Yield: 1 loaf key lime cookie dough cheesecake bars // Total Time: 5 hr. 40 min. // Disclaimer: This post includes affiliate links. //

Rich and creamy key lime cheesecake with a graham cracker crust and key lime white chocolate chip cookie dough on top.

key lime cookie dough cheesecake bars

Cheesecake, but take it to the next level by adding cookie dough on top of it, then take it to the NEXT level by making that cookie dough key lime white chocolate chip cookie dough! It’s rich, creamy, and oh-so delicious.

recipe tips

weigh your ingredients

Weighing your ingredients is important for getting the recipe perfect and getting consistent results. I do provide cup measurements but please note that I test all my recipes in grams and can not guarantee that your bake will turn out like mine. This kitchen scale is super cheap and a great starter scale!

room temperature ingredients

While it’s almost always important to have room temperature ingredients so all your ingredients come together, it’s ESPECIALLY important when it comes to cheesecake. Be sure to take out your cream cheese, heavy cream, and egg at least 1 hour, and up to 2 hours before starting the recipe. Also be sure to take out your butter for the cookie dough.

mix the batter carefully

After adding in the eggs, you’ll want to make sure to only mix the batter until the eggs are fully incorporated. This will make sure we don’t add too much air into the batter, which will help keep the batter dense and avoid cracks forming on top. We can also counteract cracking even more by baking the cheesecake in a water bath.

how to tell when a cheesecake is done baking

Cheesecake is done baking when it’s only slightly wobbly in the center. I like to temp my cheesecake as a more accurate way to tell when it’s done. A thermometer stuck into the middle of the cheesecake should read 170 fahrenheit / 76 celsius.

heat treat the flour!

This step is *super super super* important. You might think that the only problem in standard cookie dough is eating raw eggs, but the truth is that the flour is just as dangerous to be eating raw! There are two ways that you can heat treat your flour to make it safe to eat.

In the microwave. This is the method I use in this recipe because it is fast and easy. Simply spread the flour out on a microwave-safe plate and microwave it in 30 second intervals until the flour reads 165°F / 74°C. This usually takes me about 2 minutes total.

In the oven. Preheat your oven to 350°F / 175°C. Spread the flour out over a clean baking tray and bake until the flour reaches a temperature of 165°F / 74°C. This should take 5-10 min.

ingredients and substitutions

For the graham cracker crust:

Graham crackers: the base of any good graham cracker crust!

Unsalted butter: binds the crust together. Salted or your favorite non-dairy butter stick will work perfectly here as well.

Granulated sugar: for a bit of sweetness.

For the key lime cheesecake:

Cream cheese: the base of the cheesecake and what makes it tangy, rich, and creamy.

Eggs: binds the batter together.

Granulated sugar: for sweetness and helps lock in moisture.

Corn starch: for thickening up the cheesecake. You can substitute in 1 tbsp. of flour in its place if needed.

Heavy whipping cream: for moisture and richness.

Key limes: We’ll need key limes here for their zest. In a pinch, regular limes will work as well.

Vanilla: for flavor.

For the key lime cookie dough:

All purpose flour: gives the cookie dough structure. We will heat-treat the flour so that it is safe to eat! I’ve also tested this with gluten-free flour and almond flour which work perfectly. You don’t need to heat-treat almond flour but you do need to heat-treat the 1:1 gluten free flour.

Salt: for balancing and bringing out the sweetness of the cookie dough

Unsalted butter: gives the cookie dough that classic butter-y flavor and helps it hold up at room temperature. If using salted butter, just omit the extra salt from the dough. You can also sub in dairy-free butter sticks!

Light brown sugar: for sweetness and for more depth of flavor

Key limes: we’ll need the zest and juice of some key limes here. In a pinch regular limes work well.

White chocolate chips: for flavor and texture.

how to make key lime cookie dough cheesecake bars

Here’s a little look into the process of making these key lime cookie dough cheesecake bars. The full recipe is at the end of this blog post!

key lime cookie dough cheesecake bars q&a

what size cake pan do I need?

You will need an 8×4″ metal loaf pan for these cheesecake bars. You *can* use a 9×5″ loaf pan but note that your cheesecake will turn out thinner than the pictures, and may need a few less minutes in the oven.

how should I store this cake?

You can store cheesecake in the fridge for 2 days before serving.

a note on oven temperature

Ovens vary and fluctuate in temperature. For example, I always have to set my oven to 330°F if I want it to bake at 350°F. If you love to bake like I do, I highly recommend getting an oven thermometer. They are super helpful for letting you know when your oven might be lying to you! I use this one.

tools and ingredients

You can find all my favorite tools and ingredients that I use on my Amazon Storefront page, here!