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Key Lime Pie Cheesecake Shooters on Gingersnap Crust

Tart, single-serving key lime cheesecake shooters served in disposable 2-ounce shot glasses—perfect for summer parties and easy entertaining.

Key Lime Pie Dessert Shooters with gingersnap crust

I set aside a long weekend with grand plans: sort the clothes for donation, organize the studio props, and finally clear the attic stairs. Instead, I ended up making these tiny key lime cheesecake shooters. They were worth every minute of procrastination.

Key lime pie dessert shooters with gingersnap crust -- via SugarSpunRun

These are tart, creamy little desserts layered over a crisp gingersnap crust. I opted for gingersnaps instead of the usual graham cracker base to give each bite a warm, slightly-spiced contrast to the bright key lime filling. If you prefer a classic flavor, graham cracker crumbs work as an easy substitute.

My partner helped press the crusts into the shot glasses—he made the bottoms while I finished the filling. He wouldn’t taste the lime filling (he’s oddly cautious about limes), but lending a hand made the whole project feel like simple, sweet quality time.

Key lime pie dessert shooters with gingersnap crust -- via SugarSpunRun

The filling is a creamy no-bake cheesecake-style mixture made with cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, and key lime juice. Lightened with whipped heavy cream, the texture is silky and airy—perfect for piping into shot glasses. A fresh whipped cream topping and a sprinkle of lime zest or extra gingersnap crumbs make these shooters look and taste special.

These shooters are a great party snack: easy to serve, easy to eat, and they look polished without fuss. They’re also a delightful alternative to spending the afternoon cleaning—sometimes a good recipe is exactly the excuse you need to take a break.

Key lime pie dessert shooters with gingersnap crust

Below you’ll find the full recipe with ingredients, step-by-step instructions, and helpful notes. This version is designed to be quick to assemble and easy to scale for a crowd.

Key Lime Pie Dessert Shooters with gingersnap crust

Key Lime Pie Cheesecake Dessert Shooters (On Gingersnap Crusts)

Tart, single-serving key lime cheesecake shooters layered over a gingersnap crust. No-bake, easy to assemble, and perfect for summer gatherings.

Prep: 45 mins | Total: 45 mins | Servings: 30 dessert shooters

Ingredients

Crust

  • 2/3 cup gingersnap crumbs (about 13 cookies pulsed in a food processor)
  • 1 Tbsp butter, melted

Key Lime Cheesecake Filling

  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 14 oz sweetened condensed milk
  • 1/2 cup key lime juice
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream

Whipped Cream Topping

  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/3 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • Optional: lime zest or extra gingersnap crumbs for garnish

Instructions

Crust

  1. Set out thirty-two 2-ounce disposable shot glasses (you’ll use 30; keep the extras for spills).
  2. In a medium bowl, combine the gingersnap crumbs and melted butter with a fork until evenly moistened.
  3. Press 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons of the crumb mixture into the bottom of each shot glass to form a compact crust layer.

Filling

  1. In a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth.
  2. Add the sweetened condensed milk and mix until combined and smooth.
  3. Gradually add the key lime juice, mixing on low and pausing to scrape the bowl as needed; the mixture will thicken slightly.
  4. In a clean bowl, whip 1 1/2 cups heavy cream to stiff peaks.
  5. Gently fold the whipped cream into the key lime mixture until fully combined and uniform in texture.
  6. Transfer the filling to a large resealable bag, snip a corner, and pipe the mixture into each shot glass until about 3/4 full.

Whipped Cream

  1. Shortly before serving, combine 1 cup heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract in a chilled bowl.
  2. Whisk on high (preferably with an electric mixer) until stiff peaks form.
  3. Pipe or dollop the whipped cream atop each shooter and garnish with lime zest or a sprinkle of gingersnap crumbs, if desired.

Notes

*If you prefer not to use gingersnaps, substitute an equal amount of graham cracker crumbs and increase the butter to 2 Tbsp. **Make the whipped cream the day you plan to serve for best texture and freshness.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 shooter | Calories: 146 kcal | Carbohydrates: 9 g | Protein: 2 g | Fat: 11 g | Saturated Fat: 7 g | Cholesterol: 41 mg | Sodium: 52 mg | Sugar: 9 g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.

Like this recipe? Leave a comment below and tell us how you served them.

Hopefully your weekend involved as much flavor as mine—whether you spent it cleaning or creating, these little key lime shooters are an easy, crowd-pleasing dessert that brings bright citrus flavor and creamy texture in a convenient single serving. Enjoy!

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