These Blueberry Lime Cheesecake Cupcakes are a delightful burst of fresh, tangy, and sweet flavors, perfect for spring or any time you need a cheerful treat! They feature a simple buttery crust, a layer of sweet blueberry preserves, a creamy lime-infused cheesecake filling, and a fun decorative topping. I love how these Blueberry Lime Cheesecake Cupcakes combine bright citrus with juicy berries in an easy-to-serve cupcake format. They’re perfect for parties, brunches, or just a special afternoon indulgence.
Why You’ll Love These Blueberry Lime Cheesecake Cupcakes
- Bright and Refreshing: The combination of lime zest, lime juice, and blueberries creates a vibrant and tangy flavor profile.
- Creamy Cheesecake Filling: The smooth cream cheese filling is perfectly balanced with the tartness of the lime.
- Easy Individual Portions: Making them in a muffin tin creates perfect individual servings.
- Fun and Pretty: The optional purple frosting and garnishes make these cupcakes visually appealing.
- Simple to Make: Uses straightforward steps and common ingredients.
Ingredients for Blueberry Lime Cheesecake Cupcakes
Here’s what you’ll need to make these delightful cheesecake cupcakes. The full list with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Crust
- All-purpose flour (Dry Ingredient)
- Unsalted butter, softened (Fat)
- Granulated sugar (Sweetener)
- Vanilla extract (Flavoring)
Cheesecake Filling
- Cream cheese, softened (Dairy)
- Powdered sugar (Sweetener)
- Lime zest (Flavoring)
- Lime juice (Acid)
- Blueberry preserves (Fruit Preserve)
Topping/Garnish
- Purple-tinted cream cheese frosting (Optional – See Notes) (Frosting)
- Fresh blueberries (Fruit)
- Lime slices (Fruit)
- Lime zest (Flavoring)
(Note: The original recipe lists ingredients for a cream cheese filling but calls for a separate purple-tinted cream cheese frosting for topping without listing its ingredients. I’ve adapted based on the filling ingredients.) (Note: the full ingredients list, including measurements, is provided in the recipe card directly below.)
Variations
I love the bright flavors of these Blueberry Lime Cheesecake Cupcakes, but here are some variations:
- Lemon Blueberry: Substitute lemon zest and juice for the lime.
- Different Berry Preserves: Use strawberry, raspberry, or mixed berry preserves instead of blueberry.
- Graham Cracker Crust: Use crushed graham crackers mixed with melted butter for a classic cheesecake crust.
- Add White Chocolate: Fold some mini white chocolate chips into the cheesecake filling.
- Skip the Frosting: These are delicious even without the decorative frosting swirl on top.
How to Make Blueberry Lime Cheesecake Cupcakes
Let me show you how easy it is to make these Blueberry Lime Cheesecake Cupcakes:
Prepare the Crust
- First, I preheat my oven to 350°F (175°C). I line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
- In a bowl, I mix together the flour, softened butter, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract until the mixture forms a soft dough.
- I press the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared muffin tin liners, using about 1 tablespoon per cup.
- I bake the crusts for 10 minutes, or until lightly golden. Then, I allow them to cool in the muffin tin.
Prepare the Cheesecake Filling
- In another bowl, I beat the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, lime zest, and lime juice with an electric mixer until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
Assemble the Cupcakes
- I spoon a layer of blueberry preserves over the cooled crust in each cupcake liner.
- Next, I carefully spoon or pipe the cream cheese mixture over the blueberry layer, filling each cup nearly to the top.
- I spoon a little bit of the remaining blueberry preserves over the cream cheese mixture. (Optional: Swirl gently with a toothpick for a marbled effect).
Decorate and Chill
- If adding a decorative frosting top, I’d prepare a small batch of cream cheese frosting (perhaps using leftover cream cheese/powdered sugar/vanilla/lime) and tint it purple. Then, I’d pipe a swirl on top of each filled cupcake.
- I garnish the Blueberry Lime Cheesecake Cupcakes with fresh blueberries, thin lime slices, and extra lime zest.
- Finally, I refrigerate the cupcakes for at least 1 hour before serving to allow the flavors to meld and the filling to set completely.
Tips and Tricks for the BEST Cheesecake Cupcakes
Here are my secrets for making these cupcakes truly exceptional:
- Room Temperature Cream Cheese: Ensure the cream cheese is fully softened for a smooth, lump-free filling.
- Don’t Overbake the Crust: Bake the crust just until lightly golden; it will bake further implicitly with the filling (though this recipe doesn’t call for baking the filling).
- Cool Crust Before Filling: Let the crust cool before adding the preserves and cheesecake filling.
- Use Paper Liners: Liners make removing the cheesecake cupcakes from the muffin tin much easier.
- Chill Thoroughly: Chilling is important for the no-bake style filling to set properly.
How to Serve
These Blueberry Lime Cheesecake Cupcakes are perfect for:
- Spring and Summer Parties: Their bright flavors are ideal for warmer weather gatherings.
- Brunches: A beautiful and delicious addition to a brunch spread.
- Baby or Bridal Showers: An elegant and crowd-pleasing treat.
- Dessert: A light and refreshing dessert option.
Serve chilled directly from the refrigerator.
Make Ahead and Storage
These cheesecake cupcakes are great for making ahead! You can make them up to 2 days in advance. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Add fresh garnishes just before serving for the best appearance.
FAQs about Blueberry Lime Cheesecake Cupcakes
- Can I use frozen blueberries for garnish?
- Fresh blueberries look best for garnish, as frozen ones can become soft and bleed color upon thawing.
- Can I make this in a regular cheesecake pan?
- Yes, you could adapt this recipe for a small springform pan, pressing the crust into the bottom. Chilling time will likely need to be longer (4+ hours) for the filling to set in a larger format.
- Is this a baked or no-bake cheesecake filling?
- Based on the instructions provided (no baking after adding filling), this is essentially a no-bake cheesecake filling placed on a pre-baked crust.
Enjoy these bright, tangy, and creamy Blueberry Lime Cheesecake Cupcakes! They’re a delightful treat for any occasion.
Print
Easy Blueberry Lime Cheesecake Cupcakes
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Chill Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 12 cupcakes 1x
- Category: Dessert, Cupcakes, Cheesecake
- Cuisine: American
Description
These Blueberry Lime Cheesecake Cupcakes are delightful individual desserts featuring a simple shortbread-like crust, a tangy lime cheesecake filling, a layer of sweet blueberry preserves, and a decorative purple frosting swirl.
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 1 1/2 cups (188g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Lime Cheesecake Filling:
- 8 ounces (226g) cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup (30g) powdered sugar (confectioners’ sugar)
- 1 teaspoon lime zest
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
For the Blueberry Layers:
- 1 cup blueberry preserves (or jam)
For the Topping & Garnish:
- 1/2 cup purple-tinted cream cheese frosting (or vanilla frosting tinted purple)
- Fresh blueberries
- Lime slices, thinly cut
- Lime zest
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Muffin Tin: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
- Make the Crust:
- In a medium bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, softened butter, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract.
- Mix with a fork or your fingers until the mixture forms a soft, crumbly dough.
- Press about 1 tablespoon of the dough evenly into the bottom of each prepared muffin liner.
- Bake Crust: Bake the crusts for 10 minutes, or until lightly golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly in the muffin tin. Keep the oven preheated if you need it for other tasks, otherwise, you can turn it off.
- Make the Cheesecake Filling: In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, lime zest, and lime juice with an electric mixer (or by hand) until smooth and creamy.
- Assemble the Cupcakes:
- Spoon a layer of blueberry preserves over the cooled crust in each muffin cup.
- Spoon or pipe the lime cream cheese mixture evenly over the blueberry layer, filling each cup nearly to the top.
- Spoon small dollops of the remaining blueberry preserves over the cream cheese mixture. (Optional: Swirl gently with a toothpick for a marbled effect).
- Add Frosting: Pipe or spoon a swirl of the purple-tinted cream cheese frosting on top of each cheesecake cupcake.
- Garnish: Garnish each cupcake with fresh blueberries, thin lime slices, and extra lime zest.
- Chill: Refrigerate the cheesecake cupcakes for at least 1 hour before serving to allow the flavors to meld and the filling to set slightly.
- Serve Chilled
Notes
- Crust: This crust is more like a soft shortbread cookie base than a traditional graham cracker crust.
- Cream Cheese: Ensure the cream cheese is fully softened for a smooth, lump-free filling.
- Blueberry Preserves: Use good-quality blueberry preserves or jam. You can also make a quick blueberry compote.
- Frosting: Use store-bought cream cheese frosting tinted purple, or make your own vanilla or cream cheese frosting and tint it with purple food coloring.
- Chilling: Chilling helps the flavors meld and gives the filling a slightly firmer texture.
- Storage: Store leftover cheesecake cupcakes covered in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.