This fancy Key Lime Cheesecake Tart will be the biggest hit on your family table from now on. It’s a perfect balance in between tart and sweet. Thick layer of classic graham crackers crust, one half layer of sweet New York cheesecake, another half from key lime cream and topped with whipped cream and sprinkled with zest of lime. Heaven on Earth.

Key Lime Cheesecake Tart Best recipe ever
This southern specialty is transformed into lovely dessert with chilled creamy cheesecake layer. This is all cheesecake lovers dream. A Thick layer of New York cheesecake meets less thick layer of perfect tangy key lime cream. When I had first bite, it was a wow tangy feeling going through my body. The buttery crunch of graham cracker’s crust with key lime cream will wake up all your senses and creamy soothing cheesecake will finish the delectable magic in your mouth. This is how I would describe the first bite of this delicious Key Lime Cheesecake tart.
I call it tart, because I made in tart shell or pan, but this recipe is suitable for classic cheesecake pan of 9 inches. I found it more fancy with the beautiful wavy crust made up with the tart pan. This dessert is after all suitable for festive season like Easter, Mother’s Day or birthday party.

How to make the most delectable Key Lime Cheesecake Tart
Room temperature ingredients
- There in one most important key to the creamiest cheesecake and that is all ingredients require to be in room temperature. Except the whipping cream in this case, because we will not be using the cream inside the cheesecake, but on the top of the cheesecake, as a decoration. So at this point, when you need to whip the cream, it has to be very well chilled.
Smooth cream cheese
- Second very important key is the way how you mix the cream cheese. When you cream cheese is already in room temperature, the job is already half done! Mixing or whipping at this moment would be the best choice to achieve fluffy consistency of cream cheese. Use whipping attachment for mixing (whipping) the cream cheese. How long? Pretty long. As my mom says, you want to have a fluffy buttercream, then whip for good 10 minutes. Yes same rule applies to the cream cheese. Mix it well itself without sugar or eggs. After the cream cheese is well mixed, you can add the other ingredients.
Use blender if needed
- This third one key element is more of a suggestion in case you still have some lumps in the cream cheese mixture. Probably your cream cheese wasn’t left in the room temperature for long enough and is still little stiff. In this case use hand blender to blend any annoying lumps.

HOW TO MAKE the perfect KEY LIME CHEESECAKE TART
Classic cheesecake has few steps: make a crust, bake the crust, make the filling, bake the filling, chill & serve. This Key lime cheesecake will have two extra steps by making the key lime cream and whipping the cream for the garnish. So let’s start.
Crust
Make the buttery Graham Cracker’s crust by mixing the graham cracker crumbs with sugar and melted butter. Press it into the pan of your choice. I used 9 inch tart style pan with high edge (2 inches high). I always highly recommend placing a piece of parchment paper on the bottom of the tart and butter lightly the edges of the tart.
Bake the crust, but not too long. Approximately 5- 8 minutes. It all depends on what you will use as a pan. If you use non-stick pan it will be longer, if you use glass pie dish it will take less time. In the meanwhile start the cream cheese filling.
Cream cheese filling
Make the cream cheese filling by whisking the cream cheese for 10 minutes in stand mixer, or until very smooth. Add one by one all the other ingredients and combine well. Pour the cream cheese filling in the baked crust and set aside.
Key Lime filling
Make the key lime filling another simple step, mix the ingredients for key lime cream and mix well until smooth. Pour this key lime cream gently on the top of the cream cheese mixture. No worries, the key lime cream will not sink on the bottom of the cream cheese. The cream cheese texture is enough heavy to hold the key lime cream.
Bake the Key Lime Cheesecake Tart
Bake the cheesecake for 35 minutes or until the centre of the cheesecake is set and jiggles slightly. Let it cool completely and then chill for 6 hours, preferably overnight. One big tip: I always prepare my cheesecake day ahead, because the cheesecake needs to really rest and chill very well in the refrigerator to set properly. Otherwise, it will be falling apart, while you will be slicing it.
Garnish
Garnish with whipped cream 35% slightly sweetened and sprinkle with lime zest. Don’t forget to make yourself a good cup of coffee, it goes very well with cheesecake!

