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Inspiration for this Pineapple Coconut Cheesecake
So we picked up a pineapple to make our recent recipe, Filipino Pork Adobo with Pineapple which obviously required using pineapple. However, we ended up with the other half of the pineapple sitting on the counter and we wondered what to make with it. That’s when we decided to make some type of tropic dessert.
We first thought pineapple upside down cake but then thought, nah that’s already been done plenty of times. Then we thought about making a tropic cheesecake. Thennnn, we figured, why not combine these two delicious and decadent desserts to make one SUPER dessert. Hence, the pineapple coconut cheesecake idea was born.
Essentially this recipe is a combination of pineapple upside down cake (although technically not upside down!) and cheesecake. It calls for making a graham cracker crust mixed in with pineapple upside down ingredients like pineapple and maraschino cherries.
For good measure, we decided to add a tropical component of coconut and in this sense, it turned out tasting like a piña colada cheesecake. Note that this is a traditional cheesecake recipe (rather than a no-bake one). We prefer the baked recipes over the no-bake ones in general.
Ultimately, we were really pleased with the result of this pineapple coconut cheesecake. It was fruity, creamy, toasty (from the toasted almonds and coconut shavings) and reminded us of the beaches of Hawaii. Aloha!!
How to make Pineapple Coconut Cheesecake
Let’s talk ingredients
We divide ingredients into 3 groups: the cheesecake, the crust, and the toppings. Fortunately, several of them overlap so there aren’t too many things to find at the store. Here they are:
Cheesecake
- Cream cheese (we used Philadelphia cream cheese)
- Sour cream
- Vanilla extract
- Eggs
- Flour (this helps to hold the cheesecake together)
- Shredded coconut
Crust
- Cinnamon graham crackers
- Butter
- 1/2 a pineapple (we prefer using a fresh pineapple but you can also get away with using canned pineapple slices)
- Maraschino cherries (these usually come in a jar on the baking isle)
- Butter
- Brown sugar
Cheesecake toppings
- Shredded coconut (already have some from the cheesecake toppings)
- Almond slices
- Diced pineapple chunks (already have some from the pineapple slices, here, you just have to cut them up into smaller pieces
- Maraschino cherries (already have these from above)
What you’ll need for this making this delectable dessert
The most important kitchen item you’ll need for this recipe is a springform pan. It’s basically a cake pan that has sides that unclip and release. A must-have for any cheesecake recipe. This 9.5 inch springform pan is the one we use.
Everything else is optional. It’s nice to have an electric mixer (or even better yet, an immersion blender) to mix up all the cheesecake ingredients.
Steps to making this Tropical Cheesecake
Step 1: preheat the oven (always a good first step to any baking recipe!) to 350 degrees F.
Step 2: mix together the brown sugar with some butter to spread on the bottom of the springform pan (this will help to caramelize the pineapple upside down crust. You then place the pineapple slices and maraschino cherries on the bottom of the pan.
Step 3: now you combine the crushed graham crackers with butter and spread them over the pineapple/cherry mixture. As a tip, make sure to be gentle enough not to smush the cherries and pineapple but firm enough to pack down the crust. It’s a balance. Once this is done, you’ll want to pre-bake the crust (this ensures that it turns out like proper crust rather than getting too soggy and falling apart.
Step 4: Time to make the cheesecake batter! Just combine everything into a bowl and mix it up. No frills here.
Step 5: Baking time! We baked ours for 55 minutes and it came out perfect. Just make sure to use a hot water bath like instructed in the recipe below. Doing this allows the cheesecake to bake slowly and consistently which is really important for making any custard (otherwise the cheesecake will come out a bit too rubbery.
Step 7: Slowly cool and then chill the cheesecake
Step 8: Once fully chilled, you can add the toppings.
Step 9: Slice up and enjoy!
Pineapple Coconut Cheesecake Tips and FAQ
- Slow and steady is the name of the game here. That’s why you use a water bath to slowly and consistently heat it when baking and also why you very slowly cool and then chill it after baking. The goal is to get a nice creamy but firm cheesecake consistency without it splitting on top.
- Multitask to save time. Work on the batter when the crust is pre-baking but don’t forget to set a timer to remember to take it out on time!
- Try it boozy: feel free to substitute the vanilla extract with the same amount of rum to truly make it a piña colada cheesecake.
- Mix it up on how you serve your cheesecake. If you truly want to have a pineapple upside down cheesecake then of course serve it upside down! Just be careful when flipping it upside down and don’t do this until it is fully chilled in the fridge and not at risk of collapsing.
- Storing your cheesecake: it should keep well in the fridge for at least a week or so. If you do this, we recommend storing the toppings separately (this way, the toasted coconut and toasted almonds don’t become soggy). You can also store your cheesecake in the freezer if you want to keep it longer than 1-2 weeks but note that the consistency might not be the same after thawing.
- Accompaniments: Enjoy your decadent desert with an equally decadent drink! If you’re feeling extra tropical and indulgent today, serve your piña colada cheesecake with it’s own piña colada drink.
Thanks for trying out our recipe!
We hope you enjoyed it! If you did, check out some of our other pineapple-forward recipes like Red Pepper Hawaiian Pizza with Chives and Hawaiian Chicken Kebabs (and like the pineapple dish we made just before this cheesecake as mentioned before, our Filipino Pork Adobo with Pineapple). Let us know what you think about pineapple as an ingredient in the comments below!
Without further ado, here is our recipe:
Pineapple Coconut Cheesecake
Ingredients
Cheesecake
- 24 oz cream cheese
- ¾ cup sour cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 eggs
- 1 tbsp flour
- ¼ cup shredded coconut
Crust
- 12 cinnamon graham crackers
- ½ cup butter melted
- 1/2 pineapple cored and sliced
- 10 maraschino cherries
- 2 tbs butter melted
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
Cheesecake toppings
- 2 tbsp Shredded coconut toasted
- 2 tbsp Almond slices toasted
- ⅓ cup diced pineapple
- ¼ cup maraschino cherries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Combine the brown sugar with the 2 tbsp melted butter and spread it over the bottom of a springform pan. Then arrange the pineapple slices and maraschino cherries on the bottom of this pan.
- Crush the cinnamon graham crackers until they have a fine, sandy consistency and combine it with the ½ cup melted butter. Then pour this over the pineapple/cherries and gently press down to get a compact crust without crushing the cherries.
- Pre-bake this crust in the oven for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, add the cream cheese, sour cream, vanilla extract, eggs, flour, and shredded coconut. Use a blender (or immersion blender) to combine all of these cheesecake ingredients into a smooth, homogenous consistency.
- After the crust is pre-baked, remove from the oven, let cool for 5 minutes, and then pour the cheesecake batter into the pan.
- Create a water bath by wrapping the bottom of the springform pan with 2-3 sheets of aluminum foil and then placing it in a baking pan, and filing the baking pan with water until it is ⅓ to ½-way up the springform pan. Place back in oven with the water bath and bake for 50-55 minutes.
- Once finished cooking, turn off oven and open oven door. Let cool for 20 min in the oven and then remove from oven and water bath to cool further at room temp for at least 1 hour. Then place in fridge, covered, and let chill for at least 3 hours or overnight.
- Once ready to serve, release the cheesecake from the springform pan and add the toppings. Serve chilled.
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