This key lime cheesecake recipe combines the richness of cheesecake with great key lime pie flavor. It is like combining two of our favorite desserts in every delicious bite.
There is just something about a creamy baked cheesecake that is hard to beat. This recipe adds lots of key lime juice for big citrus flavor making it refreshing and fun.
If you are new here, welcome. If you aren’t new, you know I love my condensed milk cheesecake recipe.
It is simple to put together, doesn’t require a water bath, and almost never cracks if you follow a few simple tips. So it is the base of so many of my other cheesecake recipes, including this one.
I used gingersnaps for the crust. There is just something about the combination of citrus and ginger.
It is great in the lemon ginger Bundt cake and it also fabulous in this cheesecake. However, you can certainly use a graham cracker crust if you prefer.
Tips For Getting A Perfect Cheesecake
Use full-fat cream cheese for the best texture. This isn’t a place to try to save some calories.
Make sure the cream cheese is nicely softened before you start. Then beat it until it is lump free, making sure the scrape the sides of the bowl and the paddle attachment along the way.
Actually, ensure all of your ingredients are all at room temperature. Cold ingredients can be harder to incorporate and may result in a lumpy batter.
Once you start adding the eggs, keep the mixer on low. You don’t want to incorporate air at this point.
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The key to avoiding cracks without a water bath is baking at a lower temperature and cooling the cheesecake slowly. Cheesecake cracks usually form when the temperature changes too quickly.
So, you want to stop baking when the cheesecake is almost baked through. When the center has just a tiny bit of wiggle left, turn the oven off and just barely crack the door.
Let it slowly finish cooking and start cooling. Then bring the cheesecake to room temperature before chilling.
I like to run a knife around the edge of the pan while the cheesecake is still warm. That helps it to release from the pan and keeps it from sticking to the pan as it tries to shrink as it cools.
In this part of the country, it is hard to find key limes in grocery stores. Luckily, bottled key lime juice is usually easier to find and works well.
If you want to use lime zest as a garnish, you can buy a couple of regular limes. In a pinch the juice from persian limes also works though you won’t quite get that more punchy and slightly floral key lime flavor.
Storage
Cheesecake should be stored in the refrigerator. Loosely wrap the cheesecake and it will stay good in the fridge for up to a week.
For longer storage, you can freeze the whole cake or individual slices of cheesecake.
Wrap what you would like to freeze in several layers of plastic wrap and freeze for up to 1 month. Allow frozen cheesecake to slowly defrost in the refrigerator before enjoying.
Key Lime Cheesecake
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups gingersnap crumbs
- 6 Tablespoons butter melted
- 24 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- ¾ cup key lime juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300℉ and lightly grease a 9-inch springform pan. (I like to put a strip of parchment paper over the base to make removing the cheesecake from the base later easier. However, that is optional.)
- Put the 2 cups gingersnap crumbs in the bottom of the pan. Add the melted 6 Tablespoons butter and combine. The mixture should look like wet sand. Press into the bottom of the pan to form a crust.
- Bake for 10 minutes, then set aside to cool.
- In a large bowl or the bowl of your mixer, beat together the 24 ounces cream cheese and 1 cup granulated sugar until the mixture is lump free. Make sure to scrape the sides of the bowl a couple of times.
- Add the 4 large eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition. You don't want to add too much air, so keep the mixer on low or medium-low.
- Stir in the 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk and ¾ cup key lime juice until the mixture is uniform.
- Pour the cheesecake batter over the crust. Thump the pan on the counter a couple of times to get out any big air bubbles.
- Bake 60-70 minutes or until the center is just set. Crack the oven door and allow the cheesecake to cool slowly for about 15 minutes. Then remove from the oven and run a knife between the edge of the cheesecake and the pan. Then allow it to cool for at least and hour before transferring the cheesecake to the refrigerator. Cooling it slowly will help to prevent cracking.
- Chill in the fridge for several hours or overnight before removing from the pan. If desired, garnish with whipped cream, lime zest, or lime slices.
Notes
Video
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