Piña Colada Cheesecake
I’ve been thinking about the Piña Colada Cheesecake for a while now. After the great success of my other Kosher for Passover/Dairy Free/Gluten Free cheesecakes, I knew that I had to come up with another amazing version of the Classic.Oh, and BTW… The Classic Cheesecake recipe was just featured in no other than the 2023 edition of…
Coming up with the recipe for Piña Colada Cheesecake
All the way back in 2005!!! I came up with a traditional, dairy filled recipe for Almost Fat Free Piña Colada Cheesecake which I created for Shavuot. The original recipe is dairy filled and was created full of gluten, however it’s easy to adapt to be gluten free.
Adapting the original Piña Colada Cheesecake recipe for today
I figured if I took the basic recipe for the cheesecake and merged it with my Homemade Almond Cream Cheese recipe, something fabulous would happen.And it did!
Starting with the Coconut Macaroon Crust
The flavors in a Piña Colada are coconut and pineapple. I really wanted to add some rum extract to the cheesecake batter, but I couldn’t find it Kosher for Passover.Bummer.I started with a basic coconut macaroon crust which consisted of ten ounces of coconut macaroons pulverized into a crumb. I used my food processor, but you could just as easily toss the macaroons into a large Ziplock bag and smash them into a crumb.Then I pressed them into the bottom and an inch up the sides of a greased and lined springform pan.Super simple.
In the first iteration of the recipe, I didn’t bake the crust and just added the cheesecake batter, then baked the whole cheesecake at once. I didn’t love it. I felt that the crust was slightly mushy. If you like it that way then feel free to make your cheesecake that way.
For the second iteration, I baked the crust for around 15 minutes. That worked way better and I felt that the crust held up when the cheesecake was finished.
For the Piña Colada Cheesecake Almond Cream Cheese Cheesecake Filling
For the filling I used the basic Almond Cream Cheesecake recipe that was published in Fleishigs Magazine for Passover 2023.That part of the recipe is pretty straight forward. The only planning requires making the Homemade Almond Cream Cheese in advance. If you’re making this cheesecake during the year/not Passover, add a teaspoon of rum extract to the filling.
For the Homemade Pineapple Topping for the Piña Colada Cheesecake
Passover is a hard time to find grocery items that might be easier to find during the year. While you might be able to find a ready-made pineapple topping, I really like the homemade one better regardless.The pineapple topping used on the Piña Colada Cheesecake is fairly simple to make. There are several small things to pay attention to.
- Make sure to whisk the potato starch with the sugar until they are completely blended. This is a terrific way to ensure that you don’t get those little white balls of starch stuck in your topping. I hate those.
- I use the pineapple juice from the canned pineapple. Simply straining out the juice from the pineapple, then whisking it into the prepared sugar/starch mixture makes the topping super pinappley and is way better tasting than using water.
- By separating the liquid from the actual pineapple, you can make sure that the topping is properly blended and turns out perfectly.
I make the pineapple topping while the cake is baking, then they can both cool in the fridge until ready to serve.
For the Toasted Coconut Piña Colada Cheesecake Topping
I used sweetended shredded coconut for the topping and toasted it in the oven. You may be able to find shredded coconut in your local store that’s Kosher for Passover. If you can’t, don’t worry. I posted a link at the bottom of the recipe, and if you can’t/don’t want to order that, and can’t find shredded coconut in the store, you can simply crumble more coconut macaroons arount the top of the cake instead.It works.
Here’s the Recipe for Piña Colada Cheesecake
This is the recipe for Piña Colada Cheesecake. The topping recipe makes a little more than is needed for the top of the cheesecake. I recommend serving the extra on the side for people to take with their Piña Colada Cheesecake slices. It’s amazing when it oozes over the side of the cake!!!
Piña Colada Cheesecake – Dairy Free/Gluten Free/Kosher for Passover
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Chill time: 3 hours
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours 15 minute
- Yield: 1 cake 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Gluten Free
- Diet: Kosher
Description
Piña Colada Cheesecake is Dairy & Gluten Free, Kosher for Passover! That’s a lot to ask of a delectable, luscious, creamy cheesecake! Piña Colada Cheesecake definitely delivers. Made from my Homemade Almond Cream Cheese with a tangy pineapple topping and a coconut crust, this is going to certainly be your family’s favorite dessert – Passover and year round!
Ingredients
For the Crust
- Nonstick spray or grease for bottom of the pan
- 10 ounces coconut macaroons, ground to a crumb
For the Filling
- 1 recipe Homemade Almond Cream Cheese, chilled
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the Pineapple Topping
- 1 (20-ounce) can pineapple tidbits, drained, liquid reserved
- 1 (20-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained, liquid reserved
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons potato starch
For the Coconut Topping
- 1/2 cup shredded coconut, toasted
Instructions
For the Crust
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Spray the bottom of a 9-inch or 8-inch springform pan with nonstick spray. Line with parchment paper (if available).
- Using a coffee tamper or the bottom of a measuring cup/glass, press the macaroon crumbs evenly on the bottom of the pan and 1-inch up the sides.
- Bake for 10 minutes until the crust is browned.
For the Filling
- While the crust is baking, prepare the filling.
- Whisk together the Homemade Almond Cream Cheese, sugar, eggs and vanilla until smooth.
- Pour the cheesecake batter into the baked crust.
- Place a 9×13-inch pan filled halfway with water on the bottom rack of the oven (optional).
- Place the cheesecake on the center rack of the oven and bake for 30 minutes until the cheesecake is set.
- Allow the cheesecake to cool for 30 minutes, then refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
For the Pineapple Topping
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar and potato starch. Blend in the reserve pineapple juice from the canned pineapple.
- Pour the mixture into a large pot, then stir in the pineapple tidbits and crushed pineapple until completely and evenly blended.
- Cook on medium heat until the mixture thickens significantly, around 10-15 minutes.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool for 30 minutes, then refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
To Finish
- Run a metal spatula or knife around the edge of the chilled cheesecake. Carfully release the sides of the springform pan.
- Transfer the cheesecake to a serving platter. You can leave the cheesecake on the springform base or using a super large spatula, very carefully transfer the cake to the serving platter.
- Top the cheesecake with the Pineapple Topping, then sprinkle the Toasted Coconut around the edge of the cake.
- Serve with additional Pineapple Topping and Toasted Coconut.
Equipment
Passover Shredded Coconut – Oh Nuts
Buy Now →MANISCHEWITZ Coconut Macaroons
Buy Now →Gefen Premium Raw Slivered Almonds
Buy Now →Wilton Aluminum Springform Pan, 9-Inch Round Pan
Buy Now →Notes
You can make your own toasted cocount by taking 1/2-1 cup of shredded (sweetened) coconut and baking it for 6 minutes in a 350°F oven.
If you can find Kosher for Passover rum extact, or are making this cake during the year, add a teaspoon of rum extract to the cheesecake batter.
Here’s a scandalous idea! You can substitute your own favorite toppings on this cheesecake instead of the pineapple and coconut! Please send pics!
Make sure to whisk the potato starch with the sugar until they are completely blended. This is a terrific way to ensure that you don’t get those little white balls of starch stuck in your topping.
I make the pineapple topping while the cake is baking, then they can both cool in the fridge until ready to serve.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 590
- Sugar: 55.9 g
- Sodium: 136 mg
- Fat: 31 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Carbohydrates: 71.9 g
- Fiber: 6.8 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 69.8 mg
Please let me know what your favorite Passover foods are. I’d love to hear from you!
Here’s how I made Piña Colada Cheesecake on Instagram
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I’M SURE YOU’RE LOOKING FOR PASSOVER RECIPES… HERE ARE SOME OF MY FAVORITES!
AND…EVEN MORE PASSOVER RECIPES!
SHABBOS UNDER PRESSURE IS GREAT FOR PASSOVER!
FYI: I’m here to help make it way easier for you and reduce your pressure with my book “Shabbos Under Pressure“. I’ve found that using my electric pressure cooker to prepare for Passover, makes the cooking way easier and more efficient. For example, instead of cooking a huge pot of chicken soup on the stove for three hours, taking up valuable space on my stovetop, I can make even better soup in just an hour/hour and a half in my Instant Pot. I’ve even put together a Shabbos Under Pressure Passover Recipe Guide to help you convert the recipes in the book to Passover friendly recipes. If you don’t already have “Shabbos Under Pressure” now would be a great time to order it to ensure that you receive it with enough time to plan and cook your Passover meals. You can order it here:Here’s the Passover Under Pressure – The Shabbos Under Pressure Passover Guide:
PASSOVER IDEA LIST ON AMAZON
I also put a Passover Idea List on Amazon.
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