Coconut Lime Cheesecake Bars | Cookies and Cups

These coconut lime cheesecake bars are creamy, tangy, and so delicious! They’re easy to make with plenty of sweet tropical flavor, a splash of lime, and toasty coconut baked over a buttery shortbread crust. Perfect for potlucks!

These bars are totally shareable, like a potluck cheesecake dessert, with all the coconutty goodness of my coconut butter bars!

Why You’ll Love This Cheesecake Bars Recipe

These coconut lime cheesecake bars are the perfect easy dessert to bring a taste of the tropics to your next party! They have a creamy coconut cheesecake layer zested up with lime, baked over a crunchy shortbread crust. Here’s why you’ll love them:

• Sweet, creamy, tangy. Creamy coconut and zesty lime wrapped up in a cheesecake is the BEST combination. The flavors are piña colada-meets-key lime cheesecake in the best possible way.
• Easy to make. The cheesecake batter puts a fresh spin on my favorite baked cheesecake that needs only 5 ingredients. Here, I swap the sour cream for cream of coconut and add a splash of lime. It’s ultra rich with the perfect balance of sweet and tangy in every bite.
• Party-ready. If you have a summer potluck coming up or another occasion that calls for a tasty, crowd-friendly dessert, let these coconut lime cheesecake bars knock your socks off. It’s pretty much guaranteed to happen! Plus, they’re make-ahead friendly.

Ingredients You’ll Need

We’re putting the lime in the coconut– coconut lime cheesecake, that is (does anyone else’s mind immediately go to the Coconut song, or is that just me?). It takes just a handful of ingredients to make these cheesecake bars from scratch. Below are some notes. Scroll to the recipe card below the post for a printable list with the full amounts.

• Cookie Crust – The crust is my 3-ingredient shortbread cookie recipe. All you need is sugar, flour, and room-temperature butter. I add a little vanilla, too. You can also make these bars with a graham cracker crust if you’d like.
• Cream Cheese – You’ll want to use the cream cheese that comes in blocks and take it out of the fridge ahead of time to let it soften to room temperature.
• Cream of Coconut – Not to be confused with coconut cream. Canned cream of coconut amps up the richness, and the coconut flavor shines through in a way that’s super unexpected and delicious. Make sure you’re buying the right product! See below for details.
• Sugar, Eggs, and Vanilla – Just a few basics. I recommend using granulated sugar and real vanilla extract for the best texture and flavor.
• Lime Juice – Since there’s just a small amount, bottled lime juice is fine. If you can get your hands on fresh limes, though, that’s even better!
• Shredded Coconut – I sprinkle the tops of my bars with sweetened toasted coconut. Unsweetened coconut also works if you prefer.

Coconut Cream vs. Cream of Coconut

Despite the (very) similar names, canned cream of coconut and coconut cream are NOT the same thing. Coconut cream is basically coconut milk with a higher fat content and no sugar. Meanwhile, cream of coconut is a sweet and syrupy version of coconut cream. For this cheesecake, make sure you’re using sweetened cream of coconut, otherwise your dessert will end up bland.

How to Make Coconut Lime Cheesecake Bars

Cheesecake bars are some of my favorite desserts, not only because you can play around with fun flavors, like caramel apple and strawberry lemon. These bars are the best way to satisfy a cheesecake craving without baking in a water bath, or letting the cheesecake rest in a turned-off oven for ages.

Here’s how to make creamy coconut lime cheesecake bars in just a few quick steps. Check out the recipe card for printable instructions.

• Make the crust. Start by beating together the shortbread ingredients. Afterward, press the crust into a lined 9×13-inch baking pan. It’ll need to par-bake for about 20 minutes at 350ºF.

• Mix the cheesecake batter. While the crust is in the oven, combine cream cheese, sugar, and cream of coconut. Then add eggs, lime juice, and vanilla and mix to make the filling.
• Assemble and bake. Pour the cheesecake batter into your cooled par-baked crust. That goes back into the oven, this time for 40-50 minutes.

• Toast the coconut. Meanwhile, lightly toast the coconut in a skillet on the stove. It’ll toast quickly, so keep an eye on it and stir often.
• Finish and chill. Sprinkle toasted coconut over the freshly baked cheesecake bars, and then cool. Move the bars to the fridge after an hour. They’ll need to chill in there for a good 3-4 hours (I like to do this overnight).

Recipe Tips and Variations

• Use fresh lime juice. For the best flavor in these bars, nothing beats freshly juiced limes. Key limes will have a slightly sweeter flavor, while regular limes are tangier, although once they’re baked into a cheesecake it’s hard to tell the difference.
• Let the crust cool. Let the par-baked crust cool for 15 minutes before adding the cheesecake filling. It doesn’t need to be completely cooled to room temperature, but it shouldn’t be hot from the oven.
• Budget enough time for the bars to chill. These coconut lime cheesecake bars need at least 4 hours of chilling in the fridge before serving. Otherwise, they’ll be too soft when slicing.
• Try a pretzel crust. Borrow the pretzel crust from my key lime bars for a fun twist. 

How to Store

• Fridge. Cover these coconut lime cheesecake bars tightly and refrigerate them for up to 5 days. 
• Freeze. You can also freeze these cheesecake bars for up to 2 months. Defrost them in the fridge overnight before serving.

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