Best Key Lime Cheesecake Recipe

Mary and Brenda Maher

By Brenda & Mary

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Key Lime Cheesecake

Cheese lovers, I guess you guys must fall head over heels with cheesecakes. But hear me out; there is one thing that takes your favorite cheesecake up a notch – key lime juice! Imagine that citrusy, floral goodness cuts through the richness of cream cheese. A slice of heaven, I would say! The best part? You can whip up your key lime cheesecake at home without a fuss.

Why We’re All After This Key Lime Cheesecake

A feast for the taste buds: It might look like a key lime pie I’ve whipped up before. But let me tell you this: it treats you to a brand-new culinary delight of creamy cheese, perfectly balanced with a refreshing, citrusy touch. The golden-brown crust impresses us with its wonderful crunch, giving way to a cheesy indulgence with a subtle tangy hint that can melt in your mouth. Find yourself mouth-watering? I got you!

simple Key Lime Cheesecake

Perfect for any celebration: Throwing in a summer party? Count this cake in! What could pack more summery bliss than this key lime cheesecake? But don’t wait for a party –  a tangy-sweet slice is also a delightful pick-me-up on a spring day or a refreshing end to a hearty meal.

Incredibly simple to make: If you ask me how easy it is, it’s foolproof for even a beginner, I would say. With only 8 simple ingredients and a little effort, you can have a stunning key lime cheesecake on the table. If there’s one thing to complain about, it’s definitely the long chilling time. But trust me, the wait is well worth it!

9 Steps To Make The Best Key Lime Cheesecake

Make the graham cracker crust

Step 1

Let’s start off with the oven first! We need 2 oven racks for this deal: one in the center and the other in the lower position (for the water bath later). Then, dial the oven temperature to 350°F or 177°C and let it preheat. 

Step 2

Grab about 12 full sheets of graham crackers and blend them finely in a food processor. Don’t have any on hand? A mortar and pestle is your trusted friend here! Just get ready for some arm muscle, though.

Once those crackers transform into about 1 ½ cups of fine crumbs, pour them into a medium bowl. Whisk them with 5 tablespoons of melted butter and ¼ cup of granulated sugar until incorporated. Of course, the mixture won’t be silk smooth but kinda sandy.

make graham cracker

Step 3

Prepare a 9” springform pan; you don’t have to grease it. Pour the mixture into the pan and punch it down as tightly as possible so the crust won’t fall apart after baking. I usually use a flat-bottomed measuring cup to pack it down firmly, but your fingers can also get the job done.

Bake the crust for about 10 minutes, pop it out of the oven, and let it cool while moving on with the filling.

Pro tip: Press the crumb mixture firmly up the sides of the springform pan. This helps the crust meld with the cheesecake as it sets, preventing nasty cracks.

Whip up the filling

Step 4

Add 32 ounces of cream cheese and the sugar to a large bowl. Beat them well on medium-high for 2 minutes using a stand or handheld mixer with the paddle attachment. The mixture should turn out creamy and silk smooth by now.

Step 5

Whip up the filling

In the same bowl, toss in sour cream, lime juice, lime zest, and vanilla extract, and keep mixing on medium-high until combined. 

Dial the mixer down to medium, crack in one egg, and beat it until it gets cozy with the mix before adding another. Stop beating after finishing with the third egg.

Pro tip: Don’t ever overmix the cheesecake batter! The reason is simple: overbeating adds in too much air, which might rise excessively in the oven. You’ll end up with two scenarios: a mini volcano eruption or a sunken center after baking.

Step 6

It’s time for the batter and crust marriage! Gently pour the batter into the warm crust (still in the springform pan) and smooth out the top using a spoon or a silicone spatula.

Water bath

Okay, before diving into the fun part (or fussy for some), hear me out: a water bath is like a magical trick for our cheesecake. Filling the oven with steam helps the heat distribute more evenly, resulting in a creamy, crack-free cake in the end. Otherwise, the edges will turn brown faster while the center is still jiggly. They just collide, and bam! Your cheesecake cracks!

Step 7

Cover the springform pan with aluminum foil. Grab a large roasting pan or a metal baking pan (I use a 9×13” one) and put it aside. 

