Bloody Eyeball Oreo Cheesecakes

These spooky little cheesecakes look impressively creepy but are ridiculously easy to put together. A whole Oreo makes an instant chocolate crust, raspberry preserves become a glossy “bloody” topping, and gummy eyeballs finish the job. Add some cute Halloween cupcake liners and you’re done.

Makes 12 individual cheesecakes

Ingredients

• 12 Oreo cookies
• 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• Pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup seedless raspberry preserves
• 1–2 tablespoons water, as needed
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice, optional
• 12 edible gummy eyeballs (you can sub candy eyeballs)
• Halloween paper cupcake liners

Directions

Prep the pan: Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with Halloween cupcake liners. Place one whole Oreo cookie in the bottom of each liner.

Make the cheesecake filling: Beat the softened cream cheese and sugar until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing just until incorporated after each addition. Mix in the vanilla, sour cream and salt until smooth. Avoid over-mixing once the eggs are added.

Fill and bake: Divide the cheesecake mixture evenly among the muffin cups, spooning it directly over the Oreos and filling each cup almost to the top. Bake for 17–20 minutes, until the edges are set but the centers still have a slight jiggle.

Chill: Allow the cheesecakes to cool in the pan for about 20 minutes, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until completely chilled and set.

Make the raspberry “blood”: Place the seedless raspberry preserves in a small microwave-safe bowl and warm briefly, just until easy to stir. Mix in 1 tablespoon of water and the lemon juice, if using. Add a little more water as needed until the preserves are smooth, glossy and spoonable, but still thick enough to stay on top of the cheesecakes.

Decorate: Spoon a small puddle of raspberry sauce into the center of each chilled cheesecake. Don’t worry about making the circles perfectly even — a few irregular edges and drips make them look much better for Halloween. Place one gummy eyeball in the center of each raspberry puddle.

Make-Ahead Tip

The cheesecakes can be baked and refrigerated a day ahead. Add the raspberry topping and candy eyeballs shortly before serving so everything looks fresh and the eyeballs maintain their consistency.

Decorating Tip

For a slightly bloodshot effect, use the tip of a toothpick to pull a few thin streaks of raspberry sauce outward from the center. Let the kids help — messy and creepy beats perfectly piped for these.

Maximum Halloween effect without maxing out on effort – exactly where I like a recipe to land.