Amazing Key Lime Cheesecake
A delicious and simple ultra-creamy key lime cheesecake recipe that is certain to wow anyone who has a slice! Plus, read below for a life-changing tip on baking a no-crack cheesecake without a water bath.
Make this. Make this key lime cheesecake soon.
Today, if possible. But I suppose tomorrow will do as well.
As a lover of cheesecake in all it’s flavors and forms, this key lime cheesecake has completely stolen my heart.
It’s downright incredible.
Light and creamy and perfectly tangy, it solidifies the fact that while chocolate is my soulmate and first dessert of choice, there are a handful of non-chocolate desserts (this cheesecake and another creamy lime pie, in particular), that are so delicious, little ol’ dark chocolate should maybe start to look over its shoulder a bit more often.
On a sidenote, if you’ve ever been frustrated by making a cheesecake only to have it crack in the oven, you aren’t alone.
It’s widely known that the following two tips can help quite a bit with the cracking issue:
1) don’t overmix the batter especially after the eggs have been added (incorporating lots of air contributes to lots of cracks and we can’t be having that) and
2) use a water bath.
Except, I personally hate baking cheesecakes in water baths.
I’ve had way too many soggy, wet crusts thanks to putting my precious cheesecake in a water bath and having the water leak through the 40 layers of meticulously crimped foil.
How that happens, I don’t know, but it annoys me to no end, so I gave up on water baths a long time ago, and decided to live with a few cracks here and there, especially since many cheesecakes I love have toppings to cover any imperfections.
I know there are some clever methods online to combat water bath issues, but since I’ve declared myself anti-water bath and am too stubborn to change my mind, today, I have an even better way.
All credit goes to my friend, Mel, who sent me this recipe.
Her method is probably the most revolutionary thing to happen to cheesecakes this decade.
And it’s so simple, you don’t have to worry about lining pans with foil, making sure you have a pan big enough to set the cheesecake in, worrying about water infiltrating your masterpiece, etc.
I’ve used this more-steam-than-water-bath technique a couple times now and sure enough, no cracking. No cracking whatsoever. I’m sold.
So get to it! Make this luscious key lime cheesecake and delight in absolute cheesecake perfection – both looks and taste.
P.S. This is the 9-inch springform pan I have and love (bought it on Amazon in 2008 and it’s still going strong, many cheesecakes later).
One Year Ago: Grilled Asian Chicken with Peanut Noodles and Cucumber Sambal
Two Years Ago: Buttermilk Biscuits
Three Years Ago: Brown Sugar Crackle Cookies
Key Lime Cheesecake
Ingredients
Crust:
- 1 ½ cups (150 g) graham cracker crumbs, about 14 rectangle graham crackers, crushed
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons (85 g) salted butter, melted
Filling:
- 3 packages (8-ounces each) cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup (212 g) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- Zest from 1 lime, about 1-2 teaspoons
- ½ cup key lime juice OR 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice + 6 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 3 large eggs
Topping:
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- ¼ cup (29 g) powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Limes or additional lime zest for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Position the oven racks so one is just above the middle position and the other is in the bottom third of the oven. Lightly grease a 9-inch springform pan.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs and sugar. Add the melted butter and mix until the graham cracker crumbs are evenly coated in sandy in texture. Press the mixture into the bottom and 1/2-inch or so up the sides of the prepared pan.
- Bake the crust for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool while you prepare the filling.
- In a large bowl with an electric mixer (or in the bowl of an electric stand mixer), whip the cream cheese, sugar, cornstarch and lime zest together until smooth and creamy, 1-2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the lime juice (or lemon + lime juice) and mix until combined. Add the eggs and mix until just combined (over mixing can cause the cheesecake to crack while baking thanks to all the extra air beat into the filling).
- Pour the cheesecake filling over the crust and spread evenly. Place a metal 9X13-inch or similar-sized pan on the bottom rack of the oven and pour in 2-3 cups of boiling water. Immediately place the cheesecake on the upper rack and bake for 50-65 minutes until the cheesecake is set around the edges. A slight jiggle in the center of the cheesecake is fine.
