This key lime cheesecake has a classic graham cracker crust filled with a tangy and smooth cheesecake filling, then topped with homemade whipped cream and key lime slices! It's basically just my classic key lime pie in cheesecake form! It's the perfect like summery treat!
The baked cheesecake filling is so smooth and creamy that it melts in your mouth. And since cheesecake ideally needs to set overnight, it makes the perfect make ahead dessert!
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What are Key Limes?
Key limes are the smaller, sweeter cousin to regular limes. They're also known as the Mexican Lime or the West Indies Lime. They have a unique floral flavor that's tart without being too acidic.
In the US, key limes are in season from June to August so you can usually only find them at the grocery store during those months, which is why this key lime cheesecake is a perfect summer treat!
However, if you aren't lucky enough to find fresh key limes at the store, bottled key lime juice works great! Nellie & Joe's key lime juice is delicious and is sold at most grocery stores as well as amazon.
If you like key lime as much as I do, you might also like these key lime pie bars or these key lime pie cupcakes!
Ingredient Notes
You just need a few simple ingredients to make this key lime cheesecake!
Graham Cracker Crust - For the simple graham cracker crust, you just need graham crackers, sugar, and melted butter!
Full-Fat Cream Cheese - Be sure to use full-fat bricks of cream cheese for the best flavor and texture! For the best results I highly recommend using Philadelphia cream cheese. You need the cream cheese to be room temperature so it combines smoothly, so be sure to leave it out for about 30 minutes before baking.
Sour Cream - The sour cream adds a little extra tang and rich texture to the cheesecake. For best results, use full-fat sour cream and let it come up to room temperature before baking!
Eggs - Make sure to let the eggs come up to room temperature before making the filling for the best results!
Key Lime Juice and Zest - The stars of the show! I always prefer baking with fresh key limes, but if you can't find them you can use bottled key lime juice and the zest from regular limes.
Garnish - I like to garnish the key lime cheesecake with some homemade whipped cream, key lime slices, and key lime zest!
The complete list of ingredients and amounts is located in the recipe card below.
How to Make Key Lime Cheesecake
Make sure all the ingredients are room temperature before getting started!
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Pulse the graham crackers in a food processor until you have about 2 cups of crumbs.
In a large bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, granulated sugar, and melted butter. Mix until it resembles wet sand.
Press the mixture into the bottom of the springform pan and slightly up the sides. Make sure it is tight and compact! You can use the bottom of a flat measuring cup to help pack down the crust.
Bake the crust at 350°F for 10 minutes or until it's lightly golden brown and looks dried out.
Remove from the oven and let cool while you make the filling.
Reduce the oven to 300°F.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the room temperature cream cheese on medium-low speed until completely smooth.
Add in the sugar and key lime zest and mix until just combined.
With the mixer on medium-low speed, mix in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl between each one.
Once the eggs are fully incorporated, add in the sour cream and key lime juice and mix until combined.
Pour the batter into the cooled graham cracker crust.
Use an electric kettle to boil a pot of water. Then pour 1-2 inches of boiling water in a 9x13 inch baking dish (make sure you use a metal baking dish so that it doesn't crack from thermal shock) and place on the bottom rack of the oven. Then place the cheesecake on the middle rack of the oven and close the door quickly. This will trap all the steam in the oven to help prevent cracking.
Bake at 300°F for 50-60 minutes. The cheesecake should be set and firm on the edges, but the center should still be puffed up and jiggly (like jello). The top of the cheesecake should also look matte instead of shiny. You might think it's underbaked, but it will continue to set as it cools in the oven.
Turn the oven off and crack the door open. Let the cheesecake cool in the oven for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let the cheesecake cool completely to room temperature.
Transfer to the fridge and chill for at least 4 hours before slicing and serving (overnight is even better). Cover the cheesecake once fully chilled.
Use a butter knife to gently loosen the sides of the cheesecake before removing from the springform pan.
I like to top this key lime pie with my favorite homemade whipped cream! You can pipe the whipped cream along the edges, or just smooth an even layer of whipped cream on top! Then just garnish with sliced key limes and more key lime zest!
Tips for Perfect Cheesecake
Use room temperature ingredients! Always make sure ingredients like cream cheese, eggs, milk, sour cream, butter, etc. are at room temperature before baking! This ensures they'll incorporate smoothly and prevents lumps in the batter; so that you get that perfectly creamy texture! Remove all ingredients from the fridge 30 minutes to an hour before baking for best results.
Use a stand mixer or hand mixer but don't over-mix! For the smoothest texture, I recommend using a stand mixer or hand mixer to ensure you fully incorporate all of the ingredients. Just be sure to mix until just combined! Over mixing adds too much air to the batter which can lead to cracks in the cheesecake.
Use a springform pan! The best kind of pan to use for cheesecake is a 9 inch springform pan with removable sides. This is optional, but you can also line the sides of the springform pan with parchment paper to keep the cheesecake from sticking to the sides as it cools which can prevent cracking.
Water bath! A water bath is essential for preventing cracks in the cheesecake. I like to use an electric kettle to boil a pot of water. Then pour 1-2 inches of boiling water in a 9x13 inch baking dish (make sure you use a metal baking dish so that it doesn't crack from thermal shock - a disposable aluminum pan is also a good option) and place on the bottom rack of the oven. Then place the cheesecake on the middle rack of the oven and close the door quickly. This will trap all the steam in the oven to help prevent cracking.
Proper cooling time! It's important to cool the cheesecake very slowly to prevent cracking. When the cheesecake is done cooking, turn the oven off and crack door open slightly. Let the cheesecake cool in the oven for 1 hour, then remove from the oven and continue cooling at room temperature. Allow to cool completely to room temperature before transferring to the fridge. Let chill for at least 4 hours before slicing and serving.
Recipe FAQ's
Cover tightly with plastic wrap and store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Yes this cheesecake freezes well (before decorating)! I recommend freezing individual slices for the best results. Let the cheesecake cool completely, then before decorating, wrap each slice tightly in plastic wrap, then place in an airtight container for up to 3 months. To thaw, unwrap and thaw in the fridge overnight or let sit at room temperature for 30-60 minutes. Garnish with whipped cream and lime slices after thawing.
You can, but I don't recommend it. Key limes have a different, sweeter flavor than regular limes which is what makes the flavor so good! But you can find bottled key lime juice in most grocery stores and online!
The main causes for cheesecake cracks are over mixing the batter, not using a water bath, and cooling the cheesecake too quickly. If you follow my tips you'll get perfect key lime cheesecake every time!
The key lime cheesecake should be set and firm on the edges, but the center should still be puffed up and jiggly (like jello). The top of the cheesecake should also look matte instead of shiny. You might think it's underbaked, but it will continue to set as it cools in the oven.
To get clean slices of this key lime cheesecake, run a super sharp knife under hot water until the blade is warm, then wipe it dry. Then cut a single slice and repeat. It's a bit tedious to clean the knife before every cut, but you get perfect slices every time!
Tips for Success!
For best results I always recommend using weight measurements (especially when baking) because it's the most accurate. Kitchen scales are super affordable and also reduce the number of dishes you have to do! However, all my recipes also include US customary measurements for convince. Use this chart to convert measurements for common ingredients!
Substitutions: In all my recipes, I've included substitutions that I know will work, but I cannot guarantee results if you substitute ingredients that I have not recommended. [For example, granulated sugar and honey are indeed both sweeteners but they have very different properties so they can not always be swapped 1:1. Using honey in a cookie recipe that calls for granulated sugar will yield a giant mess.] In the recipe card you'll find links to the specific ingredients/brands that I use.
A note on salt: I almost exclusively use Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt because it's the best all-purpose salt for cooking and baking. If you're not using kosher salt, consult this handy guide for a conversion chart! When in doubt, if you're using table salt just reduce the amount by half for baked goods. When cooking, I prefer to under-salt because you can always add more! If you've over-salted, adding a little bit of acid (like lemon juice) can help.
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Recipe Card
Key Lime Cheesecake
Special Equipment
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
Cheesecake Filling
- 24 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon key lime zest
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup key lime juice
Top With
- whipped cream
- key lime slices
- key lime zest
Instructions
- Make sure all the ingredients are room temperature before getting started!
Graham Cracker Crust
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Pulse the graham crackers in a food processor until you have about 2 cups of crumbs.
- In a large bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, granulated sugar, and melted butter. Mix until it resembles wet sand.
- Press the mixture into the bottom of the springform pan and slightly up the sides. Make sure it is tight and compact! You can use the bottom of a flat measuring cup to help pack down the crust.
- Bake the crust at 350°F for 10 minutes or until it's lightly golden brown and looks dried out.
- Remove from the oven and let cool while you make the filling.
Cheesecake Filling
- Reduce the oven to 300°F.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the room temperature cream cheese on medium-low speed until completely smooth.
- Add in the sugar and key lime zest and mix until just combined.
- With the mixer on medium-low speed, mix in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl between each one.
- Once the eggs are fully incorporated, add in the sour cream and key lime juice and mix until combined.
- Pour the batter into the cooled graham cracker crust.
- Use an electric kettle to boil a pot of water. Then pour 1-2 inches of boiling water in a 9x13 inch baking dish (make sure you use a metal baking dish so that it doesn't crack from thermal shock) and place on the bottom rack of the oven. Then place the cheesecake on the middle rack of the oven and close the door quickly. This will trap all the steam in the oven to help prevent cracking.
- Bake at 300°F for 50-60 minutes. The cheesecake should be set and firm on the edges, but the center should still be puffed up and jiggly (like jello). The top of the cheesecake should also look matte instead of shiny. You might think it's underbaked, but it will continue to set as it cools in the oven.
- Turn the oven off and crack the door open. Let the cheesecake cool in the oven for 1 hour.
- Remove from the oven and let the cheesecake cool completely to room temperature.
- Transfer to the fridge and chill for at least 4 hours before slicing and serving (overnight is even better). Cover the cheesecake once fully chilled.
- Use a butter knife to gently loosen the sides of the cheesecake before removing from the springform pan.
- I like to top this key lime pie with my favorite homemade whipped cream! You can pipe the whipped cream along the edges, or just smooth an even layer of whipped cream on top! Then just garnish with sliced key limes and more key lime zest!
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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