Easy Key Lime Cheesecake Bars
Creamy. Tangy. Delicious. These Easy Key Lime Cheesecake bars combine your favourite silky, smooth, and creamy cheesecake interior with zesty lime curd and a perfectly crispy graham cracker crust! This recipe is simple to make, mouth watering, and the ultimate refreshing picnic treat! Give it a try today – you won’t regret it!
Let’s make some Easy Key Lime Cheesecake Bars!
Graham Cracker Base
Start by preheating your oven to 350F (325F convection bake). Line a 9″x9” baking pan with parchment paper. In a large bowl, use your clean hands and a spoon, combine melted butter with flour, graham cracker crumbs, sugar, lime zest, and toasted coconut. The resulting mixture will have a coarse, wet, crumb consistency.
Press mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared 9”x9” pan. Bake at 350F for ~15-20 minutes or until edges are golden brown. While crust is baking, start on the cheesecake filling.
Cheesecake Filling
In a large bowl, whisk together cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, egg yolks, and lime juice.
Add a pinch of salt and pour mixture over the baked crust, make sure to spread evenly to the edges.
Return baking pan to the oven for another ~15 minutes or until set.
Simple Lime Curd
In a medium saucepan, over low heat, combine lime juice, sugar, and egg yolks. Whisk mixture frequently as it heats. You will notice that the mixture begins to feel thicker – continue whisking!
After about 7-8 minutes, the curd mixture will begin to leave a trail when lifted. Add butter and whisk until fully melted. Add pinch of salt and whisk one final time. Remove from heat.
Transfer the hot lime curd to a bowl/jar and cover to prevent film from forming (optionally: you can first strain the lime curd to remove any residual fragments for an even smoother consistency!)
Cool lime curd completely at room temperature and use it to top your cheesecake bars. Return to the fridge for at least 30 minutes, cut, and enjoy!
Silky Lime Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Base
- 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter melted
- 1/4 cup Granulated Sugar
- 3/4 cup All-Purpose Flour
- 1 cup Graham Cracker crumbs
- 1 Key Lime, zest only (can be substituted with lime zest, reserve juice for filling)
- 1/4 cup Toasted Sweetened Coconut (optional – can be replaced with additional graham cracker crumbs)
- pinch of salt
Cheesecake Filling
- 1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk (approx. 250g or 6.54 oz)
- 8 oz Cream Cheese room temperature (approx. 250g)
- 2 Egg Yolks large, room temperature
- 1/2 cup Key lime juice (can be substituted with lime juice, approx. 4 limes)
- pinch of salt
Lime Curd
- 4 Egg Yolks large
- 2/3 cups Granulated Sugar
- 1/3 cups Key Lime Juice (can be substituted with lime juice)
- 4 tbsp Unsalted Butter cubed
- pinch of salt
Instructions
Graham Cracker Base
- Start by preheating your oven to 350F (325F convection bake). Line a 9"x9” baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, use a spoon to combine melted butter with flour, sugar, toasted coconut, salt, lime zest and graham cracker.
- Press mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared 9”x9” baking pan. Bake for ~15-20 minutes or until edges are golden brown. While crust is baking, start on the cheesecake filling.
Cheesecake Filling
- In a large bowl, whisk together softened cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, egg yolks, and lime juice.
- Add a pinch of salt and pour mixture over the baked crust, make sure to spread evenly to the edges.
- Return baking pan to the oven for another ~15 minutes or until set.
Lime Curd
- In a medium saucepan, over low heat, combine lime juice, sugar, and egg yolks. Whisk mixture frequently as it heats. You will notice that the mixture begins to feel thicker – continue whisking!
- After about 7-8 minutes, the curd mixture will begin to leave a trail when lifted.
- Add butter and whisk until fully melted. Add pinch of salt and whisk one final time. Remove from heat.
- Transfer the hot lime curd to a bowl/jar and cover to prevent film from forming (optionally: you can first strain the lime curd to remove any residual fragments for an even smoother consistency!).
- Once cooled to room temperature, top cheesecake filling with a layer of lime curd. Return to the fridge for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavours to marry, cut, and enjoy!
Notes
- I love to keep extra lime curd frozen as an easy addition to summer desserts!
- To freeze: Place in a freezer bag, push out air while sealing. Store for up to 6 months. To thaw, place in the refrigerator for 2 hours, then transfer to a bowl. Stir a few times and voila! You have lime curd that is as perfect as the day that you made it!
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