You are probably already salivating, when you see all these pictures, can you imagine me writing the recipe and looking at these for one whole day 😉

TIPS FOR BAKING (any) CHEESECAKE
Water bath or not?
I am personally a big NO NO fan for cheesecake water baths and let me explain to you why. Water baths are creating extra humid environment in the oven, for the cheesecake not to dry out so the cheesecake doesn’t crack. But it’s not very favourable for the crust. Despite all the aluminum wrapping all around the pan, there will always be a leak somewhere, sometime minimal, but most of the time major one. So trust me, I have baked many cheesecakes, and I am tired of ruining 2 cheesecakes out of 10, I want to have all my cheesecakes to be perfect.

Solution for never have a cheesecake crack again without water bath!
When the cake has risen in the oven for the first time, remove it from the oven and reduce the temperature of the oven. Let the surface sink to level with the top of the pan, then put the cheesecake back to the oven, repeat this twice during the baking.
(this rule doesn’t apply to this recipe, because the top of this cake is key lime pie cream and this doesn’t require any special care).

If you love cheesecakes so much and I bet you do, you definitely must try some of these cheesecake recipes. You will surely love some of them:
More cheesecake recipes
- MINI BANANA CHEESECAKES
- NUTELLA SWIRL CHEESECAKE NO BAKE
- THE BEST LEMON CHEESECAKE
- NO-BAKE CHEESECAKE BITES WITH STRAWBERRY CHOCOLATE COATING
- NO-BAKE TRIPLE CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE
- RAW BLUEBERRY CHEESECAKE BARS