- Turn the oven off and prop the oven door open about 4 inches. Keep the cheesecake in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove and let cool completely.
- Refrigerate the cheesecake overnight.
- When ready to serve, whip together the cream, powdered sugar and vanilla until thick and creamy. Either spread the whipped cream evenly over the cheesecake or pipe it around the edges with a large star piping tip or just dollop a spoonful on each individual piece. Garnish with lime slices or lime zest, if desired.
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: adapted slightly from my friend Mel B. who always sends me the most amazing recipes
Can you convert this to an almond cheese cake and if so how would you modify the ingredients?
I don’t know – I’m sorry!
Use ground almonds in the base and sliver almonds on the top for garnish
I made this cheesecake substituting half lemon juice. After baking I made a delicious tart fresh raspberry glaze and drizzled it over the top. Incredible taste combination and beautiful too!!!
I have a question. Do you use the zest of a regular lime or a key lime? Excited to try this recipe for my birthday.
You can use either.
I made this for a Mother’s Day dessert and it was absolutely amazing! Everyone devoured it and I had lots of compliments. I didn’t use a water bath purely because of laziness but it still turned out great with no cracks.
I totally agree with what you said about aluminum foil.. Brilliant alternative idea! I did it with another cheesecake recipe that I wanted to try, and I think it may be the very first cheesecake I made with NO CRACKS!!!!! Thank you very much for sharing!
This is simply amazing. There are only 3 people in my household, so when I decided to make this, I was going to share half of it with my sister’s family. My husband took two bites and demanded I not share it with ANYONE even after I told him that I already told her. 🙂 BTW, I am making one for my sister’s family tonight! Thank you for this awesome recipe and the unintended laughs in this house. Forever grateful!
Extremely delicious! I made a gluten free crust with GF graham crackers and used lactose free cream cheese. I also decreased the sugar by 2 tablespoons and increased the lime juice by 2 tablespoons. Fabulous!!
What temperature do you bake the cheesecake on? I see that the crust is at 300 degrees but I wasn’t sure if that was the temperature for the finished cheesecake too
Yes, the cheesecake bakes at 300 as well.
So quick, easy and Delish!!! I will make this over and over. I love the detailed instructions and the video, too Thank you for sharing.
Made this recipe last night and it turned out perfect.
Hi Mel, I have a foolproof method for a water bath, I keep a stock of jumbo turkey cooking bags to keep my crust dry. Put the cheesecake pan with baked crust inside, cut it about an inch higher than top of pan. I still use foil to keep the turkey bag up and mold it to the top of the cheesecake pan with no part of it IN the pan.
How about using a premade store bought crust? I know, not as good but since I already have one…would it work ok??
Definitely worth a try!
I used 2 store bought graham cracker crusts. The batter split nicely into the two. It was too much batter for just one crust because they are just a bit smaller. Cooking time was the same 65 min
My oven totally sucks, so I cannot prop it open 4 inches. Any suggestions on what to do besides that step?? Try the water bath? I just want to make sure it’s cooked all the way, etc.
Try leaving it in the oven with the oven turned off for 10-15 minutes and then take it out.
I made this cheesecake last night and mine cracked. I too do not want to experiment with a water bath and so I was thrilled to try this recipe. Even though it cracked and did not present as I desired, the taste was fabulous! The flavor was perfect and totally worth making even with the crack on the top.
I did not have key limes so I used the persian lime and lemon trick.
If you don’t want to do a water bath, boil some water, fill a oven safe dish about 1/2 way. Place dish on bottom rack of oven at 325 F for 15min. Turn the temp back down to 300F, place cheesecake on top rack. This will create steam in the oven, which will prevent your cheesecake from cracking, and save you the hassle of a soggy crusts.
