Cookies and Cream Mini Cheesecakes

My son and his friend, who is away at college,  are always passing photos back and forth through text messaging. Some times they even pass photos of food they'd like to try. They both love to cook.
My son showed me a photo of Oreo Cheesecakes that his friend told him he'd love to try one day....so my son replied..."I'll get my mom to make them and I'll send you a pic of the real thing!"
I don't think I've ever made these before, so I went online and searched for a good recipe. This recipe, from Martha Stewart, is the one I decided to try....and I'm so happy I did!
Needless to say...my son sent a text picture to his friend "Haha....this is the real thing!", In which his friend replied "I'm jealous!"
So, guess what I'm making the next weekend his friend comes home from college.......

                 Cookies and Cream Mini Cheesecakes

a Martha Stewart recipe

Makes 30

This recipe CAN be cut in half!

42 Oreos, 30 left whole, and 12 coarsely chopped

2 lbs cream cheese, room temperature

1 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

4 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup sour cream

a pinch of salt

( I used 1/8 tsp) 

Preheat oven to 275*

Line muffin cups with paper liners.

Place one whole cookie in the bottom of each.

Beat Cream Cheese, on medium speed, until smooth, 

scraping down sides of bowl as needed. 

Gradually add sugar and mix until combined.

Add vanilla.

Drizzle in the eggs, a little bit at a time, 

beating until mixed well.

Beat in sour cream and salt. 

Stir in the cookie crumbs.

Pour batter in to cookie lined cups, 

filling each until almost to the top.

Bake 22 minutes, or until filling is set. 

Outsides should be still. 

Transfer to wire racks to cool, 

then refrigerate about 4 hours. 

They looked so pretty stacked up there like that, 

I almost talked myself out of cutting in to them....

But that moment didn't last long....

Just look at all the cookies and cream goodness!