These smooth and creamy no-bake cheesecakes are bursting with key lime flavor, and so easy to make!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
These tasty (and adorable) little no-bake key lime cheesecakes are a perfect dessert to serve all spring and summer long! They’re especially great for Mother’s Day, or even Saint Patrick’s Day. Everyone who tries these cheesecakes loves them.
These are amazing! Very quick to make, 15-20 minutes. Great for when want that little extra something sweet after a meal or just have a craving. Would recommend to everyone!
Darla
They’re a big favorite of my husband, who is a huge fan of cheesecake and key lime pie. And who isn’t, really?
I love that these can be made ahead and pulled out of the freezer just before serving. Which makes these the perfect dessert for entertaining–the more you can prep ahead, the more time you can spend with your guests.
And the individual serving sizes help with portion control too–at least in theory.
These do start to soften up pretty quickly once you remove them from the freezer, so I don’t recommend taking them out more than 15 minutes before serving.
You can make these cheesecakes in a muffin tin lined with paper liners, but I really like serving them in small Mason jars. You’ll use more filling per cheesecake, so the recipe won’t yield as many servings, but it makes for a great presentation!
I can get 12 desserts using a lined muffin tin, and 8-10 with mini mason jars. If you go with the muffin tin, just remove the liners before you serve the cheesecakes.
If you can’t find key lime juice, you can use regular lime juice in this recipe. I’d just suggest adding more lime zest, since regular limes aren’t as tart as key limes. Either way, it’s going to be delicious!
Wow! we just made these to bring to a New Year’s Eve party and we couldn’t stop licking the bowl! Totally takes us back to Key West!
Kim
Be sure to save this recipe to your favorite Pinterest board for later.
Ingredients
- Graham cracker crumbs
- Butter
- Cream cheese
- Sweetened condensed milk
- Key lime juice
- Limes
- Cool Whip
- Green food coloring (optional)
Mini No Bake Key Lime Cheesecakes
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 3 tablespoons butter melted
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
- 1/3 cup bottled key lime juice
- 1 teaspoon lime zest
- 1 8 oz. container frozen whipped topping, thawed
- 1-2 drops green food coloring optional
Instructions
- Line 12 muffin pan cups with paper liners. Alternately, cheesecakes can be made in 12 mini Mason jars.
- In a small bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs and and melted butter. Press one tablespoon of crumbs into the bottom of each liner.
- With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the cream cheese until smooth.
- Add the condensed milk and lime juice and mix well. Mix in the food coloring, if using. Fold in the lime zest and 1 cup of the whipped topping.
- Divide the mixture evenly among the lined muffin cups. Cover pan with foil or plastic wrap and freeze until firm, at least 3 hours. Let stand about 5 minutes before serving.
- Top with remaining whipped topping and fresh lime slices before serving.
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Notes
Nutrition
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41 comments
Celeste
Is it ok to use plastic disposable cocktail cups cups instead of mason jars or paperliners?
Jerterra Gantt
I made this version of cheesecake after my husband asked for one which surprised me & it disappeared with mind. Thanks for sharing
Kim
wow! we just made these to bring to a New Year’s Eve party and we couldn’t stop licking the bowl! I used key lime juice but regular lime zest because they do not stock fresh key lime in our neck of the woods. Totally takes us back to Key West!
Laci
I made these a couple weeks ago and my family LOVED them. They are soooooo good. But make sure you don’t put them into the refridgerator too late or some of them are a little runny.
Darla
These are amazing! Very quick to make, 15-20 minutes. Great for when want that little extra, something sweet after a meal or just have a craving.
Would recommend to everyone! I don’t usually reply to things, but want everyone to know and try!Maybe even make a pie instead of cupcake size.
Danelle
Thanks so much Darla!
Olivia Douglass
Thank you! Going to make these for work 😀
Holly Lounsbury
How long can these sit out in room temperature for? Thanks in advance! 🙂
Danelle
Not too long….15 or 20 minutes.
Deb
Just got done making and in the freezer now. The filling is wonderful! Question: how far in advance could I make these and have set in the freezer? If I can freeze them ahead of time, should I let them thaw out in refrigerator for a couple of hours before I am actually ready to serve them? Thanks!
Danelle
I think they would freeze for up to a month, but probably be best before 2 weeks. I usually take them straight from the freezer and serve them within 5-10 minutes. I don’t let them thaw in the fridge.
Tammy
Delicious! I made a gluten free version for my mom. I used the gluten-free ginger snaps from Trader Joe’s for the crust.
