Lime Cheesecake Squares
Graham cracker crust? Check! Luscious cheesecake topping? Check! Slightly tart lime essence? Check! We hit all the notes of this much-loved dessert.
Photo: Maya Visnyei
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Nutritional Bonus: Eliminating sweetened condensed milk and cream from this cheesecake recipe helps trim the sugars and fat by 24 grams and 15 grams respectively, without sacrificing sweetness or texture.
Ingredients
- 14 all-natural whole-wheat graham cracker squares (or 7 rectangular sheets)
- 3 Tbsp. organic unsalted butter, melted
- 8 oz Neufchâtel (1/3-less fat) cream cheese
- 1 cup low-fat sour cream
- 1/2 cup organic evaporated cane juice
- 1 Tbsp. lime zest (about 2 limes), plus additional for garnish
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
- 1 large egg
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8-inch square baking dish with nonstick foil, leaving 2 to 3 inches hanging over 2 opposing sides. (Alternatively, mist dish with olive oil cooking spray.)
- In a food processor, process graham crackers into fine crumbs. With machine running, pour butter through feed tube and process until just combined, 2 to 3 seconds. Transfer mixture to baking dish and press into bottom with your hands to form an even layer. Bake until edges are very light brown, about 9 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack.
- Reduce oven temperature to 325°F. Wipe out food processor and add cream cheese and sour cream; process until smooth, about 1 minute. Add cane juice and lime zest and juice. Pulse, stopping to scrape down sides of bowl as needed, until combined. Add egg and pulse until just combined. Spread mixture evenly over top of graham cracker crust and bake until edges are just set and center is still moist and slightly jiggly, 38 to 40 minutes.
- Transfer to wire rack and let rest for 10 minutes. Run a thin knife along the edges of dish to loosen. Let cool to room temperature. Cover loosely with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight. Transfer cheesecake to cutting board by lifting edges of overhanging foil. Garnish with additional lime zest and slice into 16 squares. (If foil was not used, slice directly in dish.) Serve chilled. After slicing, squares will keep refrigerated for 1 day.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size 1 square
- Calories 128
- Carbohydrate Content 12 g
- Cholesterol Content 37 mg
- Fat Content 8 g
- Fiber Content 1 g
- Protein Content 3 g
- Saturated Fat Content 5 g
- Sodium Content 82 mg
- Sugar Content 8 g
- Monounsaturated Fat Content 0 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat Content 0 g