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With a coconut graham cracker crust and rich and creamy filling, this coconut cheesecake is the ideal cheesecake for anyone who loves coconut.
At this point, my neighbors and family members all know to expect me to show up at their door on a pretty regular basis with baked goods.
Don’t get me wrong: my immediate family loves eating the recipes I make, but there’s only so much we can eat in a week.
I think my neighbors get extra excited when it’s a cheesecake testing week. Whether it’s banana pudding cheesecake, caramel apple cheesecake, or this coconut cheesecake, they are all happy to take a slice or two off my hands.
So I guess it’s a good thing that I can’t get enough of riffing on my vanilla cheesecake recipe. If you love cheesecake as much as my neighbors and I do, you’ve come to the right place.
My rich coconut cheesecake recipe
I believe that if a recipe says “coconut” in the name, it should be FULL of coconut.
Like if you’re going to make coconut cake or coconut cream pie, it shouldn’t just be a white cake or vanilla pudding with some coconut in it or sprinkled on top. There should be actual coconut in nearly every component of the recipe.
So of course I approached this coconut cheesecake in the exact same way.
I started off with a graham cracker crust with added coconut. For the filling, I added coconut milk, flaked coconut, and a bit of coconut extract.
And for serving, my favorite way to finish this beauty is with a dollop of coconut whipped topping and some toasted coconut.
You get a lovely coconut flavor in each bite of this cheesecake. But don’t worry, it isn’t so strong that it tastes like sunscreen – it’s just the right amount for anyone who loves coconut desserts.
If you’re heading to any cookouts this summer, add this to your list of must-take desserts along with lime coconut cake, key lime pie bars, and pineapple fluff for all of your favorite tropical flavors.
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Pin ItHow to make coconut cheesecake
If you’ve never made a cheesecake before, don’t be intimidated by the idea of making this coconut cheesecake. I’ll walk you through all of the steps so you can feel confident making this recipe!
Ingredients you’ll need
The crust for this coconut cheesecake is a pretty standard graham cracker crust with some flaked coconut added to it. You will need:
- 1 ¾ cups graham cracker crumbs
- ½ cup flaked unsweetened coconut
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
You can buy graham cracker crumbs at the store, but I typically just pulse full graham crackers in my mini food processor. But if buying the crumbs is easier for you, go for it!
If you only have sweetened coconut, just keep in mind that the crust will be a little bit sweeter than if you use unsweetened coconut.
For the cheesecake filling, you will need:
- 4 8-ounce packages of room-temperature cream cheese
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup unsweetened full-fat coconut milk
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Pinch of salt
- 1 cup flaked unsweetened coconut, pulsed several times in a food processor
For the creamiest filling, make sure your cream cheese is fully softened before you start making the filling. If you forget to set yours out ahead of time, I have a few tips on softening cream cheese to help speed up the process a bit.
This filling uses coconut milk, coconut extract, and flaked coconut. Make sure you use the canned coconut milk; Thai Kitchen is my favorite brand. Don’t use the cartoned stuff in the refrigerated section for this recipe.
This recipe only uses 1 teaspoon of coconut extract. It’s enough to help boost the coconut flavor of the cheesecake without making it taste like sunscreen. If you don’t have coconut extract, feel free to leave it out; just keep in mind that the coconut flavor will be more subtle.
Just like with the crust, if you only have sweetened coconut, you can use it. It will make the filling sweeter, though. If you don’t want a sweeter filling, reduce the amount of granulated sugar by a couple of tablespoons.
Recipe Tip
I like to pulse the flaked coconut in the food processor before adding it to the filling. This prevents you from having long pieces of coconut in the cheesecake and gives the filling an overall smoother texture.
Making this recipe
Before you start making this coconut cheesecake, get your pans ready for your water bath.
You can wrap the outside of your springform pan in foil, but here’s my favorite way to do a water bath instead: place a 9-inch springform pan inside of a regular 10-inch cake pan.
Now you can place both cake pans in a roasting pan when you’re ready to do your water bath. You’ll get all of the benefits of baking cheesecake in a water bath without the risk of leaks!
Spray the inside of the springform pan with nonstick spray and set it aside.
For the crust, stir together the graham cracker crumbs, coconut, and sugar, then add the melted butter and stir until all of the crumbs are moistened.
Press the crumb mixture into the bottom and ½-inch up the sides of the springform pan. Bake the crust for 8 minutes and then let it cool while you make the filling.
Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese until it is smooth. Add the sugar and mix until combined, then add the coconut milk and mix well.
Now add the eggs one at a time. Make sure to fully incorporate each egg before adding the next, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl between each one.
Finally, add the vanilla and coconut extracts, flour, and salt. Beat until smooth, then stir in the coconut.
Pour the batter into the crust, then place the springform pan inside of the cake pan. Set all of this inside of the roasting pan.
Pour boiling water into the roasting pan until it comes halfway up the sides of the cake pan. Bake the cheesecake for 65-70 minutes, until the edges are set but the center still has a little bit of a jiggle to it.
Once the cheesecake is done baking, turn off the oven and crack the door open. Leave the coconut cheesecake in the oven for 1 hour.
After an hour, set the cheesecake on a wire rack to finish cooling, then chill for at least 8 hours before serving.
I like to serve my coconut cheesecake with coconut whipped topping or homemade whipped cream and a bit of toasted coconut.
Storage tips
Coconut cheesecake will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Wait to garnish it until just before serving so that your garnishes stay pretty and fresh.
You can also freeze coconut cheesecake for longer-term storage option.
Place the cooled cheesecake on a cardboard round and cover it tightly with plastic wrap. Then wrap it in a layer of foil and freeze it for up to 1 month for best flavor.
When you’re ready to enjoy, thaw it at room temperature for a couple of hours or in the refrigerator overnight.
You can also freeze individual slices by wrapping them in plastic wrap and a layer of foil and storing them in a zip-top freezer bag for up to a month.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. If you don’t have unsweetened coconut available, you can swap in sweetened coconut. Keep in mind that it will make the cheesecake a little bit sweeter, so reduce the sugar in the filling by a couple of tablespoons to counteract this if you want.
You want to use canned, unsweetened coconut milk in this recipe. I also recommend using full-fat (not “lite”) coconut milk.
Thai Kitchen is the brand I typically use and prefer. You can find it in the international foods section of most grocery stores.
Do NOT use the ready-to-drink coconut milk that comes in a carton in the refrigerated section of your store. Save that for your morning coffee instead.
Yes! You can use an electric hand mixer and a large mixing bowl, too.
If you don’t have a hand mixer either, you can make the coconut filling in a large food processor. In fact, sometimes I do this instead of using my stand mixer simply because it is so quick and easy.
Coconut Cheesecake
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1 ¾ cups graham cracker crumbs
- ½ cup flaked unsweetened coconut
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
For the filling:
- 32 ounces cream cheese room temperature (4 8-ounce packages)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup unsweetened full-fat coconut milk I like the Thai Kitchen brand
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Pinch of salt
- 1 cup flaked unsweetened coconut pulsed several times in a food processor
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Tightly wrap a 9-inch springform pan in heavy duty foil. This step prevents leaks when using a water bath. I also take the extra step by placing the foil wrapped spring form pan inside an oven bag while baking, but this is optional (see recipe notes below for more info on this process). Lightly spray the springform pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs, flaked coconut, and granulated sugar. Add the melted butter and stir to combine, making sure all of the graham cracker crumbs are moistened.
- Press the crust mixture into the bottom and ½-inch up the sides of the prepared springform pan. Bake for 8 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar and mix until combined. Add in the coconut milk and mix until incorporated. Add eggs, one at a time, fully incorporating each before adding the next. Make sure to scrape down the bowl in between each egg. Add in vanilla, coconut extract, flour and salt and beat until fully incorporated and smooth. Stir in the coconut. Pour batter into the prepared crust.
- Place the springform pan into a roasting pan and pour boiling water into the roasting pan until it is halfway up the side of the springform pan. Bake for 65-70 minutes, until the edges appear to be set, but the center still has a slight jiggle to it. At this point, turn off the oven, but leave the door cracked and allow the cheesecake to rest in the cooling oven for one hour.
- After one hour has passed, carefully remove the cheesecake from the water bath and place on a cooling rack to cool completely. Once the cheesecake is completely cooled, place it into the refrigerator for at least 8 hours.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
