Tequila lime cheesecake bars are creamy and citrussy, with a hint of tequila. Perfect for a party or for Cinco de Mayo!
Happy Friday!
I actually had a healthy muffin recipe all set to post today, but changed my mind. Friday is not a day for healthy muffins. Friday is a day for booze-laden goodies.
I fought the urge to name these tequila lime cheesecake bars ‘margarita’ cheesecake squares. I just really thought you should know…there’s tequila in these guys, not margarita mix concentrate. Tequila…a lot of it.
Actually you can tailor it to your tequila needs. These cheesecake bars can be “Yum” or they can be “Woohoo!!!”. Totally your decision.
Reasons you’ll ♡ these tequila lime cheesecake bars
- they are easy to make
- they are boozy and fun for a party
- they would be perfect for Cinco de Mayo!
I was going to make some sort of Nutella-raspberry swirled squares…but then it hit me. Cinco de Mayo! Tequila! Lime! Yeehaaaa!
{This is about as wild as I get these days…tequila in my cheesecake.}
I was a little worried that tequila in the cheesecake would result in problems with the cheesecake setting. Not so. My last batch, I added a whole 1/4 cup of tequila, plus 2 tablespoons of Cointreau. No problemos setting whatsoever!
I am happy to announce I have finally found my favorite cheesecake bar recipe. I have tried several. Some were too jiggly. Some tasted too ‘eggy’. This one seems to have the right balance. I’m like the Goldilocks of cheesecake bars 😉
This tequila lime cheesecake bars recipe is surprisingly simple and easy. You do need to remember to bring your cream cheese to room temperature {microwaving it will not replace this step, I found out the hard way and ended up with thousands of tiny cream cheese lumps…blech…not appetizing}. You also need to wait for it to set…around 3 hours in the refrigerator. I will admit to sneaking a little sliver before my 3 hours were up! But it is best after it has completely chilled.
I tried this tequila lime cheesecake bars recipe first using 3 tbsp of silver tequila, and found that I couldn’t taste the tequila much…maybe a subtle aftertaste. My second batch, I used 1/4 cup of gold tequila and 2 tbsp Cointreau. I preferred this batch. The tequila flavor is still somewhat subtle though.
Kind of like those super dangerous margaritas you can down on the patio before your head spins and you realize how much tequila you just drank 😉
If you want a boozier cheesecake bar, I’d go with 1/4 cup tequila + 2 tbsp Cointreau. If you want a less boozy cheesecake bar, I’d go with 3 tbsp tequila.
Either way you go, you will have a sweet, tangy, creamy, limey and tequila-ey delicious cheesecake bar.
Have a great week-end!
Tips & equipment for tequila lime cheesecake bars
- for this recipe, you’ll need a 9 inch baking pan and an electric hand mixer, and here’s my favorite microplane for zesting the limes
- be absolutely sure your cream cheese is at room temperature for silky smooth bars
- looking for more cheesecake recipes? Check out these Mini Pumpkin Greek Yogurt Cheesecakes, these Leftover Cranberry Sauce Cheesecakes and these Key Lime Greek Yogurt Cheesecakes
Tequila Lime Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup butter melted
- 1 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 16- oz cream cheese 2 8-oz packages; *at room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons lime zest approximately 2 limes
- 4 tablespoons lime juice approximately 2 limes
- 2-4 tablespoons tequila
- 2 tablespoons cointreau
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 2 eggs at room temperature
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350 F.
- Line a 9 X 9 inch pan with aluminum foil and spray with oil.
- To make crust: melt butter in a medium bowl. Stir in graham cracker crumbs until combined. Press gently in the bottom of the foil-lined pan.
- Beat together cream cheese and sugar until smooth and fluffy. Add lime juice & zest, tequila, cointreau and cream. Mix until completely combined *make sure to scrape the sides of the bowl. Beat in eggs, one at a time.
- Pour cream cheese mixture over graham cracker crust, spread into corners. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the center sets up (it should have a very slight jiggle).
- Allow to cool completely in pan, then refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Cut into squares.
Notes
Nutrition
- Recipe adapted from All Recipes
Jarna
Totally amazing recipe. I made 1/4 c tequila version and everyone loved it, even the non tequila fans. I did need to bake for almost an hour and my top turned golden brown . I’m making this again soon. Thanks
Denise
So happy you enjoyed, Jarna!
Toni Ann
Can these bars be frozen? Thank you
Denise
Hi Tori Ann! I haven’t tried, but this post suggests that cheesecake bars can be frozen individually or as a solid batch. I hope you enjoy them!
Antonella
I recently made this tequila lime cheese bar bar and it was AMAZING! My guest loved it!
A friend would like to make this recipe but doesn’t want to add tequila or contreau, what can u suggest as a substitute?
Denise
I’m so happy you enjoyed them! You can just leave out the liquor if you’d like. I also have this key lime greek yogurt mini cheesecakes recipe if they’d prefer: https://sweetpeasandsaffron.com/greek-yogurt-key-lime-cheesecakes/
ceren
love it. I used 4 tps of tequila + 2 tbs of cognac (didn’t have cointreau) and I think you do taste the booze quite well 😀 on the other hand, it took my cheesecake to bake 1h and it didn’t look as white as yours in the picture. It looked rather yellow. but the taste is awesome, I must say. Simple to make and you don’t taste the eggs which is great.
ceren
btw, forgot to add: I used extra aged tekila. recommended!
