searching recipe burnt cheese cake for a small serving and using airfryer to baked..Thanks for sharing the recipe!👍🏻😋
This sounds amazing, need to try this!