Lime Cheesecake Bars

A cool, creamy lime filling rests atop a thick layer of graham cracker crust in these delicious Lime Cheesecake Bars!


Having lived in Arizona for most of my life–93.5% of my life, to be exact, because I’m a nerd and was just calculated the percentage–I’m no stranger to Mexican food. Like, good Mexican food. None of this Swiss-cheese-on-a-burrito business I sometimes encountered while at college in the Chicago area. Good Mexican food to me means crispy tortilla shells, marinated meats with a zesty mix of the right spices, fresh veggies for the perfect salsa, and a hint of something cool and creamy to balance it all out. Like most Arizonans, I’m basically *always* in the mood for Mexican.

But there’s one perpetual problem I have when serving Mexican food to guests: what to make for dessert. There’s the usual flan or dulce de leche-flavored anything, but I find these can tire out pretty quickly. And as much as I love chocolate cookies or carrot cake, they just aren’t quite right after Mexican. So when my husband’s high school friend group was recently scheduled to join us for an evening of a Mexican dinner and movie night, I needed something appropriate for dessert.

With a bit of tinkering from a handful of other recipes, I was able to create these thick and creamy Lime Cheesecake Bars, which totally fit the bill! I think bright, peppy citrus always goes well with Mexican spices like cumin, chili powder, or oregano, and the combo of and more mellow cream cheese provides a satisfying coda to a spicy meal. I ended up serving these with my Veggie-ful Slow Cooker Chicken (which also feeds a crowd), plus chips and guac (a party prerequisite). Their graham cracker crust is extra thick–because thin lil’ slivers of crust are soooo disappointing–while the filling is the stuff of New York-style cheesecake dreams, but with a generous dose of lime flavor. And like many flavor-melding foods, these bars were even better the next day.

Of course, don’t let me stop you from enjoying Lime Cheesecake Bars with other cuisines (or all by themselves)! They’d be equally at home with Caribbean food, Creole food, or underneath a mountain of whipped cream. But in case you like Mexican…

Don’t miss more these south-of-the-border recipes to serve with Lime Cheesecake Bars!

Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Lime Cheesecake Bars

These bars are cool and creamy on top with a sturdy graham cracker crust. The hint of lime is just right for serving with a spicy dinner.
Servings: 18

Ingredients

  • 3 1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs
  • 2 Tbsp. white sugar
  • 6 Tbsp. butter, melted
  • 16 oz. cream cheese, softened
  • 16 oz. Greek yogurt-cream cheese blend, softened
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 14-oz. cans sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 c. fresh-squeezed lime juice
  • 2 Tbsp. lime zest
  • whipped cream for garnish

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
  • In a medium bowl, combine graham crackers, sugar, and melted butter. Press into the bottom of the prepared pan evenly. Bake 10 minutes.
  • In a large bowl, beat all cream cheese until smooth. Add eggs and beat until smooth, then pour in sweetened condensed milk and lime juice and continue beating on low until no lumps remain. Stir or beat in lime zest until incorporated.
  • Pour the cream cheese mixture over the graham cracker crust and smooth. Bake about 25 minutes or until filling is no longer jiggly. Let cool completely before slicing and garnish with whipped cream. Store in the refrigerator.

Notes

A Love Letter to Food Original Recipe

One thought on “Lime Cheesecake Bars

  1. 5 stars
    Thanks for this very timely recipe! I’m having two families over for a cookout Memorial weekend, and this seems like the perfect dessert to serve as we head into the broiling heat of a Phoenix summer.

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