Key Lime Cheesecake Pie

This Key lime cheesecake pie is a hybrid: part Key lime pie, part cheesecake, with a no-bake filling that sets up in the fridge after just two hours. Cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, Key lime juice, and sour cream get beaten together into a smooth, tangy filling that firms up cold without any eggs or oven time.

The graham cracker crust does get baked for 20 minutes until golden brown. This step is worth it. A baked crust holds together when you slice the pie and has a toasty, caramelized flavor that an unbaked crust can’t match.

Key lime juice is more floral and aromatic than regular lime juice. If you can find it (or squeeze it from fresh Key limes), the difference in the finished pie is noticeable. The optional lime oil intensifies that citrus punch even further.

Sour cream in the filling lightens the density of the cream cheese and adds a tang that complements the lime. Without it, the filling would taste more like sweetened cream cheese with lime flavoring than a proper Key lime dessert.

Kitchen Tips

• Soften the cream cheese completely before mixing. Cold lumps won’t blend smooth and show up as white streaks in the filling.
• Cool the baked crust fully before pouring in the filling. A warm crust softens the filling and it never sets properly.
• Chill at least two hours, though overnight is better. The filling needs time to firm up enough to slice cleanly.

Variations

• Whipped cream topping: Pipe sweetened whipped cream over the chilled pie and garnish with thin lime slices.
• Coconut crust: Mix shredded coconut into the graham cracker crumbs for a tropical base.
• Raspberry swirl: Drop spoonfuls of raspberry puree onto the filling and swirl with a knife before chilling.