Pour enough water into a pot or a kettle (make sure it’s enough to fill up to 1 inch in the roasting pan) and bring it to a boil. 

Now, you have two options here.

Key Lime Cheesecake Water bath

Traditional water bath:

When the water heats up, place the wrapped springform pan inside the prepared roasting pan. Then, pour the boiling water into the pan and put it into the preheated oven. 

However, this way might allow some water to find its way into the cheesecake batter and make it soggy. So, be careful!

Simple water bath (my go-to):

Just place the prepared roasting/baking pan on the lower rack of the oven and fill it with 1 inch of boiling water. Put the cheesecake pan on the center rack and let the oven do its job. Easy, right?

Step 8

Bake the cake until the center sets but still has a slight jiggle when tapped. It usually takes me about 55 to 70 minutes. 

Turn the oven off and crack open the cheesecake a bit, allowing it to rest and cool for about 1 hour. Then, pop it out of the oven and let it cool completely on your counter. Now, give it a chilling session in the fridge for at least 4 hours, but I’d love to let it sit there overnight for a more refreshing and nuanced flavor.

Step 9

Use a thin, sharp knife, slice its blade all the way down the pan, and run it along the pan’s rim to loosen the cheesecake. Once loosened, carefully remove the springform pan sides and dress up your treat with your favorite toppings. I often pipe some stabilized whipped cream around the edge using a piping tip and some slices of fresh key limes for a picture-perfect look.

easy Key Lime Cheesecake
Best Key Lime Cheesecake

Now, slice it and dig in!

simple Key Lime Cheesecake
Key Lime Cheesecake cutting
make Key Lime Cheesecake

Pro tip: Use a sharp knife and dip it into warm water after each slice for clean cuts.

Notes

About key lime substitutes

Swapping regular limes for key limes won’t yield a similar flavor profile. Key limes add a more floral and aromatic note to the dessert. Lemons wouldn’t be quite the same, either. If you only have some lemons available in the kitchen, just go ahead with this lemon cheesecake recipe. Bottled key lime juice can work in a pinch if fresh key limes are not in season.

Use full-fat cream cheese

You know what the secret weapon for a creamy, smooth cheesecake without it crumbling? Full-fat cream cheese! It’s dense enough to set and hold its shape nicely after baking and chilling. Some folks ask me if they can use cream cheese spread or low-fat cream cheese instead. No, my friends, unless you want your dessert to collapse like a house of cards.

Freezing instructions

What if you want to whip up a luscious cheesecake for a future celebration? Just make it ahead and stash it in the freezer. After baking, let it cool completely and remove the pan rim, as I shared earlier, but keep the base for extra support! Double-wrap the cheesecake with plastic wrap and then aluminum foil. Now, into the freezer, it goes!

Don’t sweat if you have freed the cake from the pan! Carefully transfer it to a plate or a piece of firm cardboard lined with parchment paper. Cover it with plastic wrap and aluminum foil, and pop it in the freezer.

Use room-temperature ingredients

Cheesecake batter has a bad rap for being lumpy in the baking world, and getting those pesky lumps smooth is not an easy feat. Skip this baking disaster by letting ALL of your ingredients cool to room temp first. They will blend together like a dream, giving you a silky smooth batter that we all crave.

FAQs

My Cheesecake Still Cracks After The Water Bath. Why?

The cheesecake can crack for several reasons, like using cold ingredients, overbeating the batter, letting the cake cool too quickly, or opening the oven too much.

How To Defrost My Cheesecake?

Just let it thaw in the fridge overnight. Don’t uncover it, or extra moisture will mess up the cheesecake.

Can I Shorten The Chilling Time?

Patience is key here, my friends. That’s a cheesecake thing; it needs to be set in the fridge to give you the best flavor.

Hope you can nail it!

