This vegan lime cheesecake is everything you could want from a citrus dessert. It has the creamiest vanilla lime cheesecake filling, perfectly complimented by a crunchy biscuit base. But what really takes it over the top is the juicy tangy curd topping.
They taste like a delicious hybrid between no-bake cheesecake and key lime pie - one of the nicest desserts I've had lately!
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📖 Recipe Overview
- No-Bake - Because these cheesecake bars don't require any baking that means no turning on the oven, no messing around with a water bath, or risking a potentially cracked cheesecake top. It also helps save some energy (hello electricity prices) and keeps your kitchen cooler in the summer heat.
- Small-Batch -This easy lime cheesecake comes together in a loaf pan, and makes 8 portions so you don't need to make a full-sized cheesecake to enjoy your favorite treat!
- Incredibly Easy - The filling comes together in a blender, so you don't need to worry about bringing ingredients to room temperature, etc before getting started.
- Vegan & GF Option - As always, this lime cheesecake is without eggs or dairy, and there's also an option to make it gluten-free if needed.
If you love zesty lime desserts, try my Key Lime Pie, Lime Drizzle Loaf, Lime Popsicles, and Lime Sugar Cookies next!
🧾 Ingredients Needed
Here's everything you need to grab to make this lime no bake cheesecake. I use homemade vegan lime curd - and you can make this ahead a couple of days to save time!
Ingredient Notes
- Cashews- Soak them for 4 hours to make them easy to whip up into a creamy dream! If you're in a rush you can also "quick-soak" the nuts in boiling water. This cuts your prep down to just 30 minutes.
- Lime Curd - As well as being used to top your lovely cheesecake bars the homemade curd also flavors and sweetens the creamy filling. Because my line curd is on the tangy side, you can also add a couple of tablespoons of agave or maple syrup to suit your taste buds.
- Ginger Cookies - I just love how spicy ginger compliments the zestiness of limes. But you can use any vegan cookies that you fancy for the crust, or even a vegan brand of graham cracker crumbs.
- Vegan Cream Cheese - You can use homemade cream cheese or storebought. if using a brand I usually recommend VioLife as it has a neutral flavor and has great setting abilities unlike some super-soft spreadable cream cheeses out there.
- Fresh Lime - Although the homemade curd is already bursting with fresh limes, I like to add a touch more fresh lime juice and grated lime zest to layer up the citrus and let the lime flavor shine through.
- Greek-Style Non-Dairy Yogurt - As with most of my cheesecake recipes, yogurt helps add a delicious tang and creamy consistency. If you can't get your hands on Greek-style vegan yogurt or Skyr, you can try regular coconut yogurt - the thicker brands will work better.
🥣 How To Make No Bake Lime Cheesecake
Find the complete list of ingredients, quantities, and instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post.
These easy lime cheesecake bars come together in just a few easy steps. Make sure you hop to the recipe card at the end of the page for all the measurements and printable recipe card.
Step 1: Prep a batch of homemade lime curd up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate until ready to use. Also, be sure to pre-soak your cashews and line the base and sides of a 9" loaf pan with parchment paper before getting into the recipe.
Step 2: Add the cookies and salt to a food processor and blitz for a minute or so until finely ground. Next, add the vegan butter and blend again until the mixture sticks together between your fingers.
Step 3: Press the cookie crust into the base of the loaf pan and smooth it down with your fingers or using a spoon - make sure it is compact. Refrigerate it while you make the cheesecake filling.
Step 4: Add 120g of the lime curd to a high-speed blender along with all of the filling ingredients. Blitz until smooth and creamy without any lumps.
Step 5: Pour the cream-cheese mixture into the pan and chill for a minimum of 5 hours (or overnight) until set.
Step 6: Add the remaining lime curd to a saucepan and very gently heat it whilst stirring so that it becomes a spreadable consistency. Add the lime on top of the set cheesecake, smoothing it out with the back of a spoon.
Step 7: Refrigerate for another 30 minutes to an hour before slicing into bars with a sharp knife.
Optionally, you can garnish the lime bars with some more freshly grated zest and fresh lime slices.
🍋 Variations
I'm obsessed with this recipe as is, but here are some ideas if you'd like to put your own twist on these lime bars:
- Key Lime Cheesecake Bars - Simply swap out Persian limes and go for freshly squeezed key lime juice. You will need substantially more key limes to yield the same volume of lime curd - so be sure to factor this in when you're out shopping!
