Mini Lime Cheesecakes
Published Feb 03, 2014•Updated Mar 16, 2023
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Tart and sweet, these bite-sized Mini Lime Cheesecakes are perfect for summer gatherings and can be doubled or tripled to serve a crowd.
We’re in a season of anticipation. There’s so much waiting involved in growing tiny people, and so many unknowns. I’m working on being patient (always working on being more patient), but I find myself consumed with thoughts of April when (if all goes according to plan) we will meet these little girls and dive into a world that will be exciting and entirely unfamiliar.
I catch myself all the time wondering what they will look like and who they will become. I wonder too what Frank and I will be like as parents. It’s uncharted territory, as it always is for new parents.
I know there’s so much wisdom in the recommendations that many people have to enjoy this time and its strange uniqueness, a big part of me is ready to get on with the main event.
Fortunately, in times of uncertainty and contemplating big unknowns, there are few things that bring me back to the present moment like baking. And few things that make a pregnant woman happy (at least this pregnant woman) like citrus and cheesecake. I’ve been buying clementines by the kilo…such is my love for citrus at the moment.
Full-size cheesecakes can be fussy, but these mini versions are almost fail-proof. One of the nicest things about this recipe is the very simple, thin topping that is poured over each cheesecake for the last few minutes of baking. At first I wondered what benefit it would serve, but it turns out to be a wonderful idea. You get an extra layer of flavor on top that is tart with sour cream and lime, but it also creates a beautiful, perfectly smooth surface on each little dessert. It’s a trick I will definitely be using again.
More Bite Sized Desserts
- Apple Cider Donut Mini Muffins
- Mini Cheesecakes
- Mini Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Mini Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
- Mini Pumpkin Cheesecake and Pecan Pies
- Pumpkin Cheesecake Bites
- Bite-Sized Chocolate Brownie Cookies with Candy Cane Topping
- Chocolate Brownie Crackle Cookies
- Chocolate-Dipped Banana Bread Truffles
- Pumpkin Bread Truffles
Favorite Tools
Pin this now to save it for later
Pin It NowMini Lime Cheesecakes
Equipment
- Mini Muffin Tin
- Mixing Bowls
- Stand Mixer
- Cooling Rack
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 1 1/4 cups Graham Cracker Crumbs
- 1/4 cup Unsalted Butter, melted
For the Cheesecake:
- 2 8 oz packages Cream Cheese, softened
- 2/3 cup Granulated Sugar
- 2 Eggs
- 2 Tbsp Fresh Lime Juice
- 1 tsp Vanilla
For the Topping:
- 1/2 cup Sour Cream
- 1/4 cup Granulated Sugar
- 2 tsp Fresh Lime Juice
- 1/2 tsp Vanilla
Topping (optional):
- Limes, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Put muffin liners in a mini muffin tin (see note). Lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- To make the crust, in a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs and melted butter until the graham cracker crumbs are evenly coated. Press a scant Tablespoon of the crust mixture into the bottom of prepared muffin cups and freeze until ready to fill.
- To make the filling, in the bowl of a standing mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar on medium-high until light and smooth, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add lime juice and vanilla and mix until combined. Fill each prepared muffin cup about three-quarters full.
- Bake for until the cheesecakes puff up but the centers have a slight jiggle, 18-20 minutes. Cool on a rack for 10 minutes (do not turn the oven off).
- Meanwhile make the topping. In a small bowl, whisk together sour cream, sugar, lime juice, and vanilla. Pour a small layer of topping over the center of each cooled cake and spread it out to the edges. Bake for 5 minutes more. Cool on a rack for 2 hours. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours before serving. Top with lime slices (optional).
Notes
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Perfect. Even better straight from the freezer on a sunny day.
I’ve made these at least 5 times since last summer when I made them for a bbq with friends. They are seriously better than any other recipe I’ve tried! The part that makes these better is the sour cream topping instead of a whipped topping. The cream cheese is already creamy enough so a whipped topping is overkill. The limey, cool sour cream topping is the game changer!
I always make a little extra Graham crust and sour cream topping because I find myself scraping the bowl when I’m filling my muffin tins.
Enjoy!!
Awesome – I’m so glad you liked them! And I totally agree about the topping – I love that it’s a little tart and not overly sweet!
Haha… I see I asked the same question 3 years ago!! Nevermind!!
Hi There,
I don’t see this information anywhere… I know it’s called Mini Cheesecakes, but is it done in a regular muffin/cupcake pan, or in a MINI muffin/cupcake pan? They look like mini’s, but I just thought I would ask.
Thank you…. rose.
Sorry about that Rose. Don’t know how I missed that when it was first asked, but the recipe is now updated to specify that these should be made in a mini muffin tin. Glad you figured it out!
love the sound of this recipe, just wondering if you can freeze these, thanks heaps
Hi Cheri – I’ve never tried to freeze them, but I’d love to know if it works! If you try it, please let me know!
I love this idea! If I don’t want to do the topping, do I just bake the crust and filling? Would the bake time stay the same?
Yes Jahnavi – just bake the crust and filling – bake time should stay the same.
How do you think these would do if frozen? I’d like to make some for my daughter’s wedding in May.
This is my go-to recipe for mini cheese cakes. The ingredient ratios are perfect for experimentation too.
I typically keep to the recipe, but make 12 muffin sized cakes with a thin graham cracker crumble (3 graham cracker rectangles , 2 tbs butter in food processor until a crumble texture) . With less crackers as a base the recipe fills the muffin liners 1/2 full. (don’t worry about spreading the crumbles… the muffin liners keep everything together) be careful lifting the cakes from the pan. It requires the full two hours of cooling before transfer to the refrigerator.
Keep the cook time the same, and the result is delicious… light creamy lime cakes .
Awesome – thanks so much for the tips Kevin!!
Hi! These look great! Did you use a muffin pan or a MINI muffin pan? I want to try these for a book club meeting!
Hi Rose – these were made in a regular muffin tin and produce 16 muffin-sized cheesecakes. However, I’ve made them in mini muffin tins as well with great success! They need a few minutes less of baking time if made in a mini muffin tin.
I thought it was a recipe for mini muffin tins? So confused!
Yes! Definitely use a mini muffin tin. See Step #1 of the recipe.
I just made these lovely mini cheesecakes for my own baby shower this past weekend. They were a huge hit! This recipe will definitely be added to my go-to dessert list.
Baking for your own baby shower, Jen!? You’re my kind of girl! 😉 So glad you liked them, and good luck with the rest of your pregnancy.