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Cheese cake bars: the low maintenance version of a cheesecake.
These key lime cheesecake bars are the dessert of the summer!! Cheesecake sprinkled with fresh key-lime zest baked over a gingersnap cookie crust and topped with meringue. They are the perfect bite-sized dessert perfect for any summer celebration!!
Key Lime Cheesecake Bars with Ginger Snap Cookie Crust
Ingredients:
Direction Snapshot:
1. Make gingersnap cookie crust.
2. Make key lime cheesecake mixture.
3. Bake cheesecake in preheated oven for 55-60 minutes.
4. Cool at room temperature and then chill for at least 3 hours until completely set.
5. Make meringue.
6. Spread meringue over the bars and lightly torch with a culinary torch.
7. Cut into bars, serve and enjoy!!
Love Dessert Bars? Check out our Birthday Cake Cookie Bars and Salted Toffee Dark Chocolate Tahini Bars!
Cheesecake bars vs Cheesecake
Although the both cheesecake bars and cheesecake taste the same, there are some key differences in baking method and final texture. Cheesecake bars are like the low maintenance, more durable version of a cheesecake!
Why we love cheesecake bars: You don’t have to cook the bars in a water bath (lower maintenance!) like you would with cheesecake. Cheesecake bars will also have a denser texture than a light and fluffy cheesecake but the taste is still the same. Lastly, they are also super portable which makes to slice and serve at a gathering!
Tips to make the perfect meringue...
- Room temperature egg whites will increase the volume and size of the meringue.
- Cream of tartar helps to stabilize the egg whites to create that fluffy texture.
- Whisk on high speed until soft peaks form. You will need to whip a lot of air into the egg whites to make them fluffy.
More yummy crust options!!
We used gingersnap cookies for the crust in tis recipe but you there are other options that you can use that will taste just as delicious.
- Graham crackers - Traditionally used in key lime cheesecake. It has a softer, more crumbly texture.
- Chess cookies - Have a buttery flavor. We used them for the crust in our Raspberry Cheesecake Bars.
- Biscoff cookies - They have a buttery cinnamon flavor. We don’t think it would be the best pairing with the key lime cheesecake bars, but it tastes delicious in our Pumpkin Biscoff Cheesecake.
Key Lime Cheesecake Bars with Ginger Snap Cookie Crust
Description
Cheesecake is sprinkled with fresh key-lime zest baked over a gingersnap cookie crust and topped with meringue.
Ingredients
Ginger Snap Crust
40 ginger snap cookies, finely ground
1 1/2 sticks butter
3 tbsp flour
3 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
Key Lime Cheesecake
2 pkg cream cheese
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs beaten
1/3 cup sour cream
1/2 cup key lime juice
2 tsp key lime zest
1 tsp vanilla
Meringue
4 egg whites
1 c sugar
1 tsp cream of tartar
2 tsp vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325°F. Line a 9×9 or 9×13 baking dish with parchment paper.
- Pulse ginger snap cookies in a food processor until they are fine crumbs. In a medium mixing bowl, add the cookie crumbs, flour, sugar, brown sugar, melted butter and salt. Mix until the mixture is fully incorporated. Press the crust into the baking dish and set aside.
- In a stand mixer, combine cream cheese and sugar. Mix until creamy and fully combined. Add in the eggs, one at a time. Mix until combined. They add the sour cream, lime juice juice, lime zest, and vanilla extract. Mix until the mixture is smooth. Pour the cream cheese mixture over the crust.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes. The middle should be set and bounce back to the touch, but it’s okay if it still has a little jiggle to it.
- Let it cool on a cooling rack for 45 minutes, then transfer to the fridge for at least 3 hours until completely set.
- Once chilled, make the meringue. In an electric mixing bowl with the whisk attachment, add egg whites, sugar, and vanilla into a mixing bowl with the whisk attachment. Whisk on high speed for 8-10 , until whipped, light and fluffy.
- Lightly spread a thick layer of meringue over the top of the key lime bars with a rubber spatula. Using a culinary torch, gently torch the meringue for a few seconds until it’s golden and crispy on top.
- Cut into even squares and enjoy!
