Key Lime Cheesecake
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This key lime cheesecake is a fun twist on the key lime pie and a cheesecake. It’s so thick, creamy, sweet, and tangy! It’s made with sweetened condensed milk and the best key lime juice that’s found in a bottle. As far as the perfect summer dessert, this key lime cheesecake is the total package.
The first time I made this key lime pie cheesecake, I baked it and let it cool in the oven like I normally do. The next day I was anxious to try it out to only figure out that I had never put it in the fridge. I wanted to eat it so bad but didn’t dare. I wasn’t up for a case of food poisoning.
I had even told my friend that I would bring her some of this key lime cheesecake recipe before realizing that it had never made it to the fridge. She was game for still trying it, but I wouldn’t take it down to her. Sometimes you just need to watch out for your friends.
Fresh limes not necessary for this key lime cheesecake
Did I just hear a gasp? You’re not going to believe this, but I used key lime juice out of the bottle and I recommend you do the same thing. Seriously. I used Nellie & Joe’s Key West Lime Juice for some time now and it never fails me. I can always find it either on Amazon or at my local Walmart.
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Key limes aren’t always that easy to come by at least not in upstate New York. I’ve used them but they’re so tiny and hard to find that I prefer the juice out of the bottle. I can’t say the same about lemons though.
I did use a regular lie to slice up and zest onto the cheesecake. You may want to grab 2 if you want to garnish your cheesecake the same way I did.
Why You’ll Love This Key Lime Cheesecake
- Bright, tangy key lime flavor
- Sweetened condensed milk for sweetness and creaminess
- A classic graham cracker crust that holds everything together
- Oh so refreshing!
Ingredients
See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for all ingredients and quantities.
Graham cracker crumbs – I like to buy the store-bought graham cracker crumbs, but you can easily make your own with graham crackers. You’ll need 11 to 12 sheets of crackers to make 1 3/4 cups. Pop them in a thick storage bag and crush them with a roller pin.
Cream cheese – Full-fat cream cheese works best. You don’t want to skimp on the fat when making cheesecake recipes. Make sure it’s at room temperature so it is easily creamed.
Key lime juice – Use Nellie & Joe’s key lime juice. It can be found at most grocery stores including Walmart.
Sweetened condensed milk – This really helps to add a smooth, extra creamy texture to the cheesecake along with some sweetness.
Substitutions and Variations
- While I highly recommend bottled key lime juice, you can use fresh key lime juice or regular lime juice.
- You can swap out the graham cracker crust for a vanilla wafer crust or shortbread crust. You can leave out the sugar.
- If you have any fresh limes, you can add the zest of 1 lime into the cheesecake for extra flavor.
NOTE: This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations
How to Make Key Lime Cheesecake
Prep Work: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F and line a 9.5-inch springform pan with a 3 inch wide parchment paper strip.
Step 1: In a medium bowl, stir together the graham crackers, sugar, and butter until the butter has coated the crumbs.
Step 2: Evenly press the graham cracker crust mixture into the prepared springform pan. Place in the fridge to firm up or bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes and let cool.
Step 3: In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese and granulated sugar with a hand mixer until smooth.
Step 4: Mix in the eggs one at a time and scrape down sides of the bowl.
Step 5: Mix in the lime juice and sweetened condensed milk just until incorporated.
Step 6: Pour the cheesecake batter into the prepared springform pan.
Step 7: Wrap the springform pan in two layers of heavy duty aluminum foil and place in a water bath. You can also do the 3 pan method where you place the springform pan with the cheesecake batter in it inside a slightly larger pan. Don’t add water to the pan as it will act as a barrier to protect the cheesecake from water.
Place both pans into a third, larger pan. Carefully pour the water inthe outer pan only, creating the water bath.
Step 8: Place in the oven and bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes. It can take longer. so check your cheesecake by giving it a gentle jiggle. The edges will be set up and shouldn’t move and the center should move slightly like set up jello. Once the cheesecake is done, let it cool in the oven with it turned off and the door cracked open. This allows the cheesecake to cool down slowly preventing any cracking.
Step 9: Chill in the refrigerator overnight before removing the springform pan and serving.
Tips for Success
- Make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature to prevent a lumpy cheesecake.
- Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl often for a smooth batter.
- Use a water bath for even baking and avoiding cracks.
- Don’t rush the cooling process. Cooling the cheesecake slowly prevents cracks and sinking.
- Chill overnight before removing the springform pan and serving.
How to Store and Freeze
To store this cheesecake, cover with plastic wrap or place in a cake container. Keep it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Can you freeze Key Lime Cheesecake?
