Key Lime Cheesecake Bars - a delicious key lime cheesecake bar recipe that is a little lighter and fluffier than your classic version!
Ingredients
Crust:
4cupsvanilla waferscrushed
1cupbuttermelted
Filling:
8ouncescream cheesesoftened
14ouncessweetened condensed milk
⅓cupfresh key lime juice
zest of 1 key lime
8ouncescool whip
Instructions
Prep: Preheat oven to 350℉. Prepare a 9x13 pan by lining it with parchment, ensuring the parchment folds over the sides to allow for easily removal of the bars.
Make Crust: Combine 4 cups vanilla wafers and 1 cup butter (melted) in a medium-sized bowl; use a fork to combine. Pour wafer mixture into prepared pan. Spread out evenly and use your hands to press down firmly to create a crust. Place in oven, middle rack, and let bake 15 minutes. Remove and let cool. Set aside.
Make Filling: In a large mixing bowl, add softened 8 ounces cream cheese and 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk. Use a whisk to combine until smooth (it's okay if there are still very small chunks of cream cheese). Add ⅓ cup fresh key lime juice and zest of 1 key lime. Whisk to combine. Add 8 ounces cool whip and use a large spatula to fold in the cool whip gently - you don't want to stir or the cool whip will lose some of this volume.
Add Filling: Pour out cool whip mixture on top of the crust. Spread out evenly.
Refrigerate: Place in the refrigerator for a minimum of 2 hours - preferably overnight.
Serve: Cut into squares and serve.
Notes
Storage: cover pan with foil and place in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. For freezing, wrap in plastic wrap and place in a freezer safe container and store in the freezer for up to a month.
Dairy-Free: you can use plant-based butter and sweetened condensed coconut milk in place of the regular sweetened condensed milk.
Gluten-Free: you can sub gluten-free graham crackers for the vanilla wafers.