Coquito Cheesecake
Rum, cinnamon, and coconut — the flavors of a classic Puerto Rican coquito, baked into a rich, creamy cheesecake.
- Prep Time
- 30 min
- Cook Time
- 1 hr 15 min
- Total Time
- 5 hr 45 min
- Servings
- 12 servings
I've become a little obsessed with turning cocktails into cheesecake flavors, and I'm not sure where the obsession started, but the results have been fantastic. A trip to the liquor store for "recipe research" is a lot more fun when you get to justify it that way.
If you've never had a coquito, it's the classic Puerto Rican combination of rum, cinnamon, and coconut. I added a little light brown sugar for depth, and after a customer's mother-in-law from Puerto Rico gave me some notes on bringing out more coconut flavor, I tweaked the recipe until it was exactly right. This one sold out immediately at Krafty Draft — now I just need to make an actual coquito cocktail to enjoy alongside a slice.
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
For the Filling
- 4 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2/3 cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/3 cup frozen grated coconut, thawed
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract
- 1 teaspoon rum extract
- 2 oz. light or dark rum
- 2 oz. coconut rum
- 2 oz. heavy cream
For the Topping
- frozen whipped topping, thawed
- cinnamon
- grated coconut
Instructions
- 1Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Double-wrap the outside of a 9 inch springform pan with heavy duty aluminum foil and place inside a 12 inch cake pan.
- 2Toss the graham cracker crumbs with 2 tablespoons sugar in a small bowl, add the melted butter, and mix with your hands until combined. Press evenly along the bottom of the springform pan.
- 3Bake the crust for 7 minutes, then remove and set aside.
- 4In a standing mixer, beat 8 oz. cream cheese, the cornstarch, grated coconut, and 2/3 cup brown sugar at medium speed until smooth. Add another 8 oz. cream cheese with 1/3 cup granulated sugar and beat until smooth, then add the remaining cream cheese and sugar and beat until smooth.
- 5Slow the mixer to stirring speed, add the extracts and eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides between additions.
- 6With the mixer on stirring speed, slowly add the rum and heavy cream, mixing just until combined — do not overmix.
- 7Spoon the batter into the springform pan on top of the crust and spread into an even layer.
- 8Pour warm water into the larger cake pan to create a water bath, coming up at least 1 inch around the springform pan (this prevents cracks).
- 9Bake for about 1 hour 15 minutes, until lightly browned on top.
- 10Remove from the oven, pull the springform pan out of the water bath, and cool on a rack for about 4 hours. Remove the foil.
- 11Cover and freeze for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, to set.
- 12Release the springform sides, flip the cheesecake onto a flat surface to remove the pan bottom, then flip back onto a serving plate.
- 13Cut into slices with a sharp, straight-edged knife, wiping the blade between cuts. Garnish with whipped topping, a sprinkle of cinnamon, and grated coconut.
Storage & Reheating
Store in the refrigerator for up to 7 days, or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Love this recipe? You'll love All I Want Is Cheesecake Cookbook
Over 75 New York–style cheesecake recipes, from classic flavors to fun, happy-hour-inspired twists. Beginner-friendly and dangerously easy to fall in love with.
