Vanilla Bean Key Lime Cheesecake
A thick, luscious key lime cheesecake elevated with vanilla bean and homemade whipped cream. Perfect for summertime!
Equipment
- 9-Inch Springform Pan
- Electric Hand Mixer
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Small Mixing Bowl
- Flat-bottomed Measuring Cup for pressing the crust
- Cooling Rack
- Paring Knife
- Mixing Spoons
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust:
- 2 cups Graham Cracker Crumbs
- 1/2 cup Melted Salted Butter
- 1/2 cup Sugar
Key Lime Cheesecake Filling:
- 3 8oz. Blocks Room Temperature Cream Cheese
- 8 oz. Sour Cream
- 1 cup Granulated Sugar
- 3 Eggs
- 2/3 cups Key Lime Juice
- 2 TBSP Vanilla Bean Paste
- 1 cup Heavy Cream
- 1/4 cup Powdered Sugar
- 8 Thin Lime Slices for garnish
Instructions
To Make the Crust:
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
- In a small bowl, stir together graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and sugar until well combined. Transfer the mixture to a 9 inch springform pan.
- Using a flat bottomed measuring cup, lightly spread and firmly press the crust mixture into the bottom of the pan, making sure to push some up along the sides (about halfway to the top), forming the graham cracker crust. This will be easiest to do while the mixture is still slightly warm from the melted butter.
- Place your crust into your preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes, until golden brown and fragrant. Set aside and allow to cool.
To Make the Cheesecake:
- Place your cream cheese and sugar into a large mixing bowl, and using an electric hand mixer, mix on high until the cream cheese and sugar have become completely smooth. Try to smooth out any lumps in the mixture before proceeding.
- Once the sugar and cream cheese are combined, add the sour cream, vanilla, and one egg. Mix until combined.
- Add the last 2 eggs one at a time, mixing between each addition until the cheesecake batter is smooth with no lumps remaining.
- Once smooth, stir in the Key Lime juice and vanilla bean paste until well mixed.
- Pour the cheesecake mix into the crust inside the springform pan, and smooth out the top.
- Place the cheesecake into the oven and bake for 10 minutes at 425 degrees F.
- Once the 10 minutes have passed, open the oven door to allow some heat to escape, close it again, and decrease the oven temperature to 325 degrees F. Continue baking for another 40-50 minutes until the sides have set, but the center still has a little bit of a wobble to it.
- Once done, pull from the oven, and allow to cool to room temperature before placing in the fridge to finish setting. This will help the cheesecake avoid cracking. Allow to set for 2-4 hours in the fridge.
- Once the cheesecake has set, whip together the heavy cream and sugar to make homemade whipped cream. Remove the cheesecake from the fridge and top it with your whipped cream and lime slices. Slice, serve, and enjoy!