Discover More Unique Cake Recipes:

Key Lime Cheesecake

Key Lime Cheesecake

This key lime cheesecake lures you in with its floral, cheesy aroma at first sight, just to indulge in a creamy, silky smooth goodness with each bite. There is quite a long wait, but it’s definitely worth it. This easy recipe welcomes anyone!
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Course: Cake
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time: 7 hours 50 minutes
Servings: 16
Calories: 384kcal
Author: Brenda Maher

Ingredients

Crust

  • 12 full sheet graham crackers (1 ½ cups cracker crumbs)
  • 5 tbsp melted, unsalted butter
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar

Cheesecake filling

  • 32 ounces softened full-fat brick cream cheese at room temperature
  • 1 cup + 2 tbsp granulated sugar
  • ½ cup key lime juice
  • cup plain yogurt or sour cream, room temperature
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 2 ½ tsp key lime zest
  • 3 eggs, room temperature

Toppings (optional)

  • Stabilized whipped cream
  • Fresh berries
  • Key lime slices

Instructions

Graham cracker crust

  • Place one oven rack in the center and another in the lower position (for the water bath later). Warm up your oven to 350°F or 177°C.
  • Blend 12 full sheets of graham crackers in a food processor or using a mortar and pestle. It’ll yield about 1 ½ cups of fine cracker crumbs. Whisk them with 5 tablespoons of melted butter and ¼ cup of granulated sugar in a mixing bowl until incorporated.
  • Pour the crumb mixture into an ungreased 9-inch springform pan and press it down tightly using your hands or a flat-bottomed measuring cup.
  • Bake the crust for about 10 minutes, pop it out of the oven, and let it cool.

Whip up the filling

  • In a large bowl, beat 32 ounces of cream cheese and the sugar on medium-high for 2 minutes using a stand or handheld electric mixer with the paddle attachment.
  • In the same bowl, toss in sour cream, fresh lime juice, lime zest, and vanilla extract, and keep mixing on medium-high until combined.
  • Dial the mixer to medium, crack in one egg, and beat it until well blended before adding another. Stop beating after finishing with the third egg.
  • Gently pour the batter into the warm crust (still in the springform pan) and smooth out the top using a spoon or a silicone spatula.

Water bath

  • Cover the springform pan with aluminum foil. Grab a large roasting pan or a metal baking pan (I use a 9×13” one) and put it aside.
  • Pour enough water into a pot or a kettle (make sure it’s enough to fill up to 1 inch in the roasting pan) and bring it to a boil.
  • Traditional water bath: When the water heats up, place the wrapped springform pan inside the prepared roasting pan. Then, pour the boiling water into the pan and put it into the oven.
  • Simple water bath: Place the prepared roasting/baking pan on the lower rack of the oven and fill it with 1 inch of boiling water. Put the cheesecake pan on the center rack and let the oven do its job.
  • Bake the cake until the center sets but still has a slight jiggle when tapped, about 55 to 70 minutes.
  • Turn the oven off and crack open it a bit, allowing the cheesecake to rest and cool for about 1 hour. Then, pop it out of the oven and let it cool down completely on your counter. Refrigerate it for at least (preferably overnight).
  • Use a thin, sharp knife, slice its blade all the way down the pan, and run it along the pan’s rim to loosen the cheesecake. Once loosened, carefully remove the springform pan sides and dress up your treat with your favorite toppings. Slice it and dig in!

Notes

  • Key limes are really what makes this recipe shine; lemons or regular limes won’t give the same aromatic flavor.
  • Use full-fat cream cheese to hold its shape better.
  • Remove the rim of the pan or transfer it to a plate or piece of hard cardboard lined with parchment paper. Then, wrap the cake with plastic wrap and aluminum foil before freezing.
  • Use room-temperature ingredients to prevent cracks.

Nutrition

Calories: 384kcal | Carbohydrates: 27.9g | Protein: 7.6g | Fat: 26.4g | Saturated Fat: 15.3g | Cholesterol: 142mg | Sodium: 256mg | Potassium: 130mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 20g | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 9mg
Did you make this recipe?Mention @cakegirls or tag #cakegirls!

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Mary and Brenda Maher

Mary & Brenda Maher

Mary & Brenda Maher, are the founders of Cake Girls, a Chicago-based online baking shop specializing in cake supplies, party decor, and DIY cake tutorials. They are known for their elaborate and artistic cake creations, which have been featured on the Food Network Challenge and in a reality show, Amazing Wedding Cakes.

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