It’s my absolute first time baking a cheesecake! This is one of my first big projects and I’m glad to say it turned out very well. At first, I didn’t put enough butter in the crust and it collapsed when I took it out, so to anyone reading this, make sure you aren’t lazy while measuring your melted butter! I only had one tiny crack on the side of my cheesecake, but other than that the cheesecake was perfect! I made it for my dad’s birthday and it was delicious. Thank you for sharing the recipe!
I started reading through all the comments to see if someone already asked this but I dont have a 9inch spring form, just a 7 inch by 3 inch push pan. Can I put this recipe in that pan? Cook time altered?
Also, I would LOVE for you to write this up to be done in an instant pot!
Without trying it in a pan that size myself I hesitate to say yes it can be done for sure. I don’t want the batter to overflow. Maybe you could cut the recipe down by a fourth and then use a smaller pan like that?
Followed baking directions exactly. Cheese cake still cracked and by leaving in oven after still gigglely for 30 minutes with oven door ajar 4 inches over baked the cheese cake.
Perhaps the reason the water keeps getting into the foil is that as it turns to steam, it easily condenses on the pan/foil and drips down inside the foil. That is all I can think of. This happens to me all the time no matter how careful I am with the heavy duty foil. I will try it your way and expect it will work great.
Why do you use cornstarch in the cheesecake, I have never seen this before. Thanks
The cornstarch creates a delicious silky texture and also helps thicken the cheesecake.
Is it ok to let the cheese mixture set in the fridge about the time I am cooking a casserole?
Yes, that’s fine!
I just made this and it looks delicious! Question though. I followed the directions exactly and it came out very thin. Any thoughts as to why?
The layer was thin or the batter was thin?
I have just made your key lime cheese cake, we can’t get key limes here in Australia so just used ordinary ones, hope it is as good as everyone says, love anything lemony or Lime so fingers crossed.
This turned out perfectly–no cracks, a strong lime flavor, and the whipped cream on top added just the right touch of sweetness to balance out the tartness of the cheesecake. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
I just put mine in the oven, super excited/ nervous, lol. I used gingersnaps for the crust instead though, other than that, followed your recipe to the t.
My daughter made this for me on Mother’s Day. She knows lime & lemon are my favorite. It was absolutely AMAZING!!
How long will the whipped topping last? I am making a key lime cheesecake for a coworker for her mother on Mothers Day. Will the topping last from Friday morning to Sunday luncheon dessert?
I think that might be a bit long…the whipped cream topping may seep some liquid if stored that long.
Do you bake the cheesecake at 300 degrees too or just the crust?
I made this cheesecake last week and it came out amazing! I let it sit overnight and ate some the first day and it was ok. The second day we had company and had done it was much better and delicious! I love the idea with water in the pan instead of doing a cake bath. Thank you so much for sharing.
Absolutely delicious
Modified a little as made it for my sister and she prefers a lighter cheesecake and is a big fan of lime so did the following: used two packs cream cheese instead of 3, omitted the cornstarch and added 1 tsp vanilla and 5 triangles of laughing cow cheese (for consistency) and used two eggs instead of 3, only 3/4 cup sugar instead of 1 cup. Made extra crust to make it thicker. Result was a tangy but still slightly sweet key lime cheesecake that you could easily have a good portion of because it was on the lighter side (topped with coconut flakes and raspberries).
I have just signed up here and The recipes look so wonderful. Can’t wait to make the Key Lime cheese cake. I will let you know how it turns out
Found your recipe after trying to make Key Lime Pie for my husband three times with three Flops. He never even asks for THAT anymore as THIS is now his favorite KEY LIME DESSERT! Do you think this would successfully freeze (without whipped topping)? I would like to get a jump on Easter this year!
Yes, usually cheesecake freezes pretty well!
I have made this several times. Always a huge hit. My family now request this recipe. Absolutely delicious!
I made this for my brother for his bday. It was devoured! I love the steam idea as opposed to the water bath. There were no cracks. I did use leftover Trefoil GS cookies for the crust (which was awesome). I’ve already got folks asking me to make this again for Easter. This pie turned out great. I’d argue that it rivals Cheesecake Factory.
