By Lindy Van Schalkwyk, last updated on October 3, 2024
Today, we will give a twist to the Paula Deen key lime cheesecake tarts. We’ll use cooler cookies with a white chocolate key lime cheesecake filling.
This recipe is just as easy but contains more sweet flavors and creamy textures. Give it a try and let us know what you think!
Why We Love This Paula Deen Key Lime Cheesecake Recipe
By now almost every foodie knows about or at least has heard about Paula Deen. Her recipes are incredibly tasty, easy to make, and more often than not, very unique.
Today, we will specifically take a look at her mini key lime cheesecake recipe. These mini tarts are incredibly easy to make and very quick. They are loaded with fresh lime juice, lusciously soft and fluffy cream cheese, and delicious key lime cooler cookies.
Another thing that makes this Paula Deen key lime cheesecake recipe unique is how they are baked. Unlike most mini cheesecakes, these only bake for 10-12 minutes. That’s because you add a lot less batter to the cups than you usually would.
So, we won’t be making her recipe exactly. Instead, we’ve drawn inspiration from. We will be making our own white chocolate key lime cheesecake recipe.
The white chocolate is incorporated directly into the batter to create a luxuriously sweet and tangy baked mini cheesecake.
So, let’s take a look at how to make our version of the Paula Deen key lime cheesecake recipe.
What You Need To Make These Homemade Key Lime Cheesecake Tarts
Ingredients for the key lime cooler cookies
- 1/3 cup caster sugar
- Zest from 4 key limes
- 1 stick unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 1/4 cup cake flour, sifted
- 1/2 cup Graham crackers, crushed
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- Powdered sugar, for coating
Ingredients for the filling
- 16 ounces full-fat cream cheese, softened at room temperature
- 2/3 cup caster sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 6 ounces white chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 5 tablespoons freshly squeezed key lime juice
- Zest of 2 key limes
Equipment
- Cookie sheet
- Non-stick baking paper
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Mixing bowls
- Electric or hand mixer
- Rubber or silicone spatula
- Cooling rack
- Muffin pan
- Muffin pan liners
- Plastic or saran wrap
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Make the key lime cooler cookie dough
Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line a cookie sheet with baking paper.
Place the sugar and lime zest in a mixing bowl. Beat them together for 30 seconds. Add the chilled butter and beat it well. The mixture is ready when it becomes fluffy and uber-creamy. This will take about a minute or so.
Next, add the egg and beat until it is just incorporated.
Finally, beat in the flour, graham crackers, and salt. The dough will be crumbly. You can work it with your hands to bring it together.
Step 2: Shape the cookies
Next, place the sifted powdered sugar in a medium mixing bowl. Set it aside.
Divide the dough evenly into 20-24 portions. Roll each into a neat cookie dough ball.
Then, coat them with powdered sugar. They should be very well coated. Set them on the baking sheet, leaving about 1 1/2 inches between them.
Step 3: Bake the key lime cooler cookies
Bake the cookies for about 15 minutes. They won’t brown, so don’t overbake them!
When they are done baking, remove them from the oven. Leave them to cool for 8-10 minutes. Then, while they are still warm, roll them in more powdered sugar.
Allow them to cool completely at room temperature.
Step 4: Make the cheesecake filling base
Preheat the oven to 320ºF (160ºC). Line a muffin pan with muffin liners.
Combine the cream cheese and sugar in a mixing bowl. Beat until the mixture becomes fluffy. Next, add one large egg at a time.
Make sure that each egg has been incorporated into the butter very well before adding more. Set this base aside.
Step 5: Melt the white chocolate
Add the white chocolate chips and cream into a microwave-safe mixing bowl.
Heat it for 30-seconds on high. Remove it from the microwave and stir it well. Then, heat it for another 20 seconds. Again, remove it and stir it well so the chocolate chips melt.
After this, keep heating the mixture at 10-second intervals. Keep doing this until all of the chocolate has melted. You should have a uniform runny ganache.
Step 6: Finish the cheesecake batter
While whisking continuously, pour the white chocolate mixture into the cheesecake base. Finally, whisk in the lime juice and zest.
Step 7: Assemble and bake
Place one cooled key lime cooler cookie inside the muffin liner. Top each with a tablespoon of cheesecake batter.
Then, bake the mini cheesecakes for 15-20 minutes, or until they have completely set.
Switch off the oven and crack open the door slightly. Allow the cheesecakes to cool completely. Then, wrap the entire tray with plastic and leave them to set inside the fridge for 2-4 hours.
Expert Tips And Tricks
- For this Paula Deen key lime cheesecake recipe, you can make the cookies the same size as the base of the muffin liners. This way, they will fit perfectly.
- If you buy premade key lime cooler cookies, cut them into the right size. It’s fine if they are smaller than the muffin base. But they won’t fit if they are too big.
- If you don’t have a microwave or don’t like using one, you can melt your chocolate over a double boiler. Have a look at this guide on melting chocolate using this setup.
