Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place paper liners in the cups of two standard 12-cup muffin tins, and set aside.

Stir together cracker crumbs, melted butter, and 2 tablespoons sugar in a medium bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of the crumb mixture in bottom of each cup in muffin tin and divide any remaining crumbs among the cups. Press firmly. Bake until set, about 5 minutes. Let cool in tins on a wire rack. Leave oven on.

Put cream cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. With mixer on low-speed, add the sugar in a slow, steady stream.

Add salt and vanilla; mix until just combined, stopping to scrape the sides and bottom of bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing each until just combined (do not over mix) stopping to scrape after each egg.

Spoon about 3 tablespoons filling into each cup, again, dividing any remaining mixture among the rest. Drop the fruit spread or jam over the cakes, about a 1/2 teaspoon total on each cheesecake, in two or three places. With a wooden skewer or toothpick, swirl into filling.

Bake until set, 10 to 14 minutes. Let cool completely in tins before refrigerating.

notes:

• a small cup or glass works well to press out the crumb mixture.
• make these any flavor you’d like