Denise
Hi Ceren! I’m so glad you liked them. I have no idea why your bars were yellow…maybe the aged tequila? I used silver tequila. And I am with you on the eggs. I can’t stand the taste of eggs in my cheesecake 🙂 Thanks for reporting back!
Melissa
mine definitely didn’t set up in the 20-25 mins either. I followed the recipe completely. I took it out at about 50 mins because I was getting nervous and still not done. The taste is there, the baking time is not.
Denise
Sorry to hear this. I haven’t made these in a few years but it does say in the directions that they may still have a slight jiggle after 25 minutes. Were they fully raw?
Dee
I can’t wait to try this recipe! Can it be converted to a whole cheesecake, or is it strictly for bars?
Denise
Hi Dee! I’ve never actually made this recipe into a whole cheesecake before, however it is very similar to this popular recipe from All Recipes, so I think it would work just fine! Let me know how it goes!
Steph
Just found this recipe and can’t wait to try it… I like in the UK though so we don’t have graham cracker crumbs. Could you suggest an alternative… I was whether maybe ginger snaps or digestive biscuits might work?
Thanks for your help x
Denise
Hi Steph! Hmmm…I would probably avoid ginger snaps, but maybe digestive biscuits would work? Let me know how it works out!
Stephanie
hi, I’m so excited to have found this recipe. We are off to a potluck next week and I’m on dessert. Since we live in Mexico, in the middle of lime country incidentally, these will be perfect. On a side note, the lime orchards around here have been hit particularly hard by a fungus that decimates the lime yield from each tree, which is probably why limes have been so expensive in the north since last Spring. As far as I know, the drug cartels are sticking with narcotics. Doubtless they find them more profitable than citrus, although certainly more deadly.
Denise
Hi Stephanie! That makes way more sense that the limes are not being controlled by drug cartels… ha ha what a strange rumor! Hope you enjoy the cheesecake bars!
Julie
hey–I’m excited to make these this weekend. Question–I have half and half, do I need to heavy cream or can I substitute. For such a small amount, I don’t want to buy…
Thanks!
Denise
Hi Julie,
I’ve actually made these without the heavy cream, or any milk, and they still turned out great. I’m sure the half and half would work just fine! Good luck!
Denise
Julie
These turned out great! I one-and-half times’d the recipe for my 9×13 pan–three packages of light cream cheese, 3 limes, 3eggs, 3 T of Cointreau and only a little more than 1/4 cup silver tequila. I went a little crazy with the lime juice and zest and it was really runny–I was terrified it wouldn’t set, but it did! The only thing I’d do differently was to let the cream cheese get to room temp in the bowl–it was messy, which is total user error. I also used the whole box of graham cracker crumbs because it was “so close” to the 1.5 amount but then it was too much, so I’d do that correctly next time. I also didn’t line the pan with foil, just greased the glass pan really well with no issues. Everyone raved and said they tasted just like a margarita. I could taste the booze but only in a great way and it was subtle. Thank you so much, Denise!
Denise
Thanks for reporting back, Julie! I’m glad you enjoyed the bars 🙂 I have had that same problem with the cream cheese, I got too impatient to wait for it to get to room temperature and it ended up quite lumpy. Thanks for letting us know about the changes you made!
Cyndy
Hi, just found you on Pinterest. These look & sound delicious. I use grand marnier in my margaritas, so good. Can’t wait to make these, love your photo.
Denise
Thank-you so much, Cindy 🙂 Hope you like them!
Denise
Hi Mary Beth! It’s two 8 oz packages, 16oz total. Sorry for the confusion, I will modify the recipe to be more clear.
Denise
Thanks, Elizabeth! I am sad I have none left for cinco de mayo 🙁
Denise
Oh I hope you like the limeade, it was rather popular at our house!
marcie
Oh my, do these look and sound delicious! I love that you used Cointreau in these as well — I think it makes any margarita so much better. This is just a brilliant idea! 🙂
Denise
These guys are full of booze 😉
Lena
In one area you mentioned using silver tequila in another gold. Was there a taste difference? Which does the recipe actually call for?
I reeeeeeaaaalllly want to make these, but I don’t want to mess them up.
Denise
Hi Lena! I used silver tequila for my first batch, then gold tequila for the second batch because I thought it would have a stronger tequila flavor, but it still ended up somewhat subtle. You could use either type of tequila, I’m normally more into silver, but I didn’t mind the gold in this recipe! Good luck, and let me know how they work out for you 🙂
Jess @ whatjessicabakednext
These cheesecake bars look absolutely amazing! Recipe is right up my street! Loving the addition of lime AND tequila- perfect for Cinco de Mayo! 🙂
dina
I wish I had a piece right now. it looks great!
Rachel @ Bakerita
These look so delicious, and so perfect for Cinco de Mayo celebrations!! Pinned 🙂
Denise
Glad you like them 🙂 I love a boozy dessert!
Denise
Thanks, Mary Frances 🙂 Happy week-end!
Trace
I went to buy limes last night and they were $1.50 EACH!!
Denise
Oh, I know they are so expensive 🙁 I am totally rationing my limes right now. I read somewhere it’s because of the Mexican drug cartels moving into a new business venture? Don’t know how accurate that is though.