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KEY LIME CHEESECAKE TART
Equipment
- Tart pan 8-inch with high edges or spring-form pan 9-inch
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 cup (125g) graham cracker's crumbs
- 1/3 cup (44 g) sugar
- 5 tbsp (75 g) melted butter
Cream Cheese
- 2 pkg (452 g) cream cheese
- 1/3 cup (65 g) sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla
- 1 heaped tbsp all-purpose flour
Key Lime Cream
- 1 can (397 ml) Sweetened Condensed Milk
- 4 large egg yolks
- ½ cup (125 ml) lime juice (6 medium limes)
Whipped Cream Topping
- 2 cups (500 ml) heavy cream
- 2 tbsp confectioner (icing) sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 small lime for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F (180 C) and line the bottom of tart with parchment paper. Butter the edges of the tart pan.
- Place the graham cracker's crumbs, sugar and melted butter, in medium bowl and combine. Transfer crumbs inside the tart pan and press the crumbs with a measuring cup or cake spatula. Bake the crust for 5-8 minutes. Cool and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk the cream cheese for 10 minutes or until creamy and fluffy. Add sugar and beat until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, vanilla extract and flour. Beat until well combined. Pour cheesecake filling into cooled crust. Level the filling with spatula & set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine sweetened condensed milk, egg yolks and key lime juice. Whisk slowly first, then speed up the mixing & mix until smooth. Pour the key lime mixture on top of the cream cheese filling. Smooth out and level with spatula.
- Bake in a preheated oven 350F (180C) for 35 minutes or until cheesecake is set and jiggles only slightly in the centre. Cool the cheesecake for 20 minutes, then chill in refrigerator for 6 hours, better overnight.
- For the whipped cream dollops, combine 35% whipping cream, confectioner (icing) sugar and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer. Start whipping on low speed, increase the speed gradually and whip on high until stiff peaks forms. Transfer the whipped cream into a pastry bag with a round tip. Pipe little dollops of whipped cream all of over cheesecake. Garnish with fresh lime zest on top & serve!
STORAGE
- Store the cheesecake in airtight container for up to 5 days. You can also freeze cheesecake in airtight container for up to 3 months.
Notes
- To save on time, bake the cheesecake day before you plan on serving it. This way, you have the baked cheesecake chilling in the refrigerator overnight and in the morning you can only finalize the whipped cream topping with lime zest garnish.
- Room temperature ingredients, are the key to success this recipe. (Except the whipping cream must be chilled before whipping).
- Tart pan or spring form pan, I have used 8-inch high edge (2-inch) wavy tart pan to add more appealing look to this tart, but you can easily use also 9-inch spring form pan.
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Disclosure: Bear in mind that some of the links in this post are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase I will earn a commission. Keep in mind that I link these companies and their products because of their quality and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. The decision is yours, and whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you.”
Dorothy's New Vintage Kitchen
This was the most delicious cheesecake I have ever had. Loved the little dollops on top and it was so easy to decorate. Lime gives really nice flavour to this cheesecake. Will be definately making it again.
juliarecipes
Thank you Dorothy!
Marlynn Schotland - Urban Bliss Life
We LOVE key lime pie in my family, so I knew everyone will love this cheesecake! That gorgeous piping made it a table masterpiece. So happy I found your recipe!
juliarecipes
Thank you Marlynn, I am so happy to hear that you and your family are big fans of this cheesecake and key lime pies. I love Key Lime too:)
Anita
I love key lime pie and made it quite often, this is the first time I baked the tart version. So pretty and just as delicious. 🙂
juliarecipes
Thank you Anita! I also love key lime pie and because I am a huge fan of cheesecake, I though why not to combine two best things together. And the tart version came up by accident, just happened to buy one and wanted to try it out 🙂
Noelle
I love making key lime cheesecake for summer birthdays!! I made this one yesterday for Easter and it was so creamy and delicious, saving it for sure!! 🙂
juliarecipes
Thank you Noelle by stopping by, I am so glad to hear that you are a big fan of key lime cheesecake like I am 🙂
Mireille Roc
Wow what a great idea! It looks so pretty also – I almost wouldn’t want to disturb it by eating it – almost 🙂 but seriously this cheesecake was so delicious!
juliarecipes
Thank you Mireille!
Denay DeGuzman
What a gorgeous and delicious cheesecake it was! Perfect for Mother’s Day, must make it again! Thank you so much for sharing this delicious recipe.
juliarecipes
I am so happy you found this cheesecake this delicious!
Denise Browning
Holly molly! How delicious this key lime tart was, thanks Julia for sharing your recipe! I will definately make it again!
Julia Recipes
Thank you Denise, I am so happy you like my key lime tart 🙂 And so appreciate you checked my blog, Thank you!!
Julia
What an absolutely stunning and tasty cheesecake. And refreshing with the key lime, whole family loved it. Perfect recipe for Mother’s day and spring!!
Julia
Thank you so much Julia! I am so happy you love this cheesecake! Hope you will have a chance to try it out and let me know, how it goes. Have a great day!
Nart at Cooking with Nart
Hello, we grow lots of limes here and I tried this recipe. Have to say it didn’t disappoint! My mom loved it so much!
Julia
I am so happy to hear that Nart! Have a lovely day!
Dannii
What a lovely light and fresh lime tasty cheesecake. Definitely making another one this weekend.
Bhawana
Awesome, I love cheesecakes once a while and this key lime cheesecake was so great. Your photos made me try it. Really loved the recipe.
Julia
So happy to hear, that you would grab a slice right away:)
Amanda Wren-Grimwood
I so love cheesecakes and this was absolutely delicious! Can’t wait to make it again!
Julia
If you love cheesecakes, then this is a must try:)
Emese
Just wow! It looks absolutely gorgeous. I only ever had key lime pie not a cheesecake version, but I am intrigued now. Must make this cheesecake soon!
Julia
Thank you Emese:) I am sure you would love the cheesecake version of keylime pie 🙂
Rita
Your cheesecakes are always so creative, really loved bringing key lime pie into cheesecake version. It was creamy, tangy, I really enjoyed all the flavours. Will be making this cheesecake again for Mother’s Day, because everybody loved it !
Julia
Thank you so much Rita! I am so happy to hear that:)
cindy Febbroriello
Where did you get your tart pan. I’ve checked Amazon and they only have a 2inch high edge as the recipe requires a 3inch pan. Thanks.
Julia
Hi Cindy, the height of the tart pan should be 2 (two) inches. I used exactly the same pan which is suggested on the picture from Amazon. And thank you for bringing this to my attention, because yes you are right, there was a typo error in the section for the crust with 3 inch pan height indication, this typo has been now corrected 🙂 Happy baking! Julia.
Olga Purvis
I want to make this delicious sounding cheesecake in a couple of day, but I don’t have a tart pan. Will a springform pan work?
Julia
Hi Olga, yes springform pan will work as well. I would suggest 8 or 9 inches of diameter. Happy baking 🙂