These little jars are dangerous.
The kind of dangerous where you make them thinking they are for the family and then you find yourself eating one standing at the fridge at 10pm. Creamy, tangy, sweet, with that bright pop of lime — they are just really, really good.
The best part? Zero oven. Zero baking. Zero stress. Just a handful of simple ingredients, about 15 minutes of actual work, and the fridge does the rest. They are perfect for summer, perfect for parties, perfect for when you want to make something that looks impressive without actually trying that hard.
I usually make these in mason jars because they look adorable and everyone gets their own individual little dessert. No slicing. No serving. Just hand someone a jar and a spoon and watch their face.
How to Make No Bake Lime Cheesecake Cups
Ingredients you will need for this recipe
For the crust:
- 1½ cups graham cracker crumbs
- 5 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tbsp sugar
For the cheesecake filling:
- 16 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
- Zest of 3 limes
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice (about 3–4 limes)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream, cold
To serve:
- Whipped cream
- Lime slices or zest
- Graham cracker crumbs for sprinkling
Step By Step Guide
1. Mix the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and sugar together in a bowl until it looks like wet sand and everything is well combined.
2. Spoon about 2–3 tablespoons of the crumb mixture into the bottom of each jar. Press it down firmly with the back of a spoon or the bottom of a small glass. You want a compact, even layer. Set the jars aside.
3. In a large bowl beat the softened cream cheese with a hand mixer until completely smooth and fluffy — about 2 minutes. Make sure there are no lumps. Room temperature cream cheese is key here. Cold cream cheese will give you a lumpy filling no matter how long you beat it.
4. Add the powdered sugar, lime zest, lime juice, and vanilla extract. Beat again until everything is smooth, creamy, and combined. Taste it — it should be tangy, creamy, and bright. Add more lime juice if you want it more tart.
5. In a separate cold bowl whip the heavy cream with a hand mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form — about 2–3 minutes.
6. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture in two or three additions. Do not stir aggressively — fold it in with a spatula using slow, sweeping motions. This is what keeps the filling light and airy rather than dense.
7. Spoon or pipe the lime cheesecake filling into each jar over the graham cracker crust. Fill them generously.
8. Cover each jar and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving — or overnight for the best set and flavour.
Serve and Enjoy!
Right before serving add a swirl of whipped cream on top, a sprinkle of extra graham cracker crumbs, and a thin slice of lime or a curl of lime zest. Hand everyone a jar and a spoon.
Important Recipe Notes
The cream cheese must be fully softened to room temperature before you start. This is the most important step — cold cream cheese will never beat completely smooth and you will end up with lumps in your filling no matter what you do. Set it out at least an hour before you plan to make these.
Use fresh lime juice, not the bottled kind. The flavour difference is significant and lime desserts really depend on that bright fresh citrus flavour. Bottled lime juice tastes flat in comparison.
Do not skip whipping the cream separately before folding it in. This is what gives the filling its light, mousse-like texture. If you just add the cream directly to the cream cheese mixture and beat it all together you will end up with something much denser.
These are even better the next day after a full night in the fridge. The flavours develop and the filling sets into something silky and perfectly sliceable. Make them the night before if you can.
These keep covered in the fridge for up to 4 days which makes them a brilliant make-ahead dessert for parties or gatherings.
PREP TIME 15 minutes
CHILL TIME 2 hours
TOTAL TIME 2 hours 15 minutes
SERVINGS 6 jars
CALORIES ~420 kcal per jar
CATEGORY Dessert / No Bake
INGREDIENTS
Crust:
- 1½ cups graham cracker crumbs
- 5 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tbsp sugar
Cheesecake Filling:
- 16 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
- Zest of 3 limes
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream, cold
To Serve:
- Whipped cream
- Lime slices or zest
- Graham cracker crumbs for sprinkling
INSTRUCTIONS
- Mix graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and sugar together until it resembles wet sand.
- Press 2–3 tablespoons of the crumb mixture firmly into the bottom of each jar.
- Beat softened cream cheese with a hand mixer until completely smooth and fluffy with no lumps.
- Add powdered sugar, lime zest, lime juice, and vanilla. Beat until smooth and combined. Taste and adjust lime if needed.
- In a separate cold bowl whip the heavy cream on high speed until stiff peaks form.
- Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture in two or three additions using a spatula. Do not stir — fold slowly to keep it light and airy.
- Spoon or pipe the filling generously into each jar over the crust.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Top with whipped cream, a sprinkle of graham cracker crumbs, and a lime slice or zest before serving.
NOTES
Cream cheese must be fully at room temperature — cold cream cheese will not beat smooth no matter how long you try.
Use fresh lime juice only — bottled lime juice tastes flat and will not give you that bright citrus flavour.
Whip the cream separately before folding in — this is what keeps the filling light and mousse-like instead of dense.
These are even better the next day after a full night in the fridge.
Store covered in the fridge for up to 4 days — perfect for making ahead for parties.