Made this for. A family get together and it was delicious!! Everyone loved it. Not too strong of a lime flavor but it is definitely noticeable. I would definitely recommend this if you like lime and love cheesecake!!
I have made this cheese cake twice now! It is so good! I just used lime juice, no lemons were I live. And this time I grated some fresh ginger in. No cracking and perfectly done!
I forgot the eggs… seems fine but a little less firm… a little… did I successfully make something else?
Can i use the base of this recipe and make other kinds ? I was thinking omit the lime stuff and add heath bar bites . ? Love the consistency of this cheesecake. My key lime was amazing.
I think so!
Any suggestions for a 12 inch springform pan?
You might want to increase the batter since that’s a larger pan – maybe 1 1/2 the recipe?
Mine cracked despite the water bath ;( i am concerned that it still has a slight jiggle after all the time in the oven…..still need to refrigerate so we shall see how it looks tomorrow. Can not rate yet.
Will it affect the consistency if I only use two cream cheese instead of three? It just seems like a lot of cream cheese and in other recipes I have been able to use two.
This is the very first cheesecake I have ever made, and I make cakes for a living! I made it for my husbands birthday, at his request, and it was the biggest hit!! I am not a fan of cheesecake and I am currently eating my second slice! I followed your recipe to a t and I had no cracking and it was cooked perfectly. Thanks so much!!
Glad it worked out so well, Becky!
I don’t know if I’ve commented on this before or not – but it bears repeating. . . .this is AMAZING!!! I’ve made it a few times now and each time has been a hit. Very easy recipe and ohhhh soooooo goood!!!!
Thanks, Karin!
Just so you know, Key Limes don’t give green juice !!!
When do you remove the springform ?
I take it off right before serving.
Made this for my mum’s birthday. It was delicious and went down well with all the family. However it was just a creamy yellow colours not pale green as in your picture. Being in uk, we don’t have key lime juice, so I followed your instructions and used fresh lime and lemon juices – could this be why? Or should I add some green colouring?
You could definitely add green food coloring to up the color if you want…the lemons probably contributed to the yellow-ish color, I’m guessing.
Bakers commonly stabilize whipped cream with a small amount of unflavored gelatin melted into a few spoons of water. Add it after you have whipped the cream and sugar to stiff peaks. It will last a good 24 hours.
i loved this cheese cake it was a delishios ..it was quiet a hit in my family of 10 .. instead of putting the cheesecake in a water bath i always put a pan of water in the rack beneath the cake ,this keeps it moist and a haven’t had a crack so far
I personally solved the water bath problem (with leaking through the foil) by using the foil AND then putting the whole pan inside a crock pot liner. However, I won’t mind not wasting the foil (or the liner for that matter) and using this method instead. 🙂
I place the 9″ springform pan in a 10″ round cake pan and place them in a roaster. I then add the water to the roaster and half way up the cake pan. No cracks.
Is there any reason that I can’t use a glass pan for the water bath instead of metal? Thank you so much.
You can certainly experiment or do a quick Google search to see if a metal pan works just as well. I have always used a glass pan. Sorry I’m not more help!
I am In the process of making this and it’s very brown on top and jiggly….. I followed everything but the boiling water part… I have made some cheesecakes before and haven’t had an issue… so I know For future what is the purpose of the boiling water in the bottom deck for?
Thanks!
As I understand it, boiling water is supposed to help provide a moist environment as the cheesecake bakes so it doesn’t crack.
Sounds great! but we like a little firmer consistency. Would I be able to add an additional brick of cream cheese and not mess up the recipe? Can’t wait to try it.
You could experiment – it certainly will affect flavor and consistency but since I haven’t tried it, I’m not sure exactly what the outcome will be. Good luck!
I made this recipe about 5 times and everyone loves it. I was thinking about making individual mini cheesecakes but I’m not sure how long I should bake them for. Does anyone have any ideas??
I would suggest about 15-18 minutes for mini cheesecakes.
Okay sounds good. Thanks a lot !!