Samoa Cheesecake

4.84 from 6 votes

My Samoa cheesecake layers a chewy toasted coconut and salted caramel topping over creamy vanilla cheesecake and an Oreo crust, with chocolate drizzled on top.

Prep Time30

Cook Time1 40

Rest and Chill Time9

Total Time11 10

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 771kcal

Author: Jennifer Fishkind

Ingredients

Chocolate Crust Layer

2½ cups chocolate sandwich cookie crumbs from 26 original OREO cookies, finely ground
6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled
½ teaspoon salt

Cheesecake Layer

32 ounces (4 8-ounce) blocks cream cheese softened to room temperature
1½ cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 large eggs room temperature
½ cup sour cream
3 tablespoons heavy cream
4-6 cups boiling water for the water bath to bake the cheesecake

Samoa Cookie Topping

2¼ cup sweetened shredded coconut
1 cup salted caramel sauce Mrs. Richardson’s brand, plus more to use as garnish

Garnish

Chocolate dessert sauce in a squeeze bottle, Ghirardelli brand
Caramel dessert sauce in a squeeze bottle, Mrs. Richardson’s or Ghirardelli brand
Whipped topping
Samoa or Coconut Dream Cookies

Instructions

Chocolate Crust Layer

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a 9-inch springform pan with baker’s spray and line with a parchment paper round. Wrap the outside of the springform pan with two layers of heavy duty aluminum foil. This will help to keep any moisture from the water bath from seeping into the springform pan while baking the samoa cheesecake. Set aside.
To a medium bowl add the finely ground chocolate cookie crumbs, unsalted butter and salt. Stir to combine. The mixture should look like wet sand.
2½ cups chocolate sandwich cookie crumbs, 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, ½ teaspoon salt
Press the chocolate cookie crust mixture into an even layer in the bottom of the prepared springform pan to form a crust.
Bake the crust for 10 minutes, on the center rack of the oven, then remove from the oven and allow it to cool at room temperature while preparing the cheesecake batter.
Turn the temperature to the oven down to 325°F.

Cheesecake Layer

To a large mixing bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and granulated sugar on medium speed until smooth and no lumps of cream cheese remain.
32 ounces (4 8-ounce) blocks cream cheese, 1½ cups granulated sugar
To the cream cheese, add the vanilla extract and eggs, one at a time, and mix on low speed until all the eggs have been fully incorporated and the mixture is smooth. Be sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed to ensure that the batter is being evenly mixed with each addition.
1 tablespoon vanilla extract, 4 large eggs
Add the sour cream and heavy cream to the bowl and mix, on low speed for 1-2 minutes or until the cheesecake batter is thick and smooth.
½ cup sour cream, 3 tablespoons heavy cream
Pour the cheesecake batter into the springform pan and spread into an even layer.
Place the cheesecake into a large roasting pan, then onto the center rack of the oven. Very carefully pour enough boiling water (4-6 cups) to come up about 1 inch on the sides of the springform pan. Bake for 1 hour 40 - 45 minutes or until the top is lightly golden and the center is just barely set when the pan is lightly jiggled.
4-6 cups boiling water
Turn off the heat to the oven, crack the oven door open about 1 inch and allow the samoa cheesecake to finish cooking, and start to cool down slowly, for 1 hour.
Remove the cheesecake from the oven and the water bath, and remove the foil wrap from the outside of the springform pan. Carefully run a knife with a thin blade around the sides of the cheesecake. Place the cheesecake into the refrigerator to chill for at least 8 hours or up to overnight. An overnight chill will ensure your cheesecake is fully set up and chilled.
Once fully chilled, and set up, remove the cheesecake from the refrigerator and remove the side ring of the springform pan. Carefully place the cheesecake onto a serving plate while preparing the samoa cookie topping.

Samoa Cookie Topping

To a large dry skillet, over medium heat, add the sweetened shredded coconut. Cook and stir the shredded coconut for 4-6 minutes or until it starts to lightly toast and become fragrant. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
2¼ cup sweetened shredded coconut
Add the lightly toasted coconut to a large mixing bowl with the salted caramel sauce and stir until evenly combined. The mixture should be thick.
1 cup salted caramel sauce
Using a large spoon, or cookie scoop, add dollops of the samoa cookie topping evenly over the top of the chilled cheesecake and gently spread to an even layer. An offset spatula works great for gently spreading this thick caramel and coconut topping.
Garnish the top of the samoa cheesecake with a drizzle of additional caramel sauce and chocolate sauce to resemble the look of a samoa cookie.
Chocolate dessert sauce, Caramel dessert sauce, Whipped topping, Samoa or Coconut Dream Cookies

Notes

Tips:

I go by the jiggle, not only the clock. The top should be lightly golden, the edges set, and the center should still move slightly when you nudge the pan. It keeps setting in the turned-off oven and overnight in the fridge.
Use a thick salted caramel sauce so it holds the coconut together. If yours is thin, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour until completely incorporated. A homemade caramel sauce works as long as it is thick.
Use regular Oreos with the filling, not Thins or Double Stuf, and grind them fine. Generic chocolate sandwich cookies work too.
Use full-fat cream cheese, sour cream and heavy cream for the creamiest texture.
After topping, chill the cheesecake 30 minutes, then slice with a sharp knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry between cuts.

Storage:

Keep the cheesecake covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can bake it up to 2 days ahead and add the topping the day you serve it. To freeze, wrap the baked and cooled cheesecake (without the topping) tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil for up to 2 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, then add the samoa cookie topping when you are ready to serve.

Nutrition: recalculate in WPRM for 12 servings Calories: from the WPRM calculator Diet Tags: none

Nutrition