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Easy Mini Paula Deen Key Lime Cheesecake Tart 1-Hour Recipe
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Easy Mini Paula Deen Key Lime Cheesecake Tart 1-Hour Recipe

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!
Prep Time25 minutes
Baking Time35 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: homemade key lime cheesecake, mini key lime cheesecake recipe, paula deen key lime cheesecake, white chocolate key lime cheesecake
Servings: 24
Author: cheesecakesworld

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 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.
    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 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.
    Powdered sugar, for coating
  • 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.
  • 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.
    16 ounces full-fat cream cheese, softened at room temperature, 2/3 cup caster sugar, 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 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.
    6 ounces white chocolate chips, 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • Finish the cheesecake batter
    While 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 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.

Notes

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.