Unbelievably smooth and creamy, this simple no-bake cheesecake contains a crisp graham cracker crust, perfectly tart key lime filling, and lusciously tangy key lime curd!
Cheesecake is definitely in my top five favorite desserts. It’s rich, creamy, and has the perfect balance of sweet and tangy. However, during the spring and summer months, I’m usually craving something lighter and not as heavy.
Thankfully, with no-bake cheesecakes, you can still have your cheesecake and eat it too. That’s because no-bake cheesecakes are light, airy, and almost mousse-like. They’re not at all like your traditional baked New York-style cheesecakes since they don’t have the dense, firm texture. And with summer just around the corner, I figured it was the perfect time to incorporate one of summer’s most sought-after flavors into a delicious no-bake cheesecake.
Why You’ll Love This No-Bake Key Lime Cheesecake
Incredibly Light and Creamy: The filling is smooth, unbelievably creamy, and pretty much melts in your mouth. It’s so light and airy, you’ll be falling back into your chair in pure key lime ecstasy.
The BEST Key Lime Curd: If you love lemon curd, you are going to go crazy for this key lime curd. It’s smooth, rich, and perfectly glossy. It has a bright, zesty, and perfectly tart flavor, which complements the filling so incredibly well.
Great Make-Ahead Dessert: I love a good make-ahead dessert, especially during the busy months of summer. This no-bake cheesecake requires ample chill time to set the filling, so it’s best to make it the day before you plan on serving it.
Tips For Making No-Bake Key Lime Cheesecake
Add a Dash of Cinnamon to the Crust: In my opinion, graham cracker crusts tend to be rather bland. That’s why I prefer to add at least a teaspoon of cinnamon to the crust. This really helps to enhance the flavor of the graham crackers by adding some warmth and bringing extra depth of flavor.
Bake the Crust: This definitely isn’t mandatory, however, I like how crisp and toasty the crust turns out when it’s baked. Baking the crust beforehand also makes it more sturdy, while also preventing a soggy crust.
Chill Crust Before Baking: Sometimes the crust “slouches” or slumps down the sides of the pan as it’s baking. To prevent this from happening, I like to chill the crust in the freezer for 15 minutes before placing it in the oven to bake. This gives the butter time to solidify, which delays its melting point and allows the crust to hold its shape longer in the oven.
Soften the Cream Cheese: For the smoothest filling, let your cream cheese sit out at room temperature for 60-90 minutes prior to mixing. Starting with softened room temperature cream cheese allows the ingredients to incorporate properly, preventing lumps from forming. Also, beating the cream cheese for a good 30-45 seconds on its own, loosens it up, making it easier to combine with the rest of the ingredients. Oh, and whatever you do, don’t use cream cheese from the tub. It’s not nearly as thick as brick-style cream cheese, so it will result in a runny filling.
Save Time on Zesting: Since key limes are much smaller than regular limes, they’re a bit of a pain to zest. You also have to zest SEVERAL key limes to get the amount needed for this cheesecake. So if you’d rather not wrestle with zesting those tiny limes, feel free to zest regular limes instead. You’ll still get the floral zest component, but without all the hassle.
Chill Overnight: While no-bake cheesecakes will suffice on 6-8 hours of chilling time, I always make them the day before I plan to serve them. That means 12 hours MINIMUM. Giving the cheesecake those extra few hours allows the flavors more time to develop while also ensuring a firm and perfectly sliceable cheesecake.
Can I use regular limes instead?
If you can’t find key limes in your area (or if they’re not in season yet), regular Persian limes work just as well. I would just stay away from bottled lime juice since the flavor isn’t nearly as bright and fresh. Fresh lime juice is has more complex flavor, containing aromatic notes, while bottled lime juice tastes flatter and slightly bitter.
Can I freeze this cheesecake?
Yes, you can! In fact, no-bake cheesecake freeze incredibly well. If freezing the entire cheesecake, place it into the freezer until it’s firm. Then wrap it in a layer of plastic wrap, and then a layer of aluminum foil. If you want to freeze individual portions, slice the cheesecake into slices and freeze the slices until firm. Wrap each slice individually in a layer of plastic wrap and a layer of aluminum foil. Whether you freeze it whole or in slices, this no-bake cheesecake will keep for 3 months in the freezer.
Key Lime Cheesecake
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust:
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 6 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 7 Tablespoons butter, melted
Cheesecake:
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar
- 24 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 ½ Tablespoons key lime zest
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup key lime juice
Key Lime Curd:
- 7 egg yolks
- 1 whole egg
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup key lime juice
- 3 Tablespoons key lime zest
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 5 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into half-inch pieces
For Decorating:
- Freshly-whipped cream
- Key Lime Slices
Instructions
Make the Crust:
- Combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter in a medium bowl. Press mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan and chill in the freezer for 15 minutes. As it chills, preheat the oven to 350ºF. Once chilled, bake the crust for 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
Make the Cheesecake:
- In the chilled bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream on high until soft peaks form. Add the powdered sugar, and continue whipping until stiff peaks form. Transfer whipped cream to a separate bowl and keep in the refrigerator.
- Switch whisk attachment out for the paddle attachment. Beat the cream cheese on high until smooth and creamy. Add the sweetened condensed milk, beating until completely smooth. Add the lime zest, vanilla, salt, and half of the lime juice, beating until incorporated. Add the rest of the lime juice, and continue beating until completely combined. Fold in the whipped cream until just combined.
- Pour filling into the crust, smoothing the surface with an offset spatula or a butterknife. Chill in the refrigerator, while you make the lime curd.
Make the Key Lime Curd:
- In a medium saucepan, whisk the egg yolks, whole egg, and sugar together until combined. Whisk in the lime juice, zest, and salt. Add the butter and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture has thickened, about 4-8 minutes minutes.
- Immediately strain the curd through a fine-mesh strainer into a medium-size bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to cool completely.
- Once cooled, spread lime curd evenly on top of the cheesecake. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight.
- Decorate with whipped cream and key lime slices. Slice, serve, and enjoy!