No-Bake Avocado Lime Cheesecake
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No-Bake Avocado Lime Cheesecake is the perfect balance of creamy avocado cheesecake, refreshing tangy flavor from lime juice, and bittersweet chocolate crust.
It was my friend’s birthday a few weeks ago. So, I decided to be crafty by incorporating his favorite meal in the morning, which is avocado into a cake. Surprise!!! 🙂
Yes, I was inspired to make an avocado-based cake to celebrate. I also by chance had extra cream cheese from my fridge. Therefore, I decided to incorporate avocados into a cheesecake. Avocado lime cheesecake seems odd at first, but trust me that it turns out to be delicious. The avocado’s flavor is unexpectedly subtle and the cheesecake does not taste heavy at all from those added healthy fat. The lime is the one that stands out the most as it adds refreshing flavor, intriguing me to keep taking a bite. I must say my favorite is the chocolate crust on the bottom. I especially make the crust less sweet, so it would balance the sweetness from the filling.
There is nothing complicated about this recipe, which is just the way I like it. Once you have tried this recipe, please kindly let me know about your experience.
Tips on Making No-Bake Avocado Lime Cheesecake
1. Omit the cocoa powder for plain crust
I just like the combination of avocado and chocolate in my juice, so I thought of making a chocolate crust base for my avocado lime cheesecake. If you prefer plain graham cracker crust, just omit the cocoa powder from the crust recipe.
2. Add gelatin
Gelatin is used to help the filling set up when the cake is refrigerated. This transparent substance is sold as either powder or in sheets. I am used to using gelatin leaves. Just soak the gelatin leaves in a bowl of cold water for 5-10 minutes until soft. Then, gently squeeze the gelatin to remove excess water and add it to warm liquid to dissolve (do not boil or gelatin will not set).
You can also substitute 4 gelatin sheets with 1 tablespoon of gelatin powder. Just place cold water in a small heatproof bowl and sprinkle with gelatin powder and stir until the gelatin is fully incorporated. Place the bowl in a pan of barely simmering water and stir until gelatin dissolves. Cool slightly, before adding to the cheesecake mixture.
3. Choose ripe avocados
Picking the perfect fruit for this recipe is the key to making a tasty cake. It is important to choose perfectly ripe avocados that yield a bit to gentle squeeze but avoid using avocados that are too mushy inside. If you have under-ripe avocados ready, just leave them out on the counter for a few days to ripen. To hasten the process, you can put them inside a paper bag with an apple or banana for two or three days until they are ripe. If you come home with ripe avocados and you will not turn them into guacamole right away, store them in the refrigerator to slow down their ripening.
4. Choose the right cream cheese
Let’s talk for a minute about the cream cheese. It is a very important ingredient to make a tasty cheesecake. Choose a cream cheese brand that you are perfectly happy with. And no matter what, buy full-fat cream cheese. Do not skimp on cream cheese as sometimes I find cheaper cream cheese is a bit looser. It is also important to use room temperature cream cheese because whipping cold cream cheese into the filling will result in little lumps.
5. Add lime juice
Avocado flesh turns brown easily when exposed to air. The citric acid in lemon and lime juice is a great antioxidant to slow down avocados from browning. Moreover, if you make it ahead to be eaten on the next day, I recommend adding more lime juice just in case.
6. Do not over-mix the batter
Cream cheese is very dense. By whipping the heavy cream separately, it traps air into the cheesecake filling. It is easy to over-mix whipped cream. When this happens, the fat solids will begin to separate, creating lumps and giving the whipped cream a granular texture. In addition, over-mixing will deflate the air trapped in the filling. That is why I recommend to add the whipped cream at the end of the process of making filling to avoid over-mixing and prevent dense cheesecake.
More Cheesecake Recipes
While you are here, don’t forget to check out these cheesecake recipes.
- No-Bake Blackberry Cheesecake
- No-Bake Thai Tea Cheesecake
- Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream Cake
- Basque Burnt Cheesecake
- No-Bake Oreo Cheesecake
Ingredients
Chocolate Crust
- 2 cups (200 gr) graham cracker crumbs
- 1/2 cup (113 gr) unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tbsp castor sugar
- 1/4 cup (25 gr) cocoa powder
Avocado Lime Cheesecake
- 2 cup (480 ml) heavy whipping cream, divided
- 3/4 cup (150 gr) castor sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 4 sheets gelatin
- 3 ripe avocados, halved, pitted, and peeled
- 16 oz (455 gr) cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 limes, juiced
- Cocoa powder, for dusting
Instructions
Chocolate Crust
- Grease a 9-inch/22 cm springform pan. Line the sides of the pan with baking paper or transparent cake collar.
- In a large bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, sugar, and cocoa powder.
- Pour the mixture into the pan. Spread into an even layer, then press until the crumbs are compact. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. (The crust can be made ahead) Meanwhile, prepare the cheesecake.
Avocado Lime Cheesecake
- In a small bowl, soak gelatin sheets in cold water. Set aside.
- Heat 1 cup of heavy cream, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan over low heat until small bubbles appear around edges. Remove from heat. Squeeze out excess water from softened gelatin and stir it into the mixture until gelatin dissolves. Set aside and let the mixture to cool.
- Blend avocados in food processor until smooth. Set aside.
- In a large bowl using a hand mixer or a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whip the remaining 1 cup heavy cream until stiff peak.
- In a large bowl using a hand mixer or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat blended avocados with cream cheese and cream mixture until well combined.
- Add lime juice, vanilla extract, and whipped cream into the mixture and beat until well combined.
Assemble
- Pour the filling into prepared crust and spread into an even layer. Use the back of spoon to sculpt the filling into swirls.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the filling is firm for 6 hours or overnight.
- Dust the top with cocoa powder. Before serving, remove the sides of the springform pan.
