No Bake Easy Recipe – Smooth and Tangy Key Lime Cheesecake

Why You’ll Love this Recipe

You know those summer days where it’s brutally hot outside and you are craving something sweet but don’t want to turn the oven on? If you’ve been there before, this recipe is here to help! With easy pantry friendly ingredients this recipe comes together in under half an hour and then your refrigerator does ALL the work. The only “downfall” with a no bake dessert is being patient enough to make sure the cheesecake has set before cutting into it to make sure it’s firm and doesn’t collapse. It’s the perfect dessert to make ahead and bring to a party or a summer holiday that will leave people asking where you got this dessert from.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Graham Cracker Crumbs: Sore bought graham cracker crumbs work perfect. If you don’t have those available, you can take 14-16 graham cracker sheets and finely chop them in a food processor to get the same consistency.
• Unsalted butter: The key ingredient to bind together the crust so it doesn’t crumble and has structure when pressing into the prepared pan.
• Light brown sugar: Brings a subtle warmth and brightens the crust with a little sweetness to balance out the graham cracker flavor.
• Cream cheese: Full fat is best to provide a sturdy filling that doesn’t get too loose.
• Sweetened condensed milk: Give a smooth texture to the cheesecake filling.
• Key lime juice: Fresh is always best but you can replace for store bought.
• Key lime zest: Adds a fun and bright twist for a garnish!
• Powdered sugar
• Vanilla bean paste or extract
• Whipped topping: You can use store bought whipped cream, however, homemade whipped cream comes together in minutes and tastes absolutely delicious.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can I use homemade whipped cream instead of Cool Whip?

Yes. Substitute about 3 cups of stabilized homemade whipped cream for similar texture and stability.

How do I know when it’s set?

The center should be firm with only a slight jiggle after chilling for at least 6 hours, though overnight is ideal for the best texture. You can run your knife under hot water and then wipe away the excess and repeat with each slice to have a cleaner cut.

Storage Tips:

Refrigerator: Cover tightly and refrigerate for up to 5 days.

Freezer: Freeze the cheesecake (whole or sliced) for up to 2 months. Wrap well in plastic wrap followed by aluminum foil or store in an airtight freezer-safe container. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.

Let’s Start Baking!

Print Recipe

No Bake Easy Recipe – Smooth and Tangy Key Lime Cheesecake

This No-Bake Key Lime Cheesecake is everything you love about a classic key lime pie with the rich, creamy texture of cheesecake. Built on a bed of buttery graham cracker crust that's topped with a tangy key lime filling and finished with key lime zest and homemade whipped cream, this is the perfect summer dessert.

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Chill Time6 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Total Time6 hours hrs 50 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: dessert, Desserts, key lime, Key lime cheesecake, no bake, No bake cheesecak, Summer Dessert, Whipped cream

Servings: 12 slices

Ingredients

Graham Cracker Crust:

• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs (240g)
• 8 tbsp unsalted butter, melted (113g)
• 2 tbsp light brown sugar (25g)

Key Lime Cheesecake Filling:

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
• ¼ cup key lime juice, freshly squeezed
• 1 tbsp key lime zest
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
• ½ cup powdered sugar (60g)
• 3 cups whipped topping, thawed (226g)

Toppings:

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream (240ml)
• 1 tbsp key lime zest

Instructions

Graham Cracker Crust:

• Prepare a 9-inch springform pan by lightly spraying with nonstick spray and covering completely in parchment paper, set aside.
• In a medium mixing bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs and light brown sugar. Pour in the melted butter and stir until every crumb is evenly coated and resembles wet sand.
• Pour the mixture into your prepared dish. Spread around evenly using the bottom of a measuring cup or glass, gently pushing up around the sides. Place the crust in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to firm up while you prepare the filling.

Key Lime Cheesecake Filling:

• In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with an electric mixer until completely smooth and creamy.
• Add the sweetened condensed milk, powdered sugar, vanilla, key lime juice, and key lime zest. Beat until the mixture is fully combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
• Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the thawed whipped topping until no white streaks remain.
• Spread the filling evenly into the chilled graham cracker crust and smooth out with an offset spatula or back of a spoon.
• Cover tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or preferably overnight, until the cheesecake is fully set.

Assembly:

• For the whipped cream, place your heavy whipping cream in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment or a medium size bowl and whisk on high until soft peaks form. Place in a piping bag and dollop around the border of the cheesecake.
• Finish with freshly grated key lime zest over the whipped cream and the center of the pie.

Notes

• If you don’t have a springform pan you can also use a 9-inch pie dish

Did you make this recipe? Tell me your thoughts in the comment section below!