Key Lime Cheesecake with Lime Curd

Key Lime Cheesecake is made with swirls of key lime & lime curd flavored cheesecake batters, baked into a buttery graham cracker crust. Top this cheesecake with more lime curd, swirls of whipped cream, and lime slices for a truly beautiful dessert. It tastes just like a Key Lime Pie in cheesecake form!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Cheesecake Recipes, Key Lime Desserts

Prep Time 40

Cook Time 1 50

Servings to 16 slices

Calories 771kcal

Author Stephanie Simmons

Ingredients

For the Lime Curd

zest of one large lime
3/4 cup + 2 tbsp granulated sugar
3/4 cup fresh lime juice about 6 large limes
4 large eggs, at room temperature
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
6 tbsp salted butter, cubed

For the Crust:

3 cups graham cracker crumbs 276 grams
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp salted butter, melted
pinch salt
pinch sugar

For the Cheesecake Batter

32 ounces full fat cream cheese, softened at room temperature
1 and 1/2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
3/4 cup full fat sour cream, at room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup key lime juice 80 mL
2 tbsp lime zest
1 cup lime curd 263 grams

Whipped Cream

3/4 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

Make the Lime Curd: Place a strainer over a medium bowl. Add lime zest and sugar to a medium saucepan, rubbing the lime zest into the sugar well with clean fingers. Add the lime juice, eggs, and salt to the same pot. Whisk until well combined. Cook, whisking constantly, over medium heat, for 4-5 minutes or until the temperature on a candy thermometer reaches 185° F. The mixture should coat the back of a spoon, and hold a trail when you drag your finger through the curd.
Remove the saucepan from the heat immediately at this point, and strain it into the medium bowl to remove any lumps. Whisk the butter into the hot curd mixture, a few tablespoons at a time, until fully combined. Whisk in the vanilla. Press plastic wrap onto the surface of the curd and chill in the fridge at least 3 hours or up to 1 week before using. Curd will thicken as it cools.
Tip: Use a bit of green food coloring to make this look more like lime – it is naturally more yellow.
Note: This yields just shy of 2 cups, or 520 grams of lime curd.
Make the Crust: Preheat oven to 350° F. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick spray and make sure the bottom is securely fastened. Stir together crust ingredients and press into prepared pan and up the sides a bit (see photos above). Bake this for 10 minutes. Set aside.
Keep the oven on at 350. Fill a large pot with water and set it on your stove, and get out a large roasting pan – you'll need this for your water bath later.
Make the Cheesecake Filling: Remember that your cold ingredients need to come to room temp before you start or the filling won't turn out.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with electric mixer until creamy, about 1-2 minutes. Add the sugar & mix until well incorporated, about 1 minute. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as you go. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing on medium speed after each until just incorporated. Add the vanilla, sour cream, lime juice, and lime zest and mix until just incorporated.
Remove 2 and 1/2 cups (560 grams) of batter and add to a medium bowl. Fold in 1 cup of the lime curd. Add a little green food coloring if desired.
Alternate adding dollops of the two batters to the baked crust, using up all the batter. Use a butter knife to swirl the batters together for a pretty design.
Prepare the Water Bath + Bake: Bring the large pot of water to a boil. Set your springform pan on a rack positioned in the center of the oven, and place the roasting pan on the rack below, or wrap the base of the cheesecake pan in foil and place it inside a 10-inch cake pan inside the roasting dish. Pour the boiling water into the roasting pan. Both of these methods ensure no leaks.
Bake: Bake the cheesecake for 1 hour and 45 to 1 hour and 55 minutes. When done, the cheesecake will have only a slight wobble in the center, and a knife inserted into the edge will come out clean, and will have just a bit of thick batter when inserted into the center.Turn off the oven and crack the door open. Let the cheesecake cool in the oven for 1 hour before removing it.
Cheesecake Cooling: Once the hour is up, remove the pan from the oven. It should be cool enough to handle. Remove the foil and set the springform pan on a wire rack. Let cool completely at room temp, then cover with foil and refrigerate at least 6 hours or up to 1 day before removing from the pan and serving.
Make the Whipped Cream: Add the whipped cream ingredients to a medium bowl and beat on high speed until stiff peaks form. Or, use a food processor - this will make the whipped cream easier to pipe! Pulse 6-8 times, then run on low until cream is thickened.
Serve & Store: Spread extra lime curd over the chilled cheesecake and top with the whipped cream (I piped mine on with a wilton 4B tip). Slice and enjoy! Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Notes

Mini Cheesecakes: This recipe used to be a mini Key Lime Rum Cheesecake recipe. Here's that old recipe for those who still wanted it.

For the Crust:

3.5 tbsp salted butter, melted
1 cup graham cracker crumbs

For the Cheesecakes:

11 ounces full fat cream cheese, at room temp
3/4 cup + 1.5 tsp granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup + 1 tbsp blue chair bay key lime rum cream (or another rum)
1 tbsp lime zest
3 tbsp key lime juice (if using regular lime juice, use an extra 1-2 tsp to taste)
1/3 cup full fat sour cream, at room temperature

For the Whipped Cream:

1 and 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream, cold
2 tbsp blue chair bay key lime rum cream
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp powdered sugar

Prep: Line a muffin tin with papers and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Make & Bake Crust: Stir together crust ingredients. Press 1 & 1/2 tbsp of mixture into each muffin liner. Bake for 5 mins. Set aside.

Make Cheesecakes: In a large bowl, beat cream cheese for 30 seconds. Add sugar and beat on high until well combined, about 1 minute. Add eggs & vanilla and mix on medium high until just combined. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl well. Add sour cream, key lime rum, lime juice, and lime zest. Don't over mix!

Bake: Add 2 heaping tbsp of batter to each baked crust. Bake for 19-24 minutes. The centers will be puffy and have the slightest jiggle, and a toothpick inserted into the center will have a small bit of thick batter on it. Gently place pans on cooling racks as not to deflate the cheesecakes. Let cool completely at room temp, then transfer to an airtight container and chill in the fridge until ready to eat.

Whipped Cream: Beat all ingredients in a medium bowl on medium high speed until stiff peaks form. Or, blend in a food processor. Dollop on the cheesecakes just before serving.

Store: Store cheesecakes in fridge for 3-4 days.

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