- Gluten-Free - To make them GF, go for gluten-free cookies or use a whole food crust like in my lemon cheesecake bars.
- Lemon And Lime Cheesecake - Feel free to mix and match between a lemon curd topping and lime filling or vice versa.
📝 Recipe Tips
Leave some overhang with your parchment sling to help you lift the set key lime cheesecake out of the tin after chilling.
To make the crust without a food processor, simply pop the cookies in a plastic bag and use a rolling pin to bash them into crumbs. Melt the vegan butter and mix them together in a bowl before pressing the crust into the prepared cake pan.
Wipe your knife clean with some kitchen paper or a clean kitchen towel between each cut to ensure gorgeous, sharp, professional-looking slices.
💬 FAQs
Place the cheesecake slices in an airtight container or cover them tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate. They will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Yes, you can! And these lime cheesecake bars are no exception. They freeze beautifully for up to a couple of months. Make sure you separate the slices between sheets of parchment so that they do not stick together once frozen.
To defrost, simply place the bars on a plate in the fridge overnight.
I do not recommend that, as the weight of the topping can cause the filling to cave in and crack.
For best results, only add the lime curd topping once the filing has set and is firm to the touch. That way, you can expect to find beautiful clean layers once you slice into your cheesecake.
Of course, you can make it in a 7.5 or 8-inch springform pan. Simply times the recipe by 1+⅓ to make sure you get decent size layers! A full-sized version of this cheesecake will feed around 12 people.
For a 9-inch pan, I would double the recipe and this would serve around 15 people.
🍰 More No Bake Cheesecakes
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Description
Equipment
Ingredients
Make-Ahead
- 1 batch (450 g) vegan lime curd
Crust
- 140 g (1⅔ cups) ginger nut or digestive biscuits, or vegan graham crackers,*see note 1 for GF option
- 45 g (3½ tbsp) unsalted vegan butter, (block-style)
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
Filling
- 150 g (1 cup + 2tbsp) cashews, soaked *see note 2
- 200 g (7 oz) vegan cream cheese
- 80 g (⅓ cup) vegan Greek-style yogurt, or vegan Skyr
- 30 g (7½ tsp) coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon lime zest, freshly grated
- 2 tablespoons lime juice , freshly squeezed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste, or vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons agave syrup, or maple syrup, optional
Instructions
- Prepare: Make the lime curd up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate until ready to use. Pre-soak the cashews as per the recipe notes. Line the base and sides of a 9" loaf pan with parchment paper.
- Make the crust: Add the cookies and salt to a food processor and blitz for a minute or so until finely ground. Add the butter and blend again until the mixture sticks together between your fingers.
- Press the crust into the base of the pan and smooth it down with your fingers or using a spoon - make sure it is compact. Refrigerate while you make the filling.
- Make the filling: Add 120g (about ⅓ cup) of the lime curd to a high-speed blender along with all of the filling ingredients. Blitz until smooth and creamy without any lumps. Pour the filling into the pan and refrigerate for a minimum of 5 hours (or overnight) until set.
- Add the topping: Add the remaining lime curd to a saucepan and very gently heat it whilst stirring so that it becomes a spreadable consistency. Add the lime on top of the set cheesecake, smoothing it out with the back of a spoon.Refrigerate for another 30 minutes to an hour before serving.
- Serving and storage: Once set, use a hot wet sharp knife to cut it into servings. They will keep for up to 5 days in a covered container in the fridge. They should keep well in a freezer-safe container for up to a month. To serve, simply defrost in the fridge overnight.
Notes
- Gluten-Free: To make them GF, go for gluten-free cookies or use a wholefood crust like in my lemon cheesecake bars.
- Soaked cashews: soak the cashews in water for 4 hours, rinse, and drain. You can also quick-soak your cashews by soaking them in boiled water for 30 minutes.
Nutrition
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Can i use avocado oil instead of coconut oil?
Hi Julie, unfortunately, no, the coconut oil is a setting agent as it is solid at room temperature, unlike avocado oil. If you want to avoid coconut oil, I would suggest replacing it with extra vegan cream cheese, but please note that the consistency will likely be a little softer. I hope this helps!
Any suggestions to make this nut-free? This looks perfect for my kiddo except the nuts. Thanks
Hi Megan, Absolutely, you can swap them for soaked sunflower seeds in the same quantity. Hope this helps x