Quark Mini Cheesecakes (German Käsekuchen)
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
These Quark Mini Cheesecakes or German Käsekuchen are delightful and surprisingly easy desserts. Perfect for brunch, afternoon tea, or dinner guests. Topped with fresh seasonal berries, they are incredibly delicious.

Want to save this recipe?
Enter your email, and we’ll send it to your inbox. Plus, you’ll get delicious new recipes from us every Friday!
My niece, who lives and teaches in Germany with her husband, recently asked me if I’d ever tried Quark. She had just made and posted to Instagram a beautiful cheesecake she’d just made in her southern German kitchen. Armed with a raving review of Luisa Weiss’ Russischer Zupfkuchen, I was on a mission to find Quark.
It was a surprisingly easy mission. My neighborhood Seattle-based Metropolitan Market was well stocked with quark. I also understand Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s carry it.

What is Quark?
Luisa Weiss explains, “Quark, a sour, fresh cheese that is often compared—erroneously, in my opinion—to ricotta, is essential to the German kitchen. Quark is sourer than ricotta and lighter, too, unless you are lucky enough to find a source for [the super thick] Sahnequark (cream Quark), in which case you should simply drizzle it with a little honey or fold in fresh berries, and dig in for a decadent treat.”
It’s also been described as “a spoonable cheese from Germany that’s poised to be the next high-protein, low-calorie hotshot in US dairy aisles.”
Ingredients for Quark Mini Cheesecakes
Ingredient measurements are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post, but here’s a list of what you will need to make these sweet bites!
Graham Crust
- Graham cracker crumbs
- Melted butter
- Granulated sugar
Cheesecake Filling
- Melted butter
- Quark cheese or cream cheese (full fat)
- Granulated sugar
- Large eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Cornstarch
For toppings, I like to add fresh fruit, like blackberries, and fresh mint sprigs are always a great choice.
How to Make Mini Quark Cheesecakes
Begin by preheating the oven to 325 degrees F and lining a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners, my preference being parchment paper muffin liners.
- Crust: Combine the graham crackers, melted butter and sugar. Spoon evenly into the 12 lined muffin cups, and tap down the crumbs using a 1/4 cup measure. Set aside.
- Filling: In a large bowl, beat together the melted butter, quark, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and cornstarch until smooth and creamy. Portion the batter into the 12 muffin cups.
- Baking: Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the center is mostly set. Turn the oven off and cool in the oven with the door ajar for 10 minutes. Remove to a metal rack to cool completely. The center will deflate slightly as it cools, making it perfect for the berry topping you’ll add just before serving. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Serving: Remove paper liners and top with fresh berries and fresh mint sprigs.
Healthy Benefits of Quark
Prevention Magazine says, “Like Greek yogurt, quark is ridiculously high in protein, packing up to 17 g or more per 6 ounces. It’s also just as high in good-for-you probiotics as the Greek stuff.”
Food Intolerance Network reports that quark is a great substitute cheese for those with lactose intolerance.

More Cheesecake Recipes to Try
SAVE THIS AND PIN IT FOR LATER!
If you are not already, you can follow me on Pinterest and keep up with me on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. If you make this recipe, I would love it if you would tag me in your photos and leave a star rating below!
To be notified of new recipes, subscribe to my e-mail list. It’s free, and you’ll also receive a free e-book of our reader’s favorite recipes.

Quark Mini Cheesecakes Recipe
Ingredients
Crust:
- 1 cup crushed graham cracker crumbs
- 2 tablespoons butter melted
- 1 tablespoon sugar
Filling:
- 1/2 cup butter melted (1 stick)
- 2 cups Quark
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 Large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Topping:
- 1 cup fresh berries
- mint sprigs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
- Combine the graham crackers, melted butter and sugar. Spoon evenly into the 12 lined muffin cups and using a 1/4 cup measure, tap down the crumbs. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat together the melted butter, quark, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and cornstarch until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Portion the batter into the 12 muffin cups.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the center is mostly set. Turn the oven off and cool in the oven with the door ajar for 10 minutes. Remove to a metal rack to cool completely. The center will deflate slightly as it cools making it perfect for the berry topping you’ll add just before serving. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.
- To serve, remove paper liners, top with fresh berries of choice and fresh mint sprigs.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.