For the perfect spring holiday treat that the whole family will love, it doesn’t get better than this Easter egg cheesecake! Crushