Description
Creamy Key Lime Cheesecake Bars bring zesty tropical flavors to your dessert table with minimal effort. Graham cracker crust and silky lime-infused filling create a refreshing treat you’ll crave all summer long.
Ingredients
Scale
Crust Ingredients:
- 1½ cups graham crackers (9–10 whole crackers)
- 5 tablespoons (75 milliliters) unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons (30 grams) granulated sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
Filling Ingredients:
- 8 ounces (226 grams) cream cheese, room temperature
- 14 ounces (397 grams) sweetened condensed milk
- ⅔ cup (160 milliliters) heavy whipping cream, cold
Flavor Ingredients:
- ½ cup (120 milliliters) key lime juice or regular lime juice
- 1 teaspoon lime zest
Instructions
- Pulse graham crackers, granulated sugar, ground cinnamon, and melted unsalted butter in a food processor until the mixture resembles coarse, damp breadcrumbs.
- Transfer the crumbly mixture into a 8 x 8 inches (20 x 20 centimeters) pan lined with aluminum foil, ensuring an even, compact layer across the bottom.
- Place the crust in the freezer to solidify while preparing the cheesecake filling.
- Whip heavy whipping cream in a medium mixing bowl using an electric mixer until stiff, voluminous peaks form and hold their shape.
- In a separate large bowl, beat softened cream cheese until velvety and completely smooth using a hand mixer.
- Incorporate sweetened condensed milk, freshly squeezed key lime juice, and finely grated key lime zest into the cream cheese mixture, blending until uniformly combined.
- Gently fold the whipped cream into the lime-cream cheese mixture, using a spatula and taking care not to deflate the airy cream.
- Carefully spread the creamy filling over the frozen graham cracker crust, creating an even surface.
- Cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 8 hours or overnight to allow the cheesecake to set completely.
- Alternatively, for faster setting, place the pan in the freezer for 3-4 hours before slicing into neat, rectangular bars.
Notes
- Upgrade your summer dessert game with these tangy, creamy no-bake key lime cheesecake bars that require zero oven time.
- Crushing graham crackers creates the perfect sandy texture for a crumbly, buttery crust that provides an ideal base for the zesty filling.
- Whipping cream to stiff peaks ensures a light, airy texture that makes the cheesecake filling impossibly smooth and decadent.
- Chilling overnight intensifies the key lime flavor and allows the bars to set completely, delivering maximum taste and ideal slicing consistency.
- Freezing can speed up the setting process, giving you delicious bars in just a few hours instead of waiting an entire night.
- Key lime juice and zest deliver a bright, citrusy punch that cuts through the rich cream cheese, creating a perfectly balanced tropical dessert.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: None
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 365 kcal
- Sugar: 28 g
- Sodium: 180 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg