Coconut Lover’s Cheesecake

Yield: 12 slices
Serving size: 1 slice per serving

Ingredients

Crust

• 1 cup walnut halves
• 1 cup finely shredded unsweetened coconut
• ¼ cup Monksweet or equivalent sweetener
• 3 Tbsps coconut oil (room temperature)
• Dash of salt

Filling

• Two 8-oz packages regular cream cheese, softened
• ½ cup Monksweet or equivalent sweetener 
• 2 large whole eggs 
• ½ cup full-fat canned coconut milk 
• ¾ tsp vanilla extract
• ¾ tsp coconut extract
• ½ cup shredded or flaked unsweetened coconut, toasted  

Instructions

Crust

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. In a food processor, process walnuts on high until they reach a ‘meal’ consistency.
3. Add coconut, sweetener, coconut oil, and salt and process until mixture has a crumb texture.
4. Transfer mixture into a well-oiled 9″ to 10″ flat-rimmed or fluted pie dish and press mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of the dish and partly up the sides.
5. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Filling

1. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with electric or hand mixer until smooth. 
3. Blend in sweetener and mix until well combined.
4. Beat in eggs, one at a time.
5. Add coconut milk, vanilla extract, and coconut extract and continue to mix until reaching a smooth consistency.
6. Pour cream cheese mixture over cooled crust. 
7. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes or until surface is slightly browned and middle is fairly firm (with a negligible ‘jiggle’).
8. Sprinkle top with toasted coconut.
9. Allow to cool slightly before covering with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.