No Bake Key Lime Cheesecake
Creamy, tangy, and no bake, this easy No Bake Key Lime Cheesecake has it all! Light and fresh, this version has a gingersnap cookie crust and uses key lime zest and juice for the ultimate flavor. Pop in the fridge and wait, no hot oven required!
Serve a slice of this cheesecake after a dinner of our juicy Grilled Shrimp with Key Lime Aioli and Easy Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice to keep the theme of zesty lime flavor. For an after dinner drink with dessert try this tropical Painkiller Drink or a sweet Caramel Iced Coffee.
No Bake Key Lime Cheesecake
We love cheesecake. But no bake cheesecake? Even better! For this recipe all you need is a good freezer and refrigerator, a mixer, and the right ingredients to make an easy dessert that will impress family and friends alike.
This no bake version is made with cream cheese, plain yogurt, sugar, some whipped topping, and of course that quintessential lime juice and zest for that sweet and tangy flavor. A simple summer dessert that will satisfy any sweet tooth and you don’t even have to take a trip to the Keys!
How to Make No Bake Key Lime Cheesecake
For the Crust:
- Prepare a 9-inch springform cheesecake pan with butter, shortening, or your favorite non stick spray. Set aside.
- Using a food processor (or a ziplock bag and a rolling pin) add the ginger and gingersnap cookies. Mix on high speed (or crush by hand) until the cookies are finely ground into crumbs.
- Pour in the melted butter (or if by hand transfer the ground cookie mixture to a bowl and add the butter) and mix at low speed until the crumbs pull away from the sides of the processor.
- Transfer the cookie crumb mixture to the bottom of the springform pan. Press into the bottom and sides and freeze for at least 20 minutes.
For the Filling:
- Using an electric mixer and large bowl, mix the cream cheese and sugar on medium speed until free of lumps and smooth in texture.
- Continue blending on low speed while you add in the key lime zest, key lime juice, and yogurt. Mix until well combined.
- Gently fold in the whipped topping. Make sure to combine until there are no streaks or pockets of unmixed cream cheese.
- Pour the cheesecake filling into the springform pan over the frozen crust. Spread and smooth out with a spatula.
- Cover the cheesecake and let chill in the refrigerator for at last 4 hours or until the cheesecake has fully set. We recommend letting it chill overnight for the best results.
- Top with dollops of whipped cream, key lime zest, and key lime slices to garnish. Serve and enjoy!
Tips and Variations:
- For the crust, you can use salted or unsalted butter. The extra salt won’t change the flavor of the crust too much so feel free to use whatever is on hand.
- Swap the yogurt for full fat sour cream for a similar taste and texture.
- Feel free to use your own Homemade Whipped Cream in place of regular whipped topping. Or get fancy and try a flavored whipped cream like our Simple Chocolate Whipped Cream or Amaretto Whipped Cream Recipe.
- Not a fan of ginger? Use graham crackers instead!
- This recipe uses 1 cup of granulated sugar, so it’s not overly sweet. Feel free to adjust the sugar to taste for a sweeter filling.
Storage
Storage: Store leftover cheesecake covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Freezing: If you’d like to freeze the key lime cheesecake, cover with plastic wrap and store in a freezer safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw thoroughly before serving.
Ingredients
Crust
- 2 ½ cups gingersnap cookies
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Cheesecake Filling
- 3 (8 ounce) bricks of cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup key lime juice, bottled or fresh
- ¼ cup nonfat plain yogurt
- 3 tablespoons key lime zest
- 1 (8 ounce) tub of whipped topping, thawed
Optional Garnish
- whipped cream
- Key lime slices
- Extra key lime zest
Instructions
For the Crust:
- Grease a 9-inch springform pan with butter or shortening. Then, set aside.
- Place the gingersnaps and ginger into a food processor, and mix on high speed until the cookies are finely ground.2 ½ cups gingersnap cookies1 teaspoon ground ginger
- With the food processor running on low speed, slowly pour in the melted butter for about 30 seconds or the crumbs start to pull away from the sides of the food processor.6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Transfer the cookie crumb mixture into the springform pan, and press it into the bottom and sides of the pan. Freeze for at least 20 minutes.
For the Filling:
- In a large bowl, use an electric mixer at medium speed to combine the cream cheese and sugar until smooth and free of lumps.3 (8 ounce) bricks of cream cheese1 cup granulated sugar
- Add the key lime juice, yogurt, and key lime zest and continue blending on low speed until everything is well combined.3 tablespoons key lime zest⅓ cup key lime juice¼ cup nonfat plain yogurt
- Fold in the whipped topping until just combined and there are no streaks or pockets of cream cheese.1 (8 ounce) tub of whipped topping
Assembly:
- Pour the filling over the frozen crust, and smooth out the filling with a spatula.
- Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours (overnight is best) or until the cheesecake is set.
- Top with whipped cream, extra key lime zest, or key lime slices, if desired.whipped creamKey lime slicesExtra key lime zest
- See post for storage options.