Gluten Free Key Lime Cheesecake Parfaits

These Gluten Free Key Lime Cheesecake Parfaits have all the flavors of key lime pie in an easy, no bake dessert. Creamy cheesecake filling, bright key lime flavor, and buttery gluten free graham cracker crumbs are layered in individual glasses for a simple yet elegant treat. Perfect for summer gatherings, dinner parties, or when you want an impressive dessert without turning on the oven.

Recipe Ingredient Notes

Cream Cheese: This Gluten Free Key Lime Cheesecake Parfait recipe calls for full-fat cream cheese - the kind that comes in blocks. It gives the mousse richness and structure without being heavy.

Heavy Cream: Homemade whipped cream is what makes this mousse light and airy. Make sure to use the real deal and not a frozen whipped cream product.

Sweetened Condensed Milk: Adds sweetness and creates the rich, creamy texture that makes this gluten free key lime mousse taste like a cross between key lime pie and cheesecake. Be sure to use sweetened condensed milk, not evaporated milk.

Sour Cream: A little sour cream helps balance the sweetness from the condensed milk. I use full fat sour cream here (it just tastes better).

Limes: You can use either fresh key limes or regular Persian limes (the larger, more common limes you’ll find at the grocery store). Key limes have a slightly more floral, complex flavor, but Persian limes work just as well and are much easier to juice. For the best flavor, I recommend using fresh lime juice rather than bottled but if bottled key lime juice is all you have, make sure it's a good quality product. Make sure to zest the limes before juicing them!

Gluten Free Graham Crackers: You can use homemade gluten free graham crackers here but storebought is fine. I like Gluten Free Honeygrams from Schaer. If you don't have access to graham crackers, gluten free shortbread cookies would also work great here.

Recipe Testing Notes

I originally developed this recipe as a No Churn Key Lime Pie Ice Cream, but after testing it several different ways, I kept coming back to the same thought: the mousse was just too good to keep frozen. The lime juice also made the ice cream a little too icy, while the lime zest became bitter when frozen. So, I decided to skip the freezer altogether and turn it into a layered mousse with buttery graham cracker crumbs instead.

Gluten Free Graham Cracker Crumbs

1. Step 1: Place the gluten free graham crackers in a ziplock bag and crush them with a rolling pin until they’re finely crushed.

2. Step 2: Add the unsalted butter to a sauté pan and melt it over low heat.

3. Step 3: Add the graham cracker crumbs, granulated sugar, and a pinch of kosher salt. Stir until the crumbs are evenly coated in the melted butter.

4. Step 4: Toast the graham cracker crumbs for about 1 minute, stirring occasionally, until fragrant. Set the crumbs aside and allow for them to cool completely before assembling the Gluten Free Key Lime Cheesecake Parfaits.

Gluten Free Key Lime Pie Cheesecake Mousse

Make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature before you start making the key lime cheesecake mousse. This will help ensure a smooth, lump-free mousse.

1. Step 1: Start by zesting 2–3 limes, depending on their size and your preference. I like to use about 1 tablespoon of lime zest in the cheesecake mousse.

2. Step 2: Juice the limes and strain out any seeds if needed. You will need 125 grams of freshly juiced lime juice which should be 8-10 persian limes depending on their size. Set aside.

3. Step 3: Add the cold heavy whipping cream to the bowl of the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.  Whisk at a medium speed until stiff peaks have formed. This takes around 2-3 minutes depending on how powerful your mixer is.
4. Step 4: Transfer the whipped cream to a seperate bowl and place it in the fridge until needed.

5. Step 5: To the bowl of the stand mixer add the sweetened condensed milk, the room temperature cream cheese, sour cream and vanilla extract.

6. Step 6: Mix the ingredients together until smooth and creamy. This should take about 2-3 minutes. There should be no visible lumps of cream cheese. Make sure to scrape down the paddle and the sides of the bowl half way through to make sure everything is combined.

