Key Lime Cheesecake

4.89 from 9 votes

This key lime cheesecake is thick and creamy! Did I mention it has the perfect balance of sweet and tangy?! As far as the perfect summer dessert, this key lime cheesecake is the total package.

Prep Time20

Cook Time1 15

Chill Time8

Total Time9 35

Servings: servings

Author: Miranda Couse

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

Limes for Garnish: If the limes are damp, dry them off before adding them to the whipped cream.

Graham Crackers: You'll need about 11 to 12 sheets of graham crackers to make your own graham cracker crumbs for this recipe.

Storage: To store the cheesecake, cover it with plastic wrap or place in a cake container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Freezing: Once the cheesecake is firmed up, place it in an freezer container. You can also freeze the cheesecake in the springform pan and wrap it with 2 layers of plastic wrap and an extra layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.

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