Lemon Lime No Bake Cheesecake
Sometimes all ya need in life is something sweet and bright to snack on! Something that just feels like sunshine! You know how they say, when life gives ya lemons (or a giant snowstorm in MARCH after the grass just started to turn green…) ya make cheesecake! This Lemon Lime No Bake Cheesecake was creamy, rich, and SO vibrant. It almost gave sprite vibes! Those lemon and lime flavors, the homemade graham cracker crust, that decadent cheesecake flavor we all know and love?! This was super indulgent and super easy to make! It would totally rock all through spring and summer!
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When was the no bake cheesecake born?
No bake cheesecake appeared around the mid-20th century! Home cooks would use cream cheese and gelatin to get the cheesecake to set without using eggs and without having to bake it! And instead of using gelatin, home cooks also experimented with simply chilling the cheesecake – and it was a complete success!
By the 70’s, these totally blew up, especially versions with whipped fillings and graham cracker crusts! And in today’s modern world, there are tons of variations on these no bake cheesecakes! You can make them in virtually any flavor you want, as long as you’ve got the basic components!
Did you know?
Lemons were introduced to southern Italy around 200 AD, making them one of the oldest citrus fruits cultivated in Europe! These juicy fruits are so good for you, and they can be used in like, everything. Just one lemon tree can produce up to 600 pounds of lemons per year! Isn’t that wild?! That’s a lot of lemons!
And limes? They’re just as interesting! Lime isn’t just one fruit, it’s actually a whole group of citrus species and hybrids – including key, Persian, finger, blood, and Makrut. They’re also full of vitamin C and packed with antioxidants which support immunity and skin health! Like lemons, limes are also incredibly versatile – often the perfect flavor addition to various sweet and savory dishes!
What ingredients do I need to make this?
For the homemade graham cracker crust:
Graham Crackers
Granulated Sugar
Butter
For the lemon lime filling:
Cream Cheese
Heavy Cream
Lemon
Lime
Powdered Sugar
Vanilla
For serving:
Walnuts
Whipped Cream
Lemon
Lime
What equipment do I need?
- Mixing Bowls
- Zester
- Juicer
- Cutting Board
- Chef Knife
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Rolling Pin
- Beater or Stand Mixer
- Whisk
- Small Skillet
- Aluminum Pie Pan
- Gallon Sized Ziplock Bag
How do I make it?
To make the homemade graham cracker crust:
The first thing we need to do is take out the cream cheese and let it soften at room temperature. Now, let’s make our crust! That will have to chill and harden in order for us to add the filling to it and chill the rest of the cheesecake!
To get started, add the graham crackers to a Ziplock bag, zip it up, and start beating it up! Toss it around, smash it with a rolling pin – we want all of these to be crushed into crumbs, but not dust. Once all of the graham crackers have turned into the texture of sand, it’s ready!
Next, melt the butter and add it to a large bowl along with all of the other ingredients for the graham cracker crust. Stir to combine.
Add the crust mixture to the aluminum pie pan and gently press down, molding it into the bottom and sides of the pan.
Pop it into the refrigerator to let it chill while we make the filling!
To make the lemon lime filling:
First, wash and dry the lemon and lime. Then zest and juice them into separate bowls. Next, add the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla to a large mixing bowl. Beat until combined.
Then, in a separate large bowl, use the whisk attachment on the beater to whisk the heavy cream until soft peaks form.
Pro Tip: You can also do this by hand if you don’t have a whisk attachment or a beater! It just takes some elbow grease!
Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture, then stir in the lemon and lime juice and zest.
To assemble and chill the lemon lime cheesecake:
Once combined, fold into the chilled graham cracker crust, using the back of a spoon or a rubber spatula to spread it into an even layer, until smooth.
Cover and refrigerate for several hours or for a quicker chill time, consider freezing it! While the cheesecake is setting let’s toast the walnuts and zest some more lemon and lime to serve with it!
To toast the walnuts and prep garnishes:
Chop up the walnuts and toast them in a small skillet on medium heat for a few minutes. Make sure to stir the nuts here and there so they don’t burn! When they appear slightly darkened and smell toasty, remove from heat and allow to cool.
Grab another lemon and lime, wash and dry them, slice them in half, and zest each half into a small dish. Cover and refrigerate until the cheesecake is done chilling.
To serve:
Garnish chilled and set lemon lime no bake cheesecake with toasted walnuts, and remaining lemon and lime zest.
Slice, top with whipped cream, and serve! Enjoy!
Tips:
- It doesn’t matter if you freeze this or chill it in the refrigerator. The freezer is faster if you need to make this quickly for a party though! Just let it sit out on the counter for 15-20 minutes before slicing and serving. It will still be that creamy, rich texture of a cheesecake!
- You can always use a store-bought graham cracker crust to save time, no shame!
- This lemon lime no bake cheesecake will keep if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days, or you can freeze it for up to 3 months! My husband and I like to eat some, then freeze some – makes the deliciousness never ending!
Looking for more no bake sweets?
Have a lot more lemons and limes to use up? Check these recipes out!
Lemon Lime No Bake Cheesecake
Equipment
Ingredients
For the homemade graham cracker crust:
- 1 ½ cups Graham Cracker Crumbs (about 1 1/2 sleeves)
- 6 Salted Butter melted
- 2 tbsp Granulated Sugar
For the lemon lime filling:
- 16 oz Cream Cheese softened
- 1 cup Heavy Cream
- ½ cup Powdered Sugar
- Zest from One Lemon and One Lime
- 3 tbsp Lemon Juice from about 1 lemon, freshly squeezed
- 3 tbsp Lime Juice from about 1 1/2 limes, freshly squeezed
- 1 tsp Vanilla
For serving:
- 1 tbsp Walnuts chopped, toasted
- Whipped Cream
- Zest from Half Lemon and Half Lime
Instructions
To make the homemade graham cracker crust:
- To get started, add the graham crackers to a Ziplock bag, zip it up, and start beating it up! Toss it around, smash it with a rolling pin – we want all of these to be crushed into crumbs, but not dust. Once all of the graham crackers have turned into the texture of sand, it's ready!
- Next, add the melted butter, graham cracker crumbs, and sugar to a bowl. Stir to combine.
- Add the crust mixture to the aluminum pie pan and gently press down, molding it into the bottom and sides of the pan.
- Pop it into the refrigerator to let it chill while we make the filling!
To make the lemon lime filling:
- Add the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla to a large mixing bowl.
- Beat until combined.
- In a separate large bowl, use the whisk attachment on the beater to whisk the heavy cream until soft peaks form.
- Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture, then stir in the lemon and lime juice and zest.
To assemble and chill:
- Once combined, fold into the chilled graham cracker crust, using the back of a spoon or a rubber spatula to spread it into an even layer, until smooth.
- Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or for a quicker chill time, consider freezing it for 2 hours! While the cheesecake is setting let's toast the walnuts and zest some more lemon and lime to serve with it!
To toast the walnuts and prep garnishes:
- Toast the chopped walnuts in a small skillet on medium heat for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally so they don't burn.
- When the nuts appear slightly darkened and smell toasty, remove from heat and allow to cool.
- Zest the rest of the lemon and lime for serving, cover, and refrigerate until ready to use as a garnish.
To serve:
- Garnish chilled and set lemon lime no bake cheesecake with toasted walnuts and remaining lemon and lime zest.
- Slice, top with whipped cream, and serve! Enjoy!
Nutrition
Please be aware that nutritional values are approximate and intended as a helpful guide
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