1. Preheat your oven to 325°F. Lightly grease a standard 24-cup mini muffin tin or use silicone liners for easy removal.
2. Carefully twist apart the Oreo cookies, reserving the cream filling in a small bowl. Place the cookie halves (without cream) into a food processor and pulse until finely ground, resembling coarse sand.
3. Press about a teaspoon of the Oreo crumbs into the bottom and up the sides of each muffin cup to form a sturdy crust. You want to pack it gently but firmly, like pressing biscuit dough into a pan back home.
4. In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add the reserved Oreo cream filling, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract. Beat until well combined and fluffy.
5. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the egg, sour cream, heavy cream, and flour until smooth. Slowly incorporate this mixture into the cream cheese batter, mixing until just combined. Overmixing can make the filling tough, so be gentle—just like folding peas into a pot of chicken stew.
6. Divide the cheesecake filling evenly among the Oreo crust-lined cups, filling each about 3/4 full.
7. Bake in the preheated oven for about 15-18 minutes, or until the edges are set but the centers still have a slight jiggle. This is key—the centers will firm up as they cool.
8. Remove from the oven and let them cool to room temperature on a wire rack. For best results, chill the cookie cups in the fridge for at least 2 hours to let the cheesecake filling firm up properly.
9. Before serving, garnish with fresh berries or a small mint leaf if you like, adding a splash of color much like Mama Lu’s blackberry jam would brighten a slice of cornbread.

One thing I learned from Mama Lu was patience in the kitchen—good things take time, and that final chill in the fridge makes all the difference in texture and flavor.