Name: Key Lime Cheesecake Bars
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 9
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 13 graham crackers (7-ounces/200g of crumbs); 1 tbsp (13 g) sugar; 7 tbsp (98g) butter, melted; 24 ounces (680 g) cream cheese; 1 ¼ cups (270g) white sugar; 2 eggs + 1 egg yolk; 2 tsp (10 ml) vanilla extract; Pinch of salt; ¾ cup (177 ml) key lime juice ( 1 1/4 lb of key limes)* Save 4-5 for garnishing; 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream; 1 tbsp (7 g) powdered sugar; 1 tsp (5ml) vanilla extract; Lime zest + slices from 4-5 key limes; ¼ cup (34 g) flour; Pinch of salt

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Key limes are in season and one of my favorite ways to use them up is in these Cheesecake Bars. They are easy to make, rich and creamy with just the right amount of tartness coming from the key limes.

Add a dollop of whipped cream and a slice of lime and they make a festive dessert for Easter or Mother’s Day. Also great for baby and bridal showers! For another great key lime dessert try my Key Lime Pie Cheesecake mash-up!

a cheesecake bar with whipped topping and lime garnish. — Elevate the presentation with a dollop of whipped cream and a slice of key lime.

The Flavor and Texture

These bars have a luscious creamy texture coming from the ratio of cream cheese to eggs.
And the flavor is sweet and tart at the same time!
The homemade whipped cream on top acts as a great balance between the flavors and looks so festive too.

a bite of cheesecake on a fork to show the creamy texture. — The texture is smooth and creamy with a wonderful tart flavor.

Ingredients:

Key Limes I love to use key limes for this recipe because they are floral and fruity and not as sour. You can substitute limes in this recipe but add 1/4 cup more sugar to balance out the tartness. Be sure to save 4-5 key limes for the garnishing.
Cream Cheese: I use brick cheesecake as opposed to whipped cream cheese; it’s better for cream cheese bars to make them firmer and easier to slice. For a fall cream cheese bar recipe, try my Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese Bars.
Flour To avoid having to bake these in a water bath, I add a little bit a flour. This gives them structure and avoids cracking.
Eggs + Egg Yolk I use a combination of eggs and one egg yolk for the creamiest texture.
Sugar white granulated sugar will dissolve the best.
Vanilla Extract to add a little depth of flavor and sweetness.
Salt to heighten the flavors. I use kosher salt in all my recipes because it’s “flavor enhancing” without being too salty.
Graham Crackers for the crust. But you could also use Oreos with the fillings scraped out for a chocolate crust. You’ll need 7-ounces (200 g) of Oreo crumbs.
Butter for the crust. I use salted American butter for the best flavor.

Watch The Video Demo Below

Step#1: Make The Crust

You’ll line a 9″ x 9″ (23 cm x 23 cm) brownie pan with parchment paper to make the cheesecake bars easier to remove once baked. Or you can use a cheesecake pan.
Process the graham cracker crumbs in a food processor, then add the sugar and butter until a wet crumb forms.
Fit the crumbs into the pan, pressing down to form an even layer and then bake.

a brownie pan filled with graham cracker crumbs.

Step#2: Squeezing the Key Limes

Key limes are small! They are 1/3 of the size of a traditional lime, so squeezing enough of them to get 3/4 cup of juice can be a bit of a chore!
This task will go a lot quicker with a lime squeezer.
You’ll need about 1 1/4 pounds of key limes, so the squeezer really helps get through them all!
Be sure to save 4-5 key limes for the garnish.

key limes being squeezer with a lime squeezer. — The best way to squeeze the juice from key limes is with a lime squeezer.

Step#3: Mixing, Baking, Cooling

Mix the cream cheese batter in a stand mixer until smooth.
Be sure to give it a final whisk with a wire whisk before pouring the batter into the cooled crust.
This will remove any lumps that may be present in the batter and ensure a smooth and creamy texture.
Once the cheesecake is done baking (do not go over 30 minutes!) it will still look a little underdone. But that’s OK because it will cool in the warm oven, once it’s been turned off, with the door propped open. This will allow it to continue to bake all the way through and set without overbaking, which will create cracks.
Once it’s done cooling in the oven, allow it to cool at room temperature for at least 15-30 minutes more before refrigerating for a minimum of four hours, but overnight is even better.

oven door open with cheesecake cooling inside. — Let the cheesecake cool down in the oven with the door open.

Step#4: Serving

Carefully run a warm/wet knife around the perimeter of the pan, and lift the bars out with the parchment paper.
Slice into 9 squares and place on a platter.
Then top with a dollop of whipped cream and place it in a piping bag with your favorite star tip.
Add some grated lime zest on top, and a slice of key lime.