Coconut Cream Cheesecake

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

A dense, silky New York–style cheesecake built on full-fat coconut milk, baked over a buttery graham-and-coconut crust in a single springform pan. A steam pan on the rack below keeps the top crack-free without the fuss of a leaky water bath, and it finishes under a drift of lightly sweetened coconut whipped cream and deeply toasted coconut flakes. Restaurant dessert-cart ambition, one-pan logistics.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 11 full sheets)
• 1/3 cup sweetened shredded coconut, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

• 32 oz full-fat cream cheese (4 blocks), room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 3/4 cup canned full-fat coconut milk, well shaken
• 1/4 cup sour cream, room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp coconut extract
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 large egg yolk, room temperature

• 1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes (chips)
• 1 1/4 cups heavy cream, cold
• 3 tbsp powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp canned full-fat coconut milk, cold
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Set an oven rack in the lower third and another in the center. Place a metal roasting pan or 9x13 baking dish on the lower rack and heat the oven to 325°F. Bring a kettle of water to a boil and hold it.
2. Wrap the outside bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with a sheet of foil (this catches butter drips only — the pan never touches water). Lightly butter the inside.
3. Make the crust: stir together the graham crumbs, finely chopped shredded coconut, 2 tablespoons sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Pour in the melted butter and mix until it looks like damp sand. Press firmly into the bottom and about 1 inch up the sides of the springform, using the flat bottom of a measuring cup to compact it.
4. Bake the crust on the center rack for 10 to 12 minutes, until fragrant and just set at the edges. Cool on a rack while you mix the filling. Leave the oven at 325°F.
5. Spread the 1 cup coconut flakes on a small sheet pan and toast in the same oven for 4 to 6 minutes, stirring once, until golden at the edges. Watch closely — they go from tan to burnt in under a minute. Cool completely and set aside.
6. In a stand mixer with the paddle (or a large bowl with a hand mixer), beat the room-temperature cream cheese on medium-low for 2 minutes until completely smooth, scraping the bowl and paddle twice. Add the 1 1/4 cups sugar, cornstarch, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and beat 2 minutes more, still on medium-low, until no grains remain.
7. Scrape the bowl well. On low speed, add the 3/4 cup coconut milk, sour cream, vanilla, and coconut extract; mix just until uniform. Add the eggs and yolk one at a time, mixing only 10 to 15 seconds after each. Stop the moment the last egg disappears — beating in air is what cracks cheesecakes.
8. Pour the batter over the cooled crust and smooth the top. Tap the pan firmly on the counter 8 to 10 times to release air bubbles and pop any that surface with a toothpick.
9. Carefully pour 4 cups of boiling water into the roasting pan on the lower rack. Set the cheesecake on the center rack and bake at 325°F for 15 minutes.
10. Without opening the door, reduce the oven to 250°F and bake 70 to 85 minutes longer. It is done when the outer 2 inches are set and the center 3-inch circle wobbles like loose gelatin when you nudge the pan; an instant-read thermometer inserted 1 inch from the edge should read 150°F.
11. Turn the oven off, crack the door with a wooden spoon, and leave the cheesecake inside for 1 hour. Then move it to a rack and cool to room temperature, about 2 hours. Run a thin knife around the rim, cover loosely, and refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight.
12. Up to 3 hours before serving, whip the cold heavy cream, powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons coconut milk, and vanilla to soft-medium peaks — thick enough to hold a swoop but still glossy. Release the springform ring, transfer the cheesecake to a plate, and spread or pipe the cream over the top.
13. Shower the toasted coconut flakes over the cream just before serving. Slice with a long knife dipped in hot water and wiped clean between every cut.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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