This cheesecake has an amazing pistachio flavor that makes it utter perfection, and the coconut macaroon crust is delicious! Follow my tips for a perfect crack-free texture.
How I created this Pistachio Cheesecake Recipe with a Coconut Macaroon Crust
My love of cheesecake is well documented! Seriously a rich creamy dessert? always on the top of my list! I adore pistachios and as a twist a coconut macaroon cookie crust… DANG it’s seriously so good!
I hope you guys are ready for this – seriously if you love pistachios like I do this is the dessert for you.
This cheesecake is AMAZING alone, good with chocolate, fantastic with cherry topping and of course add some toasted almonds anytime… (pistachio, coconut, almonds, cherry, chocolate – all things that go together amazingly well!
The macaroon cookie base is awesome! I can’t wait to use it for a few other cheesecakes, I’m always looking for new crust options for cheesecakes. Cookies, brownies, etc… more than just crumbled cracker crusts.
Not everything works, since it has to be cooked for SO long, but it’s so worth trying new crust options.
AND like all my cheesecakes all the tips and tricks from my post on the perfect cheesecake work for this cheesecake too! Here is a video with those tips and tricks, while the recipe is different the technique is the same – in fact the base of the recipe is the same!
Just take me to the Homemade Pistachio Cheesecake and Coconut Macaroon Crust already!
If you’d rather skip my tips and tricks for homemade cheesecake, along with links to other cheesecake recipes and get straight to this delicious pistachio cheesecake with a coconut macaroon crust – simply scroll to the bottom of the page where you can find the printable recipe card.
Tips to Make the Perfect Pistachio Cheesecake
– Room temperate ingredients are key for a smooth texture.
– Beat the cream cheese and sugar as much as you want, make it smooth, but once you add the eggs, do NOT overbeat, just mix on low until they are barely incorporated, beating after you add the eggs is what often leads to cracking.
– Make sure your oven is the correct temperature (I love my oven thermometer)
– I used to hate water baths – the foil always leaks and I don’t like mushy crusts – but waterbaths keep cheesecakes more evenly baked and nice and flat – so now I recommend a silicone water bath pan!!!
– TRY not to open the oven door, like ever, if you can help it.
– That said if you run out of water in the pan on the bottom of the oven or in the water bath and you need to add more boil it first so it’s hot, then open the oven and pour it into the pan carefully and close the door – as quick as you can.
– Cook your cheesecake until it’s still a bit jiggly in the center, like a loose jello jiggler, but not liquid, in the center 2-3 inches. It will keep cooking afterwards a bit, and IMO better to be slightly under cooked than overcooked.
– Turn off the oven and crack open the oven door to let it cool slowly, this will help it finish cooking but not cool TOO fast and crack
– Do NOT eat it right away, cheesecake sets and gets BETTER with time in the fridge, at LEAST 8 hours, I prefer a full day or two for better flavor
To make this Homemade Cheesecake you’ll need
- Food processor (to make the crust easier)
- 9″ springform pan
- 9″ parchment cake circles
- Oven thermometer (to make sure your baking at the right temp)
- Silicone water bath pan
- 12×3″ cake pan (for the water bath)
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
Pistachio Cheesecake with a Coconut Macaroon Crust
If you love these cheesecake recipes as much as I do, I’d love a 5 star review. Be sure to share on social media and tag me if you make it @ashleemariecakes! If you want to stay updated on new recipes sign up for my newsletter and join my Facebook Group!
If you love Pistachio Cheesecake you’ll love these other cheesecake recipes!
Chocolate Cheesecake | Classic Cheesecake | Caramel Cheesecake
Eggnog Cheesecake | Maple Bacon Cheesecake | Lemon Meringue Cheesecake
Connect with Ashlee Marie Online!
To watch me make this homemade cheesecake recipe in a cooking show play the video in the recipe card. There should also be a short teaser auto playing for you.
You can find all my cooking show style recipe videos on YouTube, or my short recipe videos on Facebook Watch, or my Facebook Page, or right here on our website with their corresponding recipes.
Pistachio cheesecake with coconut macaroon crust
Ingredients
Crust
- 1/2 C granulated sugar
- 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 C shredded unsweetened coconut
- 2 lrg egg whites
Pistachio Paste
- 1 C shelled pistachios
- 1/4 C fine almond flour
- 2 drop almond extract
- 2-3 Tbsp light corn syrup
Cheesecake
- 2 lbs full fat cream cheese softened
- 1 C granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp almond extract
- pistachio paste makes 3/4 -1 C
- 2 lrg eggs
- 1 lrg egg yolk
Instructions
Crust
- preheat the overn to 375
- whisk the sugar, flour and coconut
- add the egg whites and whisk until blended
- pressinto the bottom of a 9 inch cheesecake pan
- bake for 18 mins until the top is golden
- pull out and let cool
Pistachio paste
- shell the pistachios and pull out any dark brown or golden ones, you want them fresh and green for the best flavor
- soak the pistachios to get off the skins, then lay out to dry
- toast for 5-10 mins if needed (and enhances the flavor)
- place in a food processor and grind until fine
- add the almond flour and grind some more, add the almond extract
- then, while grinding, add the corn syrup until it balls up into a paste, sometimes you’ll barely need any, some times you’ll need more.
Cheesecake
- place a large pan of water in the oven and preheat to 300
- beat the cream cheese and sugar together
- add the almond extract and pistachio paste and beat until the pistachio paste is fully encoporated, scrapping the bottom where the chuncks will fall regularly
- once your happy with the distribution it’s time to add the eggs
- add the eggs and carefully, whisk in, JUST until incoporated
- pour over the crust
- bake for about 1 hour 5 mins, maybe more maybe less, test for the outer edges to be set but the inside 6 inches should still jiggle like a jello jiggler
- turn off the oven and prop open the door and let cool for 45 -60 mins
- refrigerate 8 hours to finish setting and serve!
- enjoy plain, with cherry topping or chocolate!
aimee @ like mother like daughter
This looks amazing Ashlee! That thick coconut macaroon crust, and the thick and rich cheesecake on top! I wish I could dig right in!
Ashlee
thanks!!! It was seriously so good!
Kara (Creations by Kara)
I love pistachio desserts, but I’ve never tried pistachio cheesecake. It looks amazing! And that crust. Don’t even get me started. You know how much I love coconut!
Ashlee
right!!! it turned out AMAZING!
Renee
That coconut macaroon crust is genius. I’m going to try it with other cheesecake recipes.
Just as I thought I’ve seen all cheesecake recipes, here comes this unique pistachio twist. But making the pistachio paste is just too much work for me.
Ashlee
thank you! and you can also buy pistachio paste – this was just faster and easier than waiting for it to ship to me 😉
Amelie Moore
This cake looks beautiful; I would love a piece right now. I’m definitely going to give this ago as I love the flavor combination.
Ashlee
thank you so very much! it turned out perfect!
Dana
This is awesome! Was looking for a good pistachio cheesecake recipe! I understa d everything except for the pan of water. What is it used for?
Thank you!
Ashlee Marie
it’s to keep the oven moist if you don’t want to do a waterbath. I never used to do a waterbath cause they always seemed to leak, but now I use a silicone waterbath pan so I just use the waterbath.
Kurt Aufmann
This looks amazing. I’m gonna try this with a nutella ganach topping and see how it goes. Last year for the holidays. I made a rumchata cheesecake with a churro crust that went over very well. Thank you for this recipe.
Ashlee Marie
I bet a ganache topping would be amazing!
Kelly
Can I substitute regular flour for the almond flour? I haven’t used it before so I hate to buy something I wouldn’t use very often unless necessary.
Ashlee Marie
you also use almond flour for macarons so it comes in handy! yes technically you can but for the right flavor I recommend almond flour.
Raadhiya
Can I use golden syrup instead of corn syrup? Sounds delicious and that’s the only thing I don’t have.
Ashlee Marie
Yes golden syrup is the best alternative I know of. But corn syrup essentially keeps the sugar from becoming granulated, also helps with body and shine. I highly suggest using it because of what it brings to a recipe but you can leave it out if you’d like