You can freeze any cheesecake. You’ll need to remove it from the pan unless you’ve placed a piece of parchment paper under the crust and greased the sides of the pan to ensure it will easily pop out of the pan once it’s been frozen. If you removed it from the baking pan, place it on a parchment-lined baking sheet and pop it into the freezer until it’s firm. Gently push on the cheesecake to make sure it’s frozen pretty solid.
Once it’s frozen, wrap it in heavy-duty aluminum foil and place it in a freezer bag. I recommend having a freezer-container that will hold the cheesecake for a lot less hassle. I would say the maximum freeze time is 2 months. To thaw it, place it in the fridge overnight.
Recipe FAQs
Instead of using regular lime juice, key lime juice was used. So what’s the difference? Key limes tend to be more aromatic and have more of a floral juice. Key limes are also much smaller and the peels tend to have a more leathery feel to them. Lastly, you’ll find key limes in the grocery store only when they’re in season. That means you’re not going to find them in the middle of winter.
You will, however, find “regular” or Persian limes pretty much year around.
The answer is if you must.
The key lime cheesecake may be more tart with regular lime juice in it, so think about possibly adding more sugar. I haven’t tested it myself though, so I can’t tell you exact amounts or even if you will need it.
You’ll need to use gluten free graham crackers for this recipe.
More Lime Desserts to Try
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Key Lime Cheesecake
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Ingredients
Crust
- 1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 5 tablespoons butter, melted
Cheesecake
- 24 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 3/4 cup key lime juice
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
Whipped Cream
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- zest of 1 lime, for garnish
- 3 slices of lime, quartered
Instructions
Crust
- Preheat oven to 325. Spray the sides of a 9.5-inch springform pan with nonstick baking spray. Wrap the sides of the pan with a strip of parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl, add the 1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, and 5 tablespoons butter that’s melted. Stir until the butter coats all of the crumbs.
- Press the crumbs evenly into the bottom and up the sides of the prepared pan.
- Place in the oven and let bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool while you work on the cheesecake filling.
Cheesecake
- In a mixing bowl, add in the 24 ounces cream cheese and 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar. Beat with a hand mixer on medium until completely incorporated. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix again to avoid any lumps of cream cheese in your batter.
- Add in the 2 large eggs one at a time. Beat in each egg completely before adding the next. Scrape down the bowl after adding each egg.
- Add in the 3/4 cup key lime juice and 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk. Mix until incorporated.
- Just before adding the cheesecake mixture, line the outside of the springform pan with two layers of heavy-duty tin foil.
- Pour the cheesecake filling on top of the crust.
- Place the springform pan in a slightly larger baking pan. Fill the outer pan with about an inch of water.
- Place in the oven at 325 degrees and let bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until done. To make sure the cheesecake is done, gently give it a wiggle. If it slightly jiggles in JUST the middle like jello, then it’s done. If it jiggles all over, it needs to bake longer. Turn off the heat and crack the oven door slightly. Let it cool in the oven for 1 to 2 hours until it reaches room temperature and then place in the fridge to chill overnight.
Whipped Cream
- In a mixing bowl, add in the 3/4 cup heavy cream. Beat until soft peaks form.
- Add in the 2 tablespoons powdered sugar. Continue to beat until it becomes thick and stiff peaks form.
- Add the whipped cream into a piping bag with a 1M tip. Pipe the whipped cream on top of the cheesecake.
- Sprinkle the zest of 1 lime on top of the cheesecake.
- Add the quartered pieces of lime in between the swirls of whipped cream.
Notes
Nutrition
(Nutrition facts are an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietitian for special diet advice.)
I made this and took it to work to share with coworkers. It was so good I had several straight women offering to marry me if my fiance (now husband for the record) backed out on me lol
Ohhhh that’s it! This is now called the Marry me cheesecake!
I added macadamia nuts to the graham crackers and blitzed them up in the blender. Great recipe!
Thank you!
This key lime cheesecake recipe is one of the best deserts I’ve ever made.
Thanks for sharing.
That’s great to hear! I’m glad you liked it.
I’ve created a super simple cheesecake recipe that I’ve been using for 15+ years. However, when my nephew asked for a key lime cheesecake, I realized my base recipe wouldn’t work for that. So, I tried a yours and, wow! It turned out so silky smooth, tart, sweet, and it was also very simple to make. My version involves dumping the ingredients into a blender, pouring it into a store-bought graham cracker pie shell, and baking it and it’s delicious. But this recipe is delicious and thick. Well done! I’ve already adapted it to make various flavors like traditional, vanilla, cherry, and chocolate. Next, I plan to try a blood orange chocolate swirl!
I don’t have a 9.5 inch springform… I have a 9 or 10. Which is better to use?
Use a 9! I find having the cheesecake be a little thicker is better. I would just suggest baking the cheesecake for about 10 more minutes to ensure the center is set.