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Margarita Cheesecake Bars

Margarita cheesecake bars with a golden graham cracker crust and creamy lime-infused filling with a tequila kick. Baked until just set with a gentle jiggle, then chilled for clean, sliceable layers.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Chill time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 55 minutes
Servings: 16 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Mexican-Fusion
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Graham cracker crust
  • 1.5 cup lime-flavored graham cracker crumbs
  • 0.3333333333 cup melted butter
Cheesecake filling
  • 24 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 0.5 cup granulated sugar
  • 0.25 cup sour cream
  • 0.25 cup fresh lime juice
  • 2 tbsp tequila (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)
  • 1 tbsp lime zest
  • 2 eggs
  • 0.5 cup sweetened condensed milk
Salt rim & garnish
  • 2 tbsp salt for rim (optional)
  • 1 whipped cream and lime slices for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Preheat and bake the crust
  1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Mix lime-flavored graham cracker crumbs with melted butter, press into an 8x8 or 9x9 inch baking pan, then bake for 8 minutes.
  2. Let the crust cool completely in the pan. This helps it firm up so the cheesecake layer bakes smoothly.
Make the lime cheesecake filling
  1. Beat cream cheese and granulated sugar until smooth. Scrape the bowl as needed for a lump-free base.
  2. Add sour cream, fresh lime juice, tequila (or 1 tsp vanilla extract), and lime zest, then mix until combined. The batter should look glossy and fully green-lime fragrant.
  3. Add eggs one at a time, beating on low speed after each addition. Stop as soon as each egg disappears to keep the filling tender.
  4. Stir in sweetened condensed milk until just combined. Mix only until you no longer see streaks.
Bake, cool, and chill
  1. Pour the filling over the cooled crust. Bake at 325°F for 22–25 minutes until almost set but still slightly jiggly in the center.
  2. Cool the bars completely, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours. The chill time sets the texture for neat slices.
Slice and serve
  1. Cut into 16 bars. Wipe the knife between cuts for clean edges.
  2. Serve topped with whipped cream and a lime slice. Optional: rim the serving plate with salt for a margarita-style presentation.

Notes

Pro tip: don’t overbake—pull the bars when the center is slightly jiggly so they stay creamy after chilling. Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 4 days; freeze up to 2 months (wrap tightly, thaw overnight in the fridge). For a dairy swap, substitute lime-flavored cream cheese alternative for the cream cheese, keeping the rest unchanged.