Preheat your oven to 325°F. Line two mini muffin tins (24 cups each) with mini foil-backed paper liners.

Crush the vanilla wafers in a food processor or place them in a zip-top bag and crush with a rolling pin until the crumbs are very fine. Add about ½ teaspoon of crumbs to the bottom of each liner and lightly press down to form the crust.

In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add the vanilla, then add eggs one at a time, mixing on low until just combined. Tip: If your batter is lumpy, your cheesecakes will bake lumpy too.

Spoon the batter into each cup, filling almost to the top. Gently tap the muffin pans on the counter a few times to release any air bubbles before baking. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the centers are set but still slightly soft.

Let cheesecakes cool completely in the pan (they will collapse a bit in the middle). Once cooled, spoon a little cherry pie filling onto each bite. Refrigerate until ready to serve.