Fried Cheesecake Bites (Aka the Ultimate Comfort Food)
"A crispy but tender outside with a slightly warm and gooey citrus cheesecake filling. I serve these with blueberry syrup on the side for dipping. I created this recipe for a dinner party I was having and wanted a unique dessert. These are crowd friendly and totally comfort food! I would encourage you to even make your own cheesecake with my flavorings and then use that as your cheesecake base. I'm a food purist and would have loved to do that, but time was not on my side so I had to settle for a ready made cheesecake filling (which I made flavor enhancements to), and this is that recipe. Either way, you are sure to enjoy these amazing little balls of deliciousness!"
photo by Dans La Lune
- Ready In:
- 4hrs 15mins
- Ingredients:
- 14
- Yields:
-
25-30 bites
- Serves:
- 4-6
ingredients
- 1 (24 ounce) container cheesecake filling (I use Philadelphia Ready to Eat cheesecake filling)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon Grand Marnier
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 teaspoons sugar
- 3 cups cinnamon flavored animal crackers (I use Cats Cookies from Trader Joes, the regular flavor)
- 1 cup flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 egg
- 1 1⁄4 cups milk
- vegetable oil (for deep frying)
- powdered sugar (optional)
- blueberry syrup (recipe below) (optional)
directions
- *Note - If you cannot find Cats Cookies from Trader Joes, simply use animal crackers and mix 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon with the crumbs.
- Empty the cheesecake filling into a large mixing bowl. Stir in the lemon zest, Grand Marnier, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 2 teaspoons of sugar. Mix until all ingredients are well blended.
- Prepare a cookie sheet lined with foil or parchment paper. With two spoons or with your hands make little balls using the cheesecake mixture. The size should be about the size of a cherry tomato (not grape tomato!).
- Place the balls in rows on the cookie sheet -- as many as you can fit. Don't worry about crowding them, just don't let them stick together. Put the sheet in the freezer for 2 - 3 hours.
- In the meantime, prepare your cookie crumbs. Place cookies (and cinnamon if using) in a large plastic zip top bag. Use a rolling pin or glass to crush cookies and make crumbs. Place crumbs in bowl and set aside.
- Close to the time you will remove the sheet from the freezer, prepare the batter using the flour, baking powder, egg, milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 2 teaspoons sugar. Whisk until mixture is well blended and mostly lump free.
- Heat a large deep pot with oil -- enough to go up the sides by about 3 - 4 inches. The oil should be heated to about 360 degrees. Use an attachable thermometer to ensure that this temperature is reached. If the oil is not hot enough, the balls will fall apart and melt everywhere. If too hot, they will brown very quickly and may burn.
- Make an assembly line of the cookie sheet, followed by the bowl of cookie crumbs, and then the batter.
- Pick up a cheesecake ball and gently roll it in the cookie crumbs, to cover most of the cheesecake, but not all. Then dip the cheesecake ball in the batter (you can use 2 spoons or your hands) and shake off excess gently.
- Drop ball in hot oil and wait for a very light brown color to appear. Roll the ball around to ensure even browning on all sides.
- Remove from oil with a slotted spoon and place cooked cheesecake balls on a plate lined with paper towels.
- Repeat until all are cooked. Then sprinkle lightly with powdered sugar and remove paper towels if you'd like a prettier presentation.
- Serve with a side of blueberry syrup. (RECIPE: One pint blueberries in a saucepan with 1/3 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon vanilla. Cook over medium heat for a few minutes until dark and shiny, constantly keeping berries moving by gently stirring or shaking the pan. Strain out the fruit and pour remaining syrup in a container).
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Reviews
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Followed your recipe and I came out with cheesecake goo. I DO NOT want cheesecake goo!!!!
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I'm half French and half Italian, so that means I love food, I love wine, and I love food with wine! I'm passionate about my cultures and it reflects in my cooking style. I love dishes with complexity, richness, and unique character. I prefer cooking the old fashioned way, with less technology and more elbow grease, but with a new baby I have to sometimes bite the bullet and go with some shortcuts. But for the record, I NEVER use Cool Whip, Crisco, or margarine because I love "whole" foods that are in their unadulterated state... like butter, fresh whipped cream, etc. The real stuff ALWAYS tastes better. Not to mention those substitutes are pretty close to being plastic.
As for my personal life, I have a 2 and a half year old girl named Sienna and an 8 month old girl named Mia. My husband and I love to enjoy a home cooked meal together and open a great bottle of red wine. My parents both are wonderful cooks. My father is a seasoning genius, and my mother makes everything taste delicious. They both instilled in me the love of food and the love of the art of food, and that every meal should be a celebrated occasion.
The cake used as my "icon" picture... a beautiful mocha genoise, was made by my mother, and is probably at the top of my list for amazing desserts. I would probably eat that for breakfast, lunch, and dinner if it were available to me. Mmmmmm.
I have traveled all over Europe and the United States, and also visited Morocco. Marrakesh is magical, France is inspiring, and I wish I could go back!
I have truly become a Zaar addict and love searching out the highest rated recipes to share with family and friends. Doing this has saved me a ton of money at the grocery store because I can plan out my meals for the week and make one trip instead of shopping everyday. I love crockpot meals not just for the simplicity, but slow cooking in my opinion brings out remarkable flavor and tenderness and allows ingredients to meld just so.
My rating system for recipes are as follows:
5 stars means it was FABULOUS and unique and I'll definitely be making it to impress my guests.
4 stars means it was great and I will be sure to make it again.
3 stars means it was good and served the purpose I needed but I may or may not make it again.
2 stars means I really didn't care for it and probably won't be making it again. It may not just be the taste, but other factors such as preparation involved and it's worth compared to the end result.
1 star means I really did not like this dish and will not make it again.
Thanks for your interest and hope you enjoy my recipes!
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I first saw this on Karen from Colorado's page... I love it!...
I didn't have potatoes, so I substituted rice.
I didn't have paprika, so I used another spice.
I didn't have tomato sauce, I used tomato paste;
A whole can, not a half can - I don't believe in waste.
A friend gave me the recipe; she said you couldn't beat it.
There must be something wrong with her, I couldn't even eat it!