Caroline Holland
Is this a hand held dessert? I am thinking about trying this for a picnic and looking for simplicity. It looks delicious!
Danelle
I would say no. It gets quite soft if completely thawed. I would go with more of a traditional baked cheesecake. Or you could make this in little Mason jars or paper cups to be hand held.
Gin
I made this recipe and blogged about it. This was amazing Danelle. Mine did not look as pretty as yours but the taste was there. Here if you like to see how they turned – http://fashion4therealpeople.blogspot.com/2015/07/mini-key-lime-cheesecake-no-bake.html
Really really great taste. Gin
Janet
1. How much lime juice? A third of what size bottle of juice?
2. Do I use the whole 8 oz tub of cool whip or measure out one cup, which is only about half as much?
Danelle
It’s 1/3 CUP of bottled lime juice, not 1/3 of a bottle. You measure out 1 cup of the whipped topping and add it to the lime filling, then you can use the rest for topping the pies if you’d like.
Caro
Do they melt if they sit out for a bit? What is the final texture like… a frozen cheesecake dessert, or does it thaw to resemble a mini cheesecake?
I’m making a dessert table for a friend’s wedding… the groom requested cheesecake cupcakes. This would make things MUCH easier! any advice helps!
Marcie
Hi,
I did make the cheesecake but found that I would like it to be a little tarter as did the others that tasted it. (Just a personal taste) So maybe using the real key limes or the frozen lime juice would work, other wise it was a very easy dessert. I as well added food coloring to give it a darker green.
Marcie
Sarah
So I just attempted this recipe. I am using a mini muffin tin that accommodates 24. I followed the recipe to a T; however, I may not have mixed my cream cheese enough because my batter was just a little lumpy. The issue was with my electric mixer – the cream cheese just balled up and stuck in the mixer arms. Does anyone know if its ok for the batter to be a bit lumpy? I am hoping once they freeze up it will be fine. The other thing was I filled my mini muffin pan and I still have almost half the mixture left!! So I guess I will wait 3 hours for them to freeze and transfer to freezer bags and make another batch! Crossing my fingers for a good turn out!!
Danelle
Usually when I get lumps, it’s because I didn’t let my cream cheese soften enough. Hope that helps!
Marie
Can I make and serve these in a short time,(say 3-4 hours) or is the freezer for three hours an absolute must.
Treasure
Do these make 12 minis, using a mini cupcake pan? And can you sub the whipped topping for homemade whipped cream?
Danelle
It makes 12 regular muffin pan sized desserts. So if you used a mini muffin pan it would probably make 24. And yes you can sub homemade whipped cream.
Veronica
When you say frozen “whipped topping” thawed, are you referring to Cool Whip?
Thanks!
Carolyn
I found the link to this recipe on another recipe board. I made a double recipe for an anniverary reception yesterday (make smaller into about 16) and these were great to make ahead and freeze. I decorated the tops about an hour before serving. These were on the dessert table, along with the anniversary cake. Believe me, the cake hardly rated next to these little jewels. Everyone oohed and aawed over them and thought they came from a bakery. Thanks for such a great and easy recipe!
Maria Jogani
These sounds wonderful. I am going to try it Thursday night for a party. Was wondering if I could put a Nilla Wafer at the bottom of the cupcake holder instead of graham cracker crumbs?
Carolyn
Maria, I tested that, but the Nilla Wafer wasn’t large enough and I was using a regular size muffin pan.
Danelle
Good to know! Thanks Carolyn!
Tricia
Do these always have to be frozen till served or can I keep in fridge after i freeze them..thanks so much..making today so please help..they look amazing..thank u..
Desiree Ortiz
How many will this make?
Danelle M
It makes 12.
lisafheist
Made these for our Easter dessert. I made a few “light” substitutions as I am following weight watchers and they were fabulous! The perfect size for everyone!
Danelle M
So glad you liked them Lisa….I agree the size is perfect.
Jessica Perez
So easy to make, and came out great. I dyed the batter different colors for Easter.
Danelle M
Jessica, I love your idea of doing different colors for Easter! Can’t wait to try it!
Hari Chandana P
Wowww… looks super cute and inviting.. First time here.. Happy to follow your space 🙂
blueberrykitchen
Your cheesecakes look absolutely gorgeous! They sound like they would taste so good too 🙂
Katie
These look divine and I bet taste amazing!
Cindy
I do love Key Limes–they are just so cute! And this little dessert looks just perfect. It’s always nice to have a bite of wonderful in the freezer.
Aimee
oh my, this looks delicious!