7. Step 7: Next add the freshly squeeze lime juice and the lime zest. Mix for an additional 1-2 minutes until fully combined.
8. Step 8: With a flexible spatula scrape the paddle attachment and the sides of the bowl.

9. Step 9: Retrieve the bowl with the whipped cream from the fridge.
10. Step 10: Fold in the whipped cream in thirds, starting with one portion to lighten it then gently folding in the rest until smooth, airy, and fully combined. A whisk or flexible rubber spatula works best for this.

11. Step 11: The key lime cheesecake mousse should be smooth, creamy, and thick enough to hold its shape. It should look light and fluffy, with no visible lumps of whipped cream.
12. Step 12: Place the mousse in the fridge while you prepare the serving glasses.

How to Assemble Gluten Free Key Lime Cheesecake Parfaits

I love serving this Gluten Free Key Lime Cheesecake Mousse in small glasses for an elegant touch. These modern glasses from CB2 are my favorite. They make even the simplest dessert look elegant and special. Small Mason Jars would make a cute presentation as well. This recipe makes 6 generous servings, but you can easily divide the mousse into smaller portions if you prefer.

1. Step 1: Place a generouse tablespoon of the fully cooled graham cracker crumbs in the bottom of the glasses.

2. Step 2: Top the graham crumbs with a generous scoop of key lime mousse. I like to use a large cookie scoop for this.

3. Step 3: Top the mousse with more of the graham cracker crumbs.

4. Step 4: Top with more of the key lime mousse.
5. Step 5: After scooping the mousse into the glasses, gently tap the base of each one against the palm of your hand. This simple trick helps the mousse settle evenly and smooths out the surface for a clean, polished look.
6. Step 6: Cover the glasses with some plastic wrap and refridgate the key lime cheesecake parfaits for at least 2 hours (or better overnight) before serving.

Serving Ideas

While this gluten free key lime cheesecake parfaits are delicious as is, they are a little blah to look at. I like to top it with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream and garnish it some additional graham cracker crumbs and a thin slice of lime.

Storing and Making Ahead

Store any leftover Gluten Free Key Lime Cheesecake Mousse in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Keep the parfaits covered until you’re ready to serve them. This is an excellent make ahead dessert because the mousse can be prepared and assembled ahead of time, making it perfect for dinner parties, summer gatherings, or when you simply want dessert ready to go.

Note about Salt in my Recipes

I use Diamond Kosher Crystal Salt in all of my recipes unless otherwise stated. If use use a different brand or kind of salt in your kitchen please adjust accordingly since some salts can be saltier. If you use Morton’s Kosher Salt please be aware that their salt granules are smaller in size, denser, and crunchier and twice as salty.

Baking in grams

I share my recipes in grams and by weight since baking by weight is the most accurate way to bake. Digital Scales are very affordable and easy to use. You can purchase them on Amazon for less than a set of measuring cups. For small amounts under 10 grams, I like to use this Precision Pocket Scale. Measuring cups are very inaccurate which can cause significant errors when it comes to gluten-free baking or baking in general. Especially since I bake with gluten-free flours which weigh differently than “regular” flours. I do provide some ingredients like spices and leavening agents in measuring spoons. To learn more about Baking with a digital scale, make sure to check out my post about Baking by weight.

Note about Ovens and Oven Temperatures

All my recipes are tested and developed with a conventional oven. I always bake my baked goods on the rack placed in the MIDDLE of my oven. This way the heat coming from the bottom will not burn my baked goods.

If you are baking with convection (fan-forced), please adjust the recipes accordingly. Convection oven can cause baked goods to dry out quickly and still be raw inside. Since takes at least 15-20 minutes for a standard American Oven to be fully preheated. I highly recommend investing in an Oven Thermometer.

Substitutions and Modifications

Any dietary or ingredient modifications/substitutions to this recipe may alter the end result in appearance and taste. I test my recipes several times as published in this post and The Gluten Free Austrian Blog is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe you find on our website.