• Preheat oven to 300°F. Place the mini cheesecake pans on foil lined rimmed baking sheets. If using mini muffin or standard size muffin pans, line the pans with cupcake liners.

Make the Crust:

• In a small bowl, combine the cookie crumbs and melted butter. Divide into the cups of a mini cheesecake pan or mini muffin pan and press down.
  16 chocolate sandwich cookies, 3 tablespoons salted butter
• Bake the crust for 8 - 10 minutes until fragrant. Cool completely.

Make the Filling:

• In a small bowl, melt the bittersweet chocolate at 50% power in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, let cool.
  3 ounces bittersweet chocolate
• In another small bowl, stir together the coffee, espresso powder, and vanilla.
  2 tablespoons strong coffee or espresso, ½ tablespoon espresso powder, ½ teaspoon vanilla
• With the mixer on medium-high speed, beat the cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer until smooth. Reduce the speed to low and beat in the cocoa powder and sugar, scraping down the bowl occasionally.
  12 ounces cream cheese, 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, ½ cup sugar
• Beat in the coffee mixture. Increase speed to medium and add the eggs once at a time, beating well in between additions and scraping down the bowl.
  2 eggs
• Beat in the melted chocolate just until well mixed.

Bake the Cheesecakes:

• Scoop the batter into the wells of the mini cheesecake or mini muffin pan, filling each well ¾-way full. Bake for 15 - 25 minutes until the cheesecake is set.
• Set pans aside to cool to room temperature before removing from pan or refrigerating.

Add the Drizzle (optional):

• Carefully remove cooled cheesecakes from pans and place on top of a cooling rack lined with waxed paper.
• Melt chocolate at 50% power in 30-second intervals in the microwave, stirring between each interval. Transfer melted chocolate to a piping bag or a resealable gallon sized bag with a corner cut off.
  1 ounce bittersweet chocolate
• Drizzle melted chocolate over the top of each cheesecake.