- It’s sometimes difficult to tell when our white chocolate Paula Deen key lime cheesecake tarts are done baking. Because they are small, the 1 to 2-inch rule doesn’t apply. These mini cheesecakes will be ready when they have just set, but still, slightly jiggle in the inner half inch of the tart. If it jiggles a lot, it’s underbaked. If it stops jiggling after 15 minutes, it’s likely ready.
Preparations Times And Servings
| Preparation Time | Baking Time | Servings |
| 25 minutes | 30-35 minutes | 20-24 |
Final Thoughts On Our Take Of The Paula Deen Key Lime Cheesecake Tart Recipe
We hope that you’ve enjoyed our version of the Paula Deen key lime cheesecake tarts. They are very unique, quick, easy, uber fluffy, and creamy.
If you are looking for more inspired remakes of old classic desserts, go have a look at our website.
Easy Mini Paula Deen Key Lime Cheesecake Tart 1-Hour Recipe
Equipment
- Cookie sheet
- Non-stick baking paper
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Mixing bowls
- Electric or hand mixer
- Rubber or silicone spatula
- Cooling rack
- Muffin pan
- Muffin pan liners
- Plastic or saran wrap
Ingredients
Ingredients for the key lime cooler cookies
- 1/3 cup caster sugar
- Zest from 4 key limes
- 1 stick unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 1/4 cup cake flour, sifted
- 1/2 cup Graham crackers, crushed
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- Powdered sugar, for coating
Ingredients for the filling
- 16 ounces full-fat cream cheese, softened at room temperature
- 2/3 cup caster sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 6 ounces white chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 5 tablespoons freshly squeezed key lime juice
- Zest of 2 key limes
Instructions
- Make the key lime cooler cookie doughPreheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line a cookie sheet with baking paper.Place the sugar and lime zest in a mixing bowl. Beat them together for 30 seconds. Add the chilled butter and beat it well. The mixture is ready when it becomes fluffy and uber-creamy. This will take about a minute or so.Next, add the egg and beat until it is just incorporated.Finally, beat in the flour, graham crackers, and salt. The dough will be crumbly. You can work it with your hands to bring it together.1/3 cup caster sugar, Zest from 4 key limes, 1 stick unsalted butter, chilled and cubed, 2 large eggs, room temperature, 1 1/4 cup cake flour, sifted, 1/2 cup Graham crackers, crushed, 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- Shape the cookiesNext, place the sifted powdered sugar in a medium mixing bowl. Set it aside.Divide the dough evenly into 20-24 portions. Roll each into a neat cookie dough ball.Then, coat them with powdered sugar. They should be very well coated. Set them on the baking sheet, leaving about 1 1/2 inches between them.Powdered sugar, for coating
- Bake the key lime cooler cookiesBake the cookies for about 15 minutes. They won't brown, so don't overbake them!When they are done baking, remove them from the oven. Leave them to cool for 8-10 minutes. Then, while they are still warm, roll them in more powdered sugar.Allow them to cool completely at room temperature.
- Make the cheesecake filling basePreheat the oven to 320ºF (160ºC). Line a muffin pan with muffin liners.Combine the cream cheese and sugar in a mixing bowl. Beat until the mixture becomes fluffy. Next, add one large egg at a time.Make sure that each egg has been incorporated into the butter very well before adding more. Set this base aside.16 ounces full-fat cream cheese, softened at room temperature, 2/3 cup caster sugar, 2 large eggs, room temperature
- Melt the white chocolateAdd the white chocolate chips and cream into a microwave-safe mixing bowl.Heat it for 30-seconds on high. Remove it from the microwave and stir it well. Then, heat it for another 20 seconds. Again, remove it and stir it well so the chocolate chips melt.After this, keep heating the mixture at 10-second intervals. Keep doing this until all of the chocolate has melted. You should have a uniform runny ganache.6 ounces white chocolate chips, 1/4 cup heavy cream
- Finish the cheesecake batterWhile whisking continuously, pour the white chocolate mixture into the cheesecake base. Finally, whisk in the lime juice and zest.5 tablespoons freshly squeezed key lime juice, Zest of 2 key limes
- Assemble and bakePlace one cooled key lime cooler cookie inside the muffin liner. Top each with a tablespoon of cheesecake batter.
- Then, bake the mini cheesecakes for 15-20 minutes, or until they have completely set.Switch off the oven and crack open the door slightly. Allow the cheesecakes to cool completely. Then, wrap the entire tray with plastic and leave them to set inside the fridge for 2-4 hours.
Notes
Lindy Van Schalkwyk is a culinary specialist with a background in Advanced Cooking, Advanced Pâtisserie, Media Communications and Nutrition. She has gained invaluable experience in the culinary industry having worked in some of the top restaurants in Africa in 2016 and 2017. Her expertise in nutrition has enabled her to develop recipes for special dietary needs. In 2018, Lindy began working in the Food Media industry, focusing on recipe development, recipe writing, food writing and food styling.