Mini Cherry Cheesecakes

Ingredients

• 1 cup crushed vanilla wafers (about 30 wafers)
• 3 Tbsp. butter, melted
• 1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
• ⅓ cup sugar
• 2 tsp. lemon juice
• 1½ tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten

TOPPING

• 1 lb. pitted canned or frozen tart red cherries
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 Tbsp. cornstarch
• Red food coloring, optional

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Combine crumbs and butter; press gently onto bottoms of 12 foil-lined muffin cups. In another bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice and vanilla. Add egg; beat on low speed just until combined. Spoon over crusts.
2.  

   Bake until centers are almost set, 12-15 minutes. Cool completely.

3.  

   For topping, drain cherries, reserving ½ cup juice in a saucepan; discard remaining juice. To reserved juice, add cherries, sugar, cornstarch and, if desired, food coloring. Bring to a boil; cook until thickened, about 1 minute. Cool; spoon over cheesecakes. Refrigerate, covered, at least 2 hours.