Samoa cheesecake takes the chewy caramel-coconut topping from a Samoa cookie and spreads it edge to edge over vanilla cheesecake. A dark chocolate cookie crust sits underneath, with chocolate drizzled across the top. Every forkful gets toasted coconut, salted caramel, dark chocolate and creamy cheesecake.
Plan to serve it tomorrow, not tonight. The cheesecake bakes in a water bath, rests for an hour in the turned-off oven and chills for at least eight hours. Add the coconut, caramel and chocolate once it is cold.
Make The Cheesecake The Day Before You Need It
The cheesecake is not ready for its topping when it comes out of the oven. It continues to settle during the hour it rests in the turned-off oven, then firms completely in the refrigerator rather than coming to room temperature. I’ve tested this step several times and have never had the cheesecake crack.
How To Tell The Cheesecake’s Done
Do not wait for the entire cheesecake to become firm in the oven. By that point, the outside has cooked much longer than the middle.
The center should move slightly when you gently nudge the pan. The middle continues cooking during the hour in the turned-off oven and finishes setting during the overnight chill.
Leave it in the springform pan for that entire chill time. The ring supports the sides while the filling sets, and it is much easier to move the cheesecake onto a serving plate once it is cold.
Longer Storage Tips
- The finished cheesecake will keep covered in the refrigerator for up to four days.
- For longer storage, freeze the baked and cooled cheesecake before adding the coconut topping.
- Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and foil and freeze it for up to two months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, then add the coconut, caramel and chocolate before serving.
Use A 9-Inch Springform Pan
I developed and tested this recipe in a 9-inch springform pan. The removable ring lets you release the sides after chilling without trying to turn a cheesecake out of a solid cake pan.
I have not tested the batter in another size, so I would not give you a converted baking time for one. A smaller pan would make a deeper cheesecake and a larger pan would make a shallower one, changing how long the center takes to set.
Ingredient Notes
- Use full-fat cream cheese, sour cream and heavy cream.
- Use room temperature cream cheese and eggs to prevent lumps.
- The topping contains 2¼ cups of coconut, so the caramel has to be thick enough to hold it together. A thin syrup will run down the sides instead of keeping the coconut on top.
- Use whole, standard Oreos, not Oreo Thins or Double Stuf, for the crust.
PRO TIP: Measure Your Crumbs After Grinding
What matters is having 2½ cups of finely ground crumbs. That comes from 26 whole Oreos.
How To Decorate And Serve
Chocolate And Caramel Sauce
Choose a thick chocolate dessert sauce that will hold its line across the topping. Thin chocolate syrup runs into the coconut instead of staying where you drizzle it.
The topping already contains a full cup of caramel, so any additional caramel is mostly there to recreate the look of the cookie.
Samoa Cookies
You do not need a box of Samoas to make the cheesecake. The chocolate crust and coconut-caramel topping already carry the cookie through the slice.
When Samoas are out of season, another chocolate, caramel and coconut cookie can go on top. I made this last August and used eight Coconut Dream cookies, breaking them into pieces and arranging them around the cheesecake.
Whipped Cream
Whipped topping can be piped around the top or added to individual slices. It is optional and does not need to cover the coconut layer.
Slice It After Cooling
Return the finished cheesecake to the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before slicing. The short chill firms the caramel so the knife cuts through the coconut instead of pushing it across the surface.
Dip a sharp knife in hot water and wipe it dry before the first cut. Clean and warm it again between slices. The blade has to pass through sticky coconut, creamy filling and a firm cookie crust, and a clean knife keeps those layers from dragging into one another.
Serve this cheesecake at holiday dinners like Christmas or Thanksgiving.
Cheesecake Recipes You’ll Love
Samoa Cheesecake
Ingredients
Chocolate Crust Layer
- 2 ½ 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 cream cheese, softened to room temperature (four 8-ounce blocks)
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- ½ cup sour cream
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream
- 4 to 6 cups boiling water, for the water bath to bake the cheesecake
Samoas Cookie Topping
- 2 ¼ cups sweetened shredded coconut
- 1 cup salted caramel sauce, plus more to use as garnish (Mrs. Richardson’s brand)
Garnish
- Chocolate dessert sauce, in a squeeze bottle (Ghirardelli brand)
- Caramel dessert sauce, in a squeeze bottle (Mrs. Richardson’s or Ghirardelli brand)
Optional Garnish
- ⅔ cup whipped topping for serving
- 8 Samoa or Coconut Dream Cookies, one per slice
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 be fine crumbs and look like wet sand.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Turn off the heat to the oven, crack the oven door open about 1 inch. Allow the Samoa cheesecake to sit in the oven 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 Samoas cookie topping.
Samoas 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.
- 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.
- 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 Samoas cookie.
- This Samoa cheesecake is best served chilled. If you like, serve each slice with a dollop of whipped topping and a Samoa or Coconut Dream cookie.
Notes
- Room Temperature Ingredients: It’s critical to make sure all cold ingredients, especially cream cheese and eggs, are at room temperature before mixing.
- Scraping the Bowl: During mixing, frequently scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a silicone spatula to ensure that all ingredients are evenly incorporated and no lumps form.
- Water Bath Setup: To prevent water from seeping into the springform pan, consider wrapping the bottom of the pan in a slow cooker liner before wrapping it in foil.
- Resist the Urge to Peek: Avoid opening the oven door while the cheesecake is baking, as sudden temperature changes can cause cracks.
- Silky Smooth Batter: For an ultra-smooth cheesecake texture, blend the batter with a hand mixer on low speed after adding each ingredient. This technique minimizes air bubbles, which can lead to surface cracks.
- Cutting Clean Slices: Dip your knife in hot water and wipe it dry between each slice. This helps make clean cuts through both the sticky topping and the soft cheesecake.
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