No Bake Key Lime Cheesecake Bars

These No Bake Key Lime Cheesecake Bars are the best recipe to make on a hot summer day because you won't even need to turn on your oven! They have the perfect balance of tart, creamy, sweet, and crunchy just like the traditional key lime pie. This dessert comes together in less than 20 minutes, then the fridge does the rest. Trust me, these are the best key lime pie bars!

Why We Love This Recipe

• These easy cheesecake bars come together in under 20 minutes of active prep time!
• Have a broken oven? No problem! No heat required for this easy recipe.
• There are less than 10 ingredients needed to whip up these no bake lime cheesecake bars.
• The combination of the bright citrusy filling pairs beautifully with the creamy sweetened condensed milk and buttery graham cracker crust creating a perfect treat.
• My Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie is usually my go-to fruity no bake recipe in the summer, but these Key Lime Cheesecake Bars are a fun way to switch it up when I'm in the mood for something a little less sweet and a little more zesty!

Ingredients

• Key lime juice - you can usually find bottled key lime juice at your local grocery store, but if not, regular fresh lime juice works well too. I would not recommend juicing your own fresh key limes because they are so small, it will take a while!
• Graham crackers - any brand of graham crackers will work here, and in this case, store bought it preferred because they are drier than homemade and easier to crumble. You can also buy store-bought graham cracker crumbs to take an extra step out of the process.
• Sweetened condensed milk - this is what really gives these no bake lime cheesecake bars their classic key lime pie flavor. Sweetened condensed milk adds a richness from the evaporated milk while bolstering the sweetness of these bars.

See recipe card below for quantities.

Substitutions & Variations

• You can make this recipe into a no bake key lime cheesecake pie by making this graham cracker crust into a standard pie tin in Step One and then adding the filling.
• Substitute different citrus zest and juice like lemon or grapefruit in place of the lime.

This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!

Step by Step Instructions

Step 1: Add graham crackers, sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter in a food processor and pulse until you have fine crumbs and the mixture resembles wet sand. Press the crust mixture into an 8x8 inch pan lined with foil and freeze.

Step 2: In the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment or using an electric mixer, beat the heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form.

Step 3: In a large bowl, mix cream cheese, sweetened condensed mix, lime juice and zest until fully combined. Fold in the whipped cream until no white streaks remain.

Step 4: Pour the key lime pie filling over the frozen crust in an even layer, cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, and refrigerate overnight.

Expert Tips

Tip #1: Don't over-mix your filling. Gently folding in the whipped cream will help keep the air you beat into it incorporated in the filling, creating a fluffier texture for your final product. If you over mix the filling, it could become runny.

Tip #2: Make sure to line your baking pan. Because the graham cracker crust has butter in it, when frozen, it will stick to the pan. Lining the pan with foil helps make sure you can get the cheesecake bars out cleanly. If your key lime bars do stick, use a sharp knife along the edges of the square pan to help them release.

Tip #3: Room temperature cream cheese is key. This helps it get incorporated into the filling. If too cold, you will be left with chunks of cream cheese throughout your key lime pie cheesecake bars.

Tip #4: Freeze the cheesecake so that they're nice and firm when you're ready to cut them into bars!

Tip #5: For a professional presentation, cut the cheesecake bars into 10 equal rectangles, pipe extra whipped cream on top and then decorate with lime slices and zest!

Recipe FAQs

Storage

Refrigerator: These bars can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Freezing Instructions: Store in an airtight container for up to 1 month.

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