Lime Cheesecake Bars
Shortbread Crust + Creamy Lime Cheesecake + Crunchy Crumble
It’s funny, really - I spent the first 6 years working on my blog writing stories and then saying “oh yeah, and here’s a recipe.” Since 2016 or so I’ve been deleting those old stories (or moving them to google docs) and just talking about the recipe because, in reality, no one wanted to read funny stories about my snoring cat or Jordan singing Thrift Shop in the middle of target when she was 6.
And so now that I can do whatever the heck I want over here - and I plan to write stories again - I can’t think of anything funny to write about. My knee-jerk reaction to posting this recipe was to say something along the lines of Lime Cheesecake Bars - a creamy sweet lime cheesecake with crunchy shortbread crust and crumbly top, these are the perfect treat for summer! and then talk about why eggs should be room temperature.
It’s freeing…and also terrifying to think that the sky is the limit here. It’s like I’ve gone full circle in my career. I’m excited to flex the writing muscle again. It’s gonna take some time to re-learn how to segue from Abby shaking so much in the car she threw spittle all over me into…cheesecake bars.
Except we were going to the beach…and lime reminds me of summer, and the beach, and Miami. But that’s another story, for another day.
A few recipe notes (can’t take the food blogger out of the girl, so-to-speak):
It really is important that your eggs, sour cream, and cream cheese are room temperature to avoid lumps. Leave them out at least 2 hours before making the bars.
I used regular limes, but you could swap key limes (you’ll just need more of them).
I also have a lemon version of this recipe, and similar recipes with apple, zucchini, and pear.
When zesting and juicing, you need the right tools (affiliate links): a microplane for zest and this is my favorite citrus juicer.
Lime Cheesecake Bars
Crust
1 ½ cups (186g) all-purpose flour
½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
Cheesecake
8 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1 large egg, room temperature
¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
½ cup sour cream, room temperature
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon grated lime zest (about 1 lime)
1 tablespoon (8g) all-purpose flour
Crumble
¼ cup (57g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
½ cup (100g) light brown sugar, packed
¾ cup (93g) all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
Line a 9×9” pan with foil and spray with cooking spray (for easy removal and cutting of bars). Preheat oven to 350°F.
Prepare the crust by slowly mixing all the ingredients in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl using hand mixer. The mixture will be crumbly and if you are using a hand mixer you may need to use your hands to break up any large chunks of butter. Press the crust in the prepared pan and bake for 15 minutes.
Beat cream cheese, egg, and sugar with a stand or a hand mixer in a larger bowl. Mix in sour cream, lime juice, zest, vanilla, and flour. Mix until smooth. The trick to getting your cheesecake smooth and not lumpy is to make sure all the ingredients are room temperature!
Make the crumble: mix all crumble ingredients using a hand or stand mixer in a large bowl (which can be the same bowl as the one you made the crust in). The mixture will be stiff and crumbly.
Pour the cheesecake mixture over the partially baked hot crust. Sprinkle the crumble over the top. Bake for an additional 28-32 minutes until the edges are browned and the cheesecake is no longer glossy. Cool completely then cover and chill for at least 2 hours before serving.
Slice and store bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month.
Yield: 16 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Bake Time: 45 minutes
Cooling Time: 4 hours