Being a Florida girl I love Key lime flavored desserts like this rich Key Lime Cheesecake recipe.
Since Florida is the Sunshine State and it is known citrus fruit I knew I had to make this Key lime dessert recipe asap. Today is the day.
This homemade cheesecake recipe could also be made using any other type of citrus juice you might have on hand.
Flavor Variations
You can change the flavor of this cheesecake recipe simply by changing the citrus fruit juice you use.
- lemon cheesecake
- orange cheesecake
- grapefruit cheesecake
- tangelo cheesecake
- lime cheesecake
- blood orange cheesecake
Belatedly I remembered I had a couple of blood orange in the refrigerator.
Blood Oranges would have been an interesting flavor and I would have loved to see what color the baked cheesecake ended up.
Wouldn't a cheesecake look pretty in a pale red?
I'm not sure it would actually turn out a pale red in color if you use blood orange juice because I have never cooked with it but I am pretty sure the heat affects the color.
I may have to remake this recipe using blood orange juice instead of key lime in the near future.
This cheesecake is thick and dense like a real New York Cheesecake. It tastes great and will be my go-to cheesecake recipe from now on.
How To Make Key Lime Cheesecake
Inspired by the cookbook Sunsational Encore from the Junior League of Greater Orlando.
Ingredients
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 32 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 ⅔ cups of sugar
- 5 tablespoons creme fraiche or sour cream
- 4 eggs
- 1 egg yolk
- 5 tablespoons whipping cream
- 1 cup flour
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup key lime juice
Directions
- Grease with butter and line the bottom and sides of a 10-inch springform pan with parchment paper. Butter the parchment paper inside the springform pan.
- Cover the outside of the pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Rolling and tucking the foil along the outer top edge of the pan. Set aside.
- Mix the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar and melted butter in a bowl.
- Press in the bottom of the prepared pan.
- Beat the cream cheese and sugar in a stand mixer or a large bowl with a handheld mixer until light and fluffy. Scrap the bowl and beat for another 2 minutes.
- Beat in the crème fraiche or sour cream.
- Add the eggs and egg yolk one at a time, beating well and scraping the sides of the bowl after each egg.
- Add the whipping cream, flour, vanilla, and lime juice and mix well. Scrap the bowl and beat for at least two minutes more.
- Spoon into prepared pan and level the top with the back of the spoon.
- Place the filled springform pan inside a larger pan.
- Fill outer pan with boiling water to come halfway up the side of the springform pan.
- Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.
- Remove the pan from the oven and remove spring foam pan from the water bath.
- Remove and discard the aluminum foil.
- Cool cheesecake on a wire rack.
- Chill cheesecake overnight.
- Before serving remove sides of the springform pan and place cheesecake on a serving platter.
- Makes 12 servings
More cheesecake recipes
More citrus-inspired recipes
Print the Key Lime Cheesecake recipe below
Key Lime Cheesecake
Ingredients
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 32 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 ⅔ cups sugar
- 5 tablespoons creme fraiche or sour cream
- 4 large eggs
- 1 large egg yolk
- 5 tablespoons whipping cream
- 1 cup flour
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup key lime juice
Instructions
- Grease with butter and line the bottom and sides of a 10 inch springfoam pan with parchment paper. Butter the parchment paper inside the springfoam pan.
- Cover the outside of the pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Rolling and tucking the foil along the outer top edge of the pan. Set aside.
- Mix the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar and melted butter in a bowl.
- Press in the bottom of the prepared pan.
- Beat the cream cheese and sugar in a stand mixer or a large bowl with a handheld mixer until light and fluffy. Scrap the bowl and beat for another 2 minutes. Beat in the crème fraiche or sour cream.
- Add the eggs and egg yolk one at a time, beating well and scraping the sides of the bowl after each egg.
- Add the whipping cream, flour, vanilla and lime juice and mix well. Scrap the bowl and beat for at least two minutes more.
- Spoon into prepared pan and level the top with the back of the spoon.
- Place the filled spring foam pan inside a larger pan.
- Fill outer pan with boiling water to come half way up the side of the spring foam pan.
- Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.
- Remove the pan from the oven and remove spring foam pan from the water bath. Remove and discard the aluminum foil.
- Cool cheesecake on a wire rack.
- Chill cheesecake overnight.
- Before serving remove sides of spring foam pan and place cheesecake on a serving platter.
- Serve with whipped cream.
Recipe Expert Tips
- Flavor variations: Any citrus juice can be substituted for the key lime juice.
Paul
Is it 1/2 cup of key lime juice or juice from 1/2 a key lime?
Flour On My Face
Paul
So sorry about that. It is a 1/2 cup of key lime juice.
Zara
Looks great, love the photos!
Flour On My Face
Zara
Thank you!
Jerri
This looks yummy! Thank for linking up last week. I'm featuring you on my Facebook page today!
Winnie
This cheesecake looks absolutely heavenly !!
madge | the vegetarian casserole queen
I love Key Lime Pie and Key Lime Cheesecake...well, key lime anything really! Thanks for sharing...
italian food recipes
Looks Delicious!
I came from Menu Planning Monday!
Mika
Jennifer M.
Wow! This cheesecake looks so good! And your pictures are beautiful!
Flour On My Face
Jennifer
Thanks so much!
Brooklyn
I am LOVING this! LOVIN' Your BLOG! Newest follower over here! I can't wait to try this- i am crazy about key lime pie! Feel free to drop by cook and craft me crazy at any time! I can't wait to see what else you have up your sleeve!
Flour On My Face
Thank you so very much! I will check out Cook & Craft Me Crazy!
Sunithi
Great recipe and love the options you gave with other citrus fruit. Key lime is my fav though. Your pics are beautiful !!
Liz @ A Nut in a Nutshell
That looks so, so, sooooooooooooooooooo good!
Flour On My Face
Thanks so much Liz
Susan
Can't say no to cheesecake and citrus just belongs in it!
Flour On My Face
Susan
I have to agree!
Laura | Small Wallet, Big Appetite
Oh my goodness as amazing as this keylime cheesecake looks you just inspired me to make a pink grapefruit cheesecake. My birthday is in 11 days, this is so going on my list for my husband to make for me. 🙂
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Laura
Thank you so much! Happy upcoming birthday! Let me know how it turns out with the pink grapefruit.
Nancy @ gottagetbaked
Damn - that is one perfect looking cheesecake! It's so dense and rich - exactly what a good cheesecake should be. I love that you made a key lime version - citrus always lightens this dessert up. I can't wait for you to make it with blood orange too!
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Nancy
Thanks so much!
Stacy
What a beautiful cheesecake! I am a fan of key lime pie so I am sure this would be my favorite cheesecake.
Anne @ Webicurean
Oh, yes, I believe it's important this is remade with blood orange. In fact, I'll happily do the work for you!
Flour On My Face
Anne
If you get the chance to try the blood oranges before I do let me know how it turns out!
Kim
ohhhh thank you so much for this recipe..key lime is my absolute favourite 😉 i make a real good v thin pear tart but key lime i have never tried but i will try yours now..
Kim Bee
Absolutely lovely cheesecake recipe. I love key lime, and I love cheesecake so this is right up my alley.
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Kim
Thank you so much!
Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust
This is gorgeous!
Flour On My Face
Dorothy
Thank you!
Sarah
I'm hiding this from Mom until her birthday next year! This would upstage anything I can do!
Flour On My Face
Sarah
Your mom is going to love this recipe!
Conni @FoodieArmyWife
I LOVE key lime cheesecake - any cheesecake, really 🙂
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Conni
Me too there isn't a cheesecake flavor I wouldn't eat.
Diana @GourmetDrizzles
What a lovely recipe to start with, and then I'm all about you trying the blood orange version, too! Let us know, and I'm very much looking forward to trying this!!! 😉
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Diana
I may have to try it with blood oranges asap!
Amanda @ Marocmama
Great recipe - love that you gave some other ideas for how to change it up.
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Amanda
Thank you!
Sherron@SimplyGourmet
YUM...sounds perfect! My niece loves key lime pie. I will send her your recipe.
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Sherron
If your niece loves key lime pie she will love this cheesecake! Thanks for sharing the recipe love!
Kammie @ Sensual Appeal
That's a lovely cheesecake, I really like that it can be easily changed to include a different citrus fruit flavor. I do like key lime although I think I've only had it once in my life, a couple of years ago... I don't exactly remember how it tastes like but I can imagine it and I'm sure yours would taste great.. it's CHEESECAKE after all! 🙂
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Kammie
The flavor possibilities are endless with this recipe. Thank you!
Renee
Something about citrus lightens up even heavy desserts like cheesecake. This is one that would be very popular with my family. I also would like to see it with blood orange juice. I think the color does not stay red/pink when heated though. The flavor would be incredible.
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Renee
I may have to try the blood oranges with the recipe. My family loved it and this recipe is a keeper.
Jen @JuanitasCocina
This is my ideal cheesecake! YUM!
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Jen
Thanks so much. It is one of the best cheesecakes I have ever made!