Chocolate Covered Key Lime Cheesecake Bites

July 25, 2014

Tart, smooth and creamy lime cheesecake squares with a sweet, crumbly graham cracker crust covered in silky smooth dark chocolate. Perfect to serve at your next summer get-together with family & friends.

Key Lime Cheesecake Bites covered in Dove Dark Chocolate from Barbara Bakes.

There’s a little Key Lime Shoppe in Key West, Florida that sells Chocolate-Dipped Key Lime Pie on a stick. It’s a heavenly treat, especially on a hot summer day when you’ve been shopping the cute little shops for hours.

This is my easier-to-make version of that key lime treat covered in luscious DOVE Dark Chocolate. It’s the second of three recipes that I’m creating for DOVE Chocolate this summer. All using Dove Silky Smooth Dark Chocolate. If you missed the first recipe, Easy Brownie Cake Pops, be sure and check it out.

Making a graham cracker crust

A graham cracker crust is easy to make at home. Just finely crush a package of graham crackers in a food processor. Or, you can do what my husband did, and use a rolling pin to crush the crackers in a Ziploc bag.

Add a little bit of sugar and a little bit of butter, and firmly press the crumbs in to the bottom of the pan. I used the bottom of a flat glass to press the graham cracker in to the pan.

How to make Chocolate Covered Key Lime Cheesecake Bites

Add your cheesecake filling on top of your graham cracker crust, bake the cheesecake, and then let it cool at least 4 hours before you cut it in to squares. I let mine chill overnight so it would be easier to cut. I like to use a long serrated knife to cut the cheesecake, and I rinse the knife in hot water and dry it before cutting the next row.

I used a chocolate dipping fork to hold the cheesecake square over the bowl of chocolate, but a regular fork would work as well. Then using a large serving spoon, pour chocolate over the square covering the top and sides, and letting the excess chocolate drip back in to the bowl. You can also gently tap the fork on the side of the bowl to help remove excess chocolate.

Chocolate Covered Key Lime Cheesecake Bites recipe from Barbara Bakes

After placing the chocolate covered cheesecake bites on the baking tray, sprinkle each square with a little crushed Keebler graham crackers. It’s a fun way to dress up your cheesecake bites, and a great suggestion from my sweet friend Tiffany.

My favorite promise from this bag of Dove chocolates was:

All you really need is love, and a little chocolate doesn’t hurt.

I know you and you’re guests will love having a little dark chocolate with your cheesecake this summer.

Chocolate Covered Key Lime Cheesecake Bites

Yield: 36 cheesecake bites

Print Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 10 Keebler graham crackers, finely crushed (1 package)
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 3 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/4 cup key lime juice
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 15 ounces Dove Silky Smooth Dark Chocolate (1 1/2 bags)
  • 2 tablespoons shortening

Directions:

Heat oven to 350°F. Line 8-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil, extending foil over ends of pan. Spray foil with non-stick cooking spray. Combine crushed graham crackers, 3 tablespoons sugar, and butter in a small bowl. Press firmly in to bottom of prepared pan.

Combine softened cream cheese and 1/3 cup sugar in a mixing bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Add egg and vanilla, beating just until combine. On low speed, mix in key lime juice and sour cream. Pour over crust.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until center is set. Cool to room temperature on wire rack, then refrigerate at least 4 hours. (I chilled mine overnight.)

Lift cheesecake from pan using foil ends. Cut into six rows each directions; 36 squares. Place squares on a parchment or Silpat lined baking sheet and freeze for 1 hour.

In a microwave safe dish, heat Dove chocolate and shortening on 50% power for 1 minute; stir. Continue microwaving and stirring in 30-second intervals on 50% power until melted and smooth.

Hold a cheesecake square over the bowl of melted chocolate and use a spoon to pour chocolate over the square allowing excess chocolate to drip back in to the bowl. Place the square back on the baking sheet. If desired, sprinkle additional crushed graham cracker on top while the chocolate is still wet.

Refrigerated bites until ready to serve.

Compensation was provided by DOVE® Dark Chocolate via MomTrends. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions of Dove or Momtrends.

You can also find DOVE® Dark Chocolate on Facebook, and Twitter.