Glitter & Grace

I have such a fun recipe to share today! Honestly, sometimes I don’t even know where my ideas for recipes come from. Oftentimes, it’s Pinterest, or another blog, or a restaurant menu, but sometimes they just pop into my head. A fully formed vision of culinary perfection, from pretty much out of the blue. These lime cheesecake bites were just that.

I love when this type of inspiration hits, because it’s so fun to dissect my idea, figuring out exactly what flavors and ingredients to include and how to make a particular dish come to life. For these cheesecakes, everything started with the filling. I knew I wanted a smooth, creamy concoction, and I imagined that a mix of cream cheese and heavy cream would combine for the perfect tangy and rich little bites. To offset all that cream, I added lots of fresh lime flavor. Both the zest and juice – that’s really the only way to go, for maximum citrusy punch!

The last step was choosing a base. I went with a traditional graham cracker crust, which is so easy and simple to make. Seriously, just the crushed cookies and some butter, stirred to combine and then pressed into the pan. When chilled, this simple blend forms a nice, crunchy base that holds up well to our creamy filling. I love how the graham crackers offset the tartness of the limes.

And that’s really all it takes! These cheesecake bites are so easy to throw together, and there’s no baking required (just a couple hours in the freezer). I love the idea of serving these mini desserts outside in the backyard, as part of an al fresco dinner or simply as an afternoon pick-me-up. What more could you want in a summer dessert than these refreshingly tart and creamy lime cheesecake bites?

Lime Cheesecake Bites

Makes 24 bites

Ingredients

For Crust:

• 9 graham cracker cookies
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted

For Filling:

• 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup sugar
• zest and juice of 4 limes
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• pinch salt
• 3/4 cup heavy cream

Directions

1. Thoroughly grease a mini cupcake tin with butter or canola oil.
2. To make crust, place graham crackers in a ziploc bag and seal. Tap with a pot or cutting board until crackers form fine crumbs.
3. Empty cracker crumbs into a bowl. Add butter and stir to combine.
4. Divide crust mixture evenly in prepared pan. Using a shot glass or other small container, press crusts down until well-packed. Place pan in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling.
5. To make filling, place cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl. Beat until well combined. Stir in lime zest and juice, vanilla, and salt.
6. In a separate bowl, beat cream until stiff peaks form. Fold cream into cream cheese mixture.
7. Spoon the filling over the crusts, dividing evenly. Cover pan with plastic wrap.
8. Freeze until firm, at least four hours or overnight. Store cheesecakes in the freezer. To serve, carefully remove from the tin with a sharp knife and top with a dollop of whipped cream, if desired.