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Key Lime Cheesecake with Coconut Graham Crust

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Luscious key lime cheesecake in a coconutty-graham cracker crust?  Yes, please! With basic ingredients, and no hot water bath in the bake, this Key Lime Cheesecake is as easy as it gets.  Make it your own using different extracts or flavorings of your choice. 

  • Author: Erin Thomas
  • Prep Time: 20 Minutes
  • Cook Time: 45-55 Minutes
  • Total Time: 1 Hour 15 Minutes + 2 Hour Chill Time
  • Yield: One 9-inch Cheesecake (12 Slices) 1x

Ingredients

Scale

For Coconut Graham Crust:

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut

1 tbsp. granulated sugar

5 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

For Key Lime Cheesecake Filling:

4–8 oz. blocks cream cheese, at room temperature

2 cups granulated sugar

1/4 tsp. salt (kosher or table)

1 tsp. key lime extract*

Zest of 1 lime (about 1 tsp.)

4 large eggs, at room temperature

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan.  Set aside.

To prepare Coconut Graham Crust: 

Blend graham cracker crumbs, sweetened flaked coconut, and granulated sugar in a bowl. Drizzle melted unsalted butter over mixture and blend until evenly combined.  Press graham mixture into the bottom and partially up the sides of the springform pan.   Bake in preheated oven for 5 minutes to set the crust.  Let cool on a wire rack while preparing the Cheesecake Filling.

To Prepare Key Lime Cheesecake Filling:

Using a standing mixer, or hand-held mixer, beat cream cheese, granulated sugar, salt extract, and lime zest until smooth.  Be sure to scrape the bottom, sides and beaters to eliminate any cream cheese lumps.  Add eggs one a time, beating until just incorporated.   Again scrape the bottom, sides and beaters to incorporate any remaining cream cheese lumps.  Pour filling into the Coconut Graham Crust.  Bake for 45 to 55 minutes.

The cheesecake is done when the center of the cake jiggles slightly, but appears set.  Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack for about 30 minutes.  Place in refrigerator to cool for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight, before serving.  If desired, garnish with whipped cream or fresh fruit.  Your cheesecake will last up to a week in the refrigerator if kept in a tightly covered container or covered with plastic wrap.  Our’s very rarely make it to a week!

Chilled cheesecakes can be frozen for up to 3 months, if tightly wrapped in a layer of plastic wrap covered with aluminum foil.

Notes

*Start with 1 tsp. extract.  Before adding the eggs, taste the filling to determine if additional extract is needed for your taste preferences. I usually add extracts in 1/4 tsp. to 1/2 tsp. increments, as some brands are stronger than others.  To achieve the taste I wanted in this recipe, I used 4 tsp. of Amaretti Brand Key Lime Extract.  Substitute the key lime in this recipe for lemon, vanilla, almond, or other extract of your choosing. Omit the lime zest if you choose to.

It’s perfectly normal for the cheesecake filling to rise up during the bake and brown slightly.  The edges will crack. However, as the cake cools, the filling will shrink back down into the pan.

If you want to omit the coconut in the graham crust, reduce the amount of melted unsalted butter to 4 tbsp. 

Nutrition

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