Light Key Lime Cheesecake Shots

Light Key Lime Cheesecake Shots

Hello May!  Warm weather means we get to enjoy all kinds of outdoor activities like gardening and biking and just letting the sun shine on our faces in general (with some SPF 30 involved, of course!). This is the time of year that I most enjoy making lightened up sweets that won’t weigh me down. These little cheesecake shots are small but mighty; rich and tart with key lime juice and packed with vitamin C.

Light Key Lime Cheesecake Shots

I was really excited to find a bag of Key limes at the grocery store, because they usually don’t show up here until summer! You’ll need about eight for the 1/4 cup of juice that this recipe requires. Juicing these little guys can prove difficult, but the method I use seems to work pretty well: cut the top 1/4 of the lime off and then twist a small fork inside while squeezing the lime.

Perhaps the most surprising element of this dessert is the crust – it’s bran flakes! I crushed them in a zip-top bag until they turned to fine crumbs. It’s surprising how well they go with this dessert, and they make for the crunchiest little buried treasure at the bottom of the glass.

Light Key Lime Cheesecake Shots

This dessert is cold and refreshing and has a big citrusy kick! Neufchatel cheese and Greek yogurt are the power couple that make this cheesecake smooth and creamy yet light on calories.

If you’d like to make this dessert even skinnier, you can swap out a few components for their fat-free counterparts (like the cheese and condensed milk). I decided against the fat-free options when I discovered the nutrition grade was lower due to their high sodium content. I’ll leave that for you to decide!

I found the mini parfait shot glasses with spoons here!

One last thing before the recipe! If you’re interested in other cold, creamy treats then check out my Ice Cream Sandwich Gallery HERE on FoodNetwork.com!

Light Key Lime Cheesecake Shots

Light Key Lime Cheesecake Shots

Heather Baird
This recipe can be made lighter with fat free cream cheese and condensed milk, but be aware these fat free items are high in sodium and make the dessert less nutritious.
3.40 from 5 votes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 10

Equipment

  • 10 shot glasses 2.5 oz. each

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups 80g bran flakes
  • 8 oz. Neufchatel cheese at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup 113g plain Greek nonfat yogurt, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup 160g sweetened condensed milk
  • 1/4 cup 60 ml key lime juice (about 8 key limes juiced)
  • Green food color optional
  • 8 key lime wheels

Instructions
 

  • Place the bran flakes in a zip-top bag and crush them to fine crumbs with your hands. Place 1 tablespoon of crumbs in each of the ten shot glasses.
  • Beat the cheese and yogurt together in a medium bowl using an electric mixer. Whip until smooth.
  • In a separate bowl, stir together the sweetened condensed milk and lime juice. Add the lime mixture to the cheese mixture and beat until well combined. Divide the mixture evenly and tint one portion with the green food color, if using.
  • Place each portion of batter in a disposable piping bag with the tips snipped, or in zip-top bags with the corners snipped. Pipe the white batter into the glasses halfway up; tap each glass on the countertop to level the cheesecake. Repeat the process with the green batter.
  • Garnish the tops of the cheesecake shots with additional bran crumbs (you may have some crumbs left over) Garnish each glass with a lime wheel.
Keyword bran flakes, key limes, neufchatel cheese
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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Unknown
Unknown
7 years ago

Yum! What a gorgeous dessert!
Kari
http://www.sweetteasweetie.com

Unknown
Unknown
7 years ago

I think I ate my weight in Key lime pie when we visited Florida. So tasty!
The bran flakes at the bottom are a great idea! Did you find they went a bit soft if they were left to sit for too long? Not that I expect they'd hang around.

Heather Baird
Heather Baird
7 years ago
Reply to  Unknown

Hi Samantha! The crumbs touching the batter get just a little soft, but the rest of the crumbs underneath stay crisp. We just finished off our batch and the crumbs were still crisp on day 3.

Michele
Michele
7 years ago

Those look fabulous! I love Key Lime Pie. Great that you lightened it up. We need all the help we can get!

Roxana
Roxana
7 years ago

I love those cute little shot glasses! They are perfect for this dessert. Your pictures are just stunning too!

Roshini
Roshini
7 years ago

So refreshing and beautiful! Love it!! 🙂

Jennifer
Jennifer
7 years ago

This sounds delicious! Do you think these quantities would work in a pie?

Melissa | Bits of Umami
Melissa | Bits of Umami
7 years ago

These are so cute! Perfect little desserts for Mother's Day!

Simona Callas
Simona Callas
7 years ago

Simple, classy, wonderful colored and delicious! Thank you for sharing ❤

Hafsa
Hafsa
7 years ago

Wonderful dessert ! I will soon try this thanks for sharing 🙂

Lulu
Lulu
7 years ago

Love key lime pie – always looking for new ways to eat it! Thanks 🙂

DAFFYCO
DAFFYCO
7 years ago

Fantastic ! I'm French and I love your photos

Amanda
Amanda
7 years ago

These are so spring-timey and pretty. And I really like using Neufchâtel!

catering den haag
catering den haag
7 years ago

This looks incredible!

Holly
Holly
7 years ago

I LOVE Key Lime Pie so this is a must have! Thanks!

Kirsten
Kirsten
3 years ago

This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

Kirsten
Kirsten
3 years ago

This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.