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Thick and Creamy Baked Key Lime Cheesecake

A close-up slice of creamy, pale green key lime cheesecake on a white plate, topped with lime zest.
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Bake a rich, tangy key lime cheesecake with a buttery graham cracker crust. This recipe focuses on achieving a thick, creamy texture perfect for a refreshing summer dessert.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar (for crust)
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (for filling)
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 3/4 cup fresh key lime juice (about 10–12 limes)
  • Zest of 2 key limes (for topping)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Wrap the outside of a 9-inch springform pan tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil to prepare for a water bath.
  2. Make the crust: Combine graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup sugar, and melted butter in a bowl. Press the mixture firmly into the bottom and about 1 inch up the sides of the prepared springform pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Let cool slightly.
  3. Prepare the filling: In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth. Gradually beat in the 1 1/2 cups sugar and flour until just combined. Mix in the vanilla extract and sour cream.
  4. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing only until each egg is incorporated. Do not overmix the batter once eggs are added.
  5. Stir in the fresh key lime juice until the filling is uniform.
  6. Pour the filling over the cooled crust. Place the springform pan into a larger roasting pan. Carefully pour hot water into the roasting pan until the water reaches halfway up the sides of the springform pan (this is the water bath).
  7. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, or until the edges are set but the center still has a slight jiggle.
  8. Turn off the oven, crack the oven door open slightly, and let the cheesecake cool inside the oven for 1 hour. This prevents cracking.
  9. Remove the cheesecake from the water bath and foil. Cool completely on a wire rack. Once cool, cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or preferably overnight, before serving.
  10. Before serving, top with fresh key lime zest.

Notes

  • Use room temperature ingredients for the cream cheese and eggs to ensure a smooth, creamy filling.
  • For the best tangy flavor, use fresh key lime juice rather than bottled concentrate.
  • If you do not have key limes, you can substitute with regular Persian limes, but you may need slightly less juice.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://yumdrizzle.com/key-lime-cheesecake-recipe-creamy-tangy/