I just celebrated a milestone birthday and, as a reward, decided to try a new recipe I’ve been dying to make. Some recipes have to wait until a special occasion – you have to have plenty of help eating it to make it worth the effort.

I found this recipe on Delish and it looked amazing. Tasted amazing too! So, happy birthday to me and enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE CRUST:

15 graham crackers

1/8 tsp. kosher salt

3 tbsp. sugar

1/2 stick butter, melted

FOR THE CHEESECAKE:

4 8-oz. packages cream cheese, softened

1 1/4 c. sugar

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1 tbsp. pure vanilla extract

4 large eggs

1 c. coconut milk

1/4 c. sour cream

FOR THE FROSTING:

1 8-oz. package cream cheese, softened

1/2 c. butter, softened

3 tbsp. coconut milk

3 c. powdered sugar

1 c. Toasted shredded coconut

FOR THE GARNISH

Toasted shredded coconut, for topping

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Make the crust: Butter a 9″ springform pan. Wrap bottom and sides of pan in a double layer of aluminum foil, then set a rack in middle of oven and preheat to 350°. Note: I always use GF crumbs for my cheesecakes and this turned out well.
2. In a food processor or blender, grind graham crackers into fine crumbs. Add salt and sugar and pulse to combine. Transfer to medium bowl, add butter, and use fork or fingers to blend mixture until crumbs are evenly moist. Press into bottom and about a third of the way up sides of springform pan, then freeze for 10 minutes.
3. Place on a baking sheet and bake the crust for 10 minutes. Set on a rack to cool, and reduce oven temperature to 325°.
4. Make the cheesecake: In a large bowl using a hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer using the whisk attachment, beat cream cheese on medium, scraping down bowl as necessary, until completely smooth, 3 to 4 minutes. Add sugar and salt and beat, scraping down the bowl as necessary, until smooth and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add vanilla and beat 30 seconds, then add eggs, 1 at a time, beating 1 minute after each addition and scraping down bowl as necessary. Add coconut milk and sour cream and beat on low until fully incorporated and completely smooth, 1 minute. Note: Make sure all ingredients are at room temp before mixing.
5. Pour cheesecake batter into cooled crust, then put cheesecake in a deep roasting pan and set on middle rack of oven. Carefully pour enough boiling water into roasting pan to come about halfway up sides of springform pan. Bake until top is just starting to brown and crack, about 1 hour 30 minutes. Turn off oven, prop door open and allow the cheesecake to slowly cool in the water bath for 1 hour.
6. Remove roasting pan from oven, then carefully lift springform pan out of water and remove foil. Set cheesecake on rack and let come to room temperature. Once completely cool, loosely cover cheesecake with plastic wrap and refrigerate, 4 hours, or up to overnight.
7. Make frosting: Beat cream cheese, butter, and coconut milk until combined. Slowly add powdered sugar and toasted coconut until creamy. Frost cheesecake and sprinkle with toasted coconut.

Add the frosting just before serving for best results. And, don’t forget to lick the spoon!

Grammy