Say hello to my beloved No-Bake Key Lime Cheesecake! This is the summer dessert I make more than any other for potlucks, cookouts, and just generally hot, humid days. I’ve brought this to teacher celebrations, soccer hangouts, you name it — I’ve served this family-style dessert!
If you’re planning to make them for a smaller crowd, check out these key lime cheesecake parfaits. The same recipe, but scaled down for individual (and adorable) servings.
So what makes this dessert so great? Man, I’m so glad you asked!
- Make-ahead friendly, which as we all know is a lifesaver when entertaining.
- An intense fresh lime taste that is perfectly balanced with the sweet cream cheese filling. It’s 100% not lacking in flavor!
- Impossibly creamy and perfect on hot days.
A little goes a long way, so serve yourself a slice or simply grab a spoon and take a few bites straight out of the container! No judgment here.
For more cool summer treats, try my Southern coconut cream pie, homemade strawberry shortcakes, or this easy banana pudding next. Or check out all of our easy dessert recipes!
What You’ll Need
- Graham cracker crumbs: you can pulse graham crackers yourself or buy the pre-packaged crumbs. Either way, they’ll get mixed with melted butter, sugar, and kosher salt.
- To make the key lime cheesecake filling, you’ll need cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, fresh lime juice and zest, and a little vanilla extract.
Ingredient Notes
- Graham crackers: You can use either honey or cinnamon graham crackers for this recipe. Go with your heart!
- You must use fresh lime juice. I’m sorry, but this is non-negotiable. The flavor will not be the same if you use pre-packaged lime juice.
- Sweetened condensed milk: If all you have is evaporated milk, you can use that instead, but you’ll want to add a little more sugar or sweetener to the filling to balance the flavors.
Easy Instructions
- Make the graham cracker crumbs. Simply mix together ground up graham crackers, melted unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and kosher salt. The crumbs should resemble wet sand and be evenly coated with butter.
- Whip heavy cream until stiff peaks form. I like to do this in a stand mixer, then transfer to a separate bowl. Switch out the whisk attachment for the beater for this next step.
- Make the key lime cheesecake filling. To the stand mixer bowl, add sweetened condensed milk and room temperature cream cheese, then beat for a few minutes. Add vanilla extract, fresh lime juice, and lime zest, then beat until well mixed.
- Fold in the whipped cream, being careful not to deflate the cream. This keeps the filling light and airy!
- Assemble the cheesecake. In a large baking dish, sprinkle a thin layer of the graham cracker crumbs along the bottom. Add a generous layer of the key lime mixture, then repeat until you’ve used all of the filling — and be sure to end with graham crackers! Refrigerate with plastic wrap, then chill for 2 hours or overnight.
- When ready to serve, top with a few slices of fresh limes, then enjoy!
FAQs
Yes, absolutely! In fact, that’s what I typically do. Key limes are much harder to come by, and while their flavor might be a bit more tart, regular limes are more than adequate.
For best results, allow the cheesecake to chill for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
Sure! If you’d rather use a different type of cookie crumb, feel free to experiment.
Ari’s Best Tips!
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Ensure the cream cheese is at room temperature for a smooth filling.
- Fresh Juice: Use freshly squeezed key lime juice for the best flavor.
- Whipping Cream: Beat the heavy cream until stiff peaks form for a light and airy texture.
Make-Ahead, Leftovers, & Storage
This cheesecake can be made a few days in advance, making it perfect for entertaining.
- Leftovers and storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Because this isn’t a baked cheesecake, it’s not recommended for freezing. Technically you can freeze it, but it’s got a mousse-like consistency that will be altered during freezing and thawing. My recommendation is to make the smaller key lime cheesecake parfaits if you want a smaller batch of the recipe and enjoy it all fresh.
Serving Suggestions
This key lime cheesecake is perfect as is and doesn’t require topping with any fresh whipped cream or berries. Let the lime flavor speak for itself!
The ideal time to serve this dessert is in summer! Perfect after an evening of grilling or hanging out with friends outside. In fact, it’s been my go-to 4th of July dessert for about a decade. Nothing beats it!
Truly loved by all — this is everyone’s favorite summer dessert!
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Family-Style No-Bake Key Lime Cheesecake
Equipment
- Spoon
- Plastic wrap or aluminum foil
Ingredients
- 24 honey graham crackers, finely ground (you can do this in a food processor or place in a large ziploc bag, seal, and then bang with a rolling pin)
- 10 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1½ tsp kosher salt
- 12 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 1⅓ cup heavy cream
- 2 (14oz) cans sweetened condensed milk
- 2 lbs (32oz) cream cheese, room temperature
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup key lime or regular lime juice, about 8 limes
- Zest from 6 limes, about ¼ cup
- Note: if you want to decorate with lime wedges or rounds, you’ll need an additional 2-3 limes.
Instructions
- Make the graham cracker crumbs. In a small bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, 10 Tbsp sugar, and 1½ tsp kosher salt. Add 12 Tbsp melted butter, then stir until the mixture begins to stick together. It should resemble wet sand. Set aside.
- Whip the cream. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, whip 1⅓ cup heavy cream on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, about 4-6 minutes. Use a spatula to transfer the cream to another bowl, then switch out the whisk attachment with the paddle attachment.
- Make the key lime cheesecake filling. Add 2 (14oz) cans of sweetened condensed milk along with 2 lb (32oz) room temperature cream cheese, then beat on medium speed at first (or it’ll make a mess!) until light and fluffy, gradually increasing to medium speed. Beat for about 4 minutes. Turn the mixer off, then add 2 tsp vanilla extract, ⅔ cup fresh lime juice, and ¼ cup lime zest. Beat for an additional 1-2 minutes, scraping down the beater as needed (a lot of lime zest tends to get stuck there).
- Fold in the whipped cream. Add whipped cream to the cream cheese mixture, then gently fold with a spatula until thoroughly combined.
- Assemble the key lime cheesecake. Spoon ¼ of the graham cracker crumbs along the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish, enough to evenly cover the bottom. Add ⅓ of the key lime mixture on top, then use an offset spatula to spread into an even layer. Top with another ¼ of the graham cracker filling. Repeat with 2 more alternating layers of key lime filling and graham crackers, ending with the graham crackers. Cover tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, then chill in a fridge for at least 2 hours or up to overnight. When ready to enjoy, garnish with lime wedges or rounds, if using. Enjoy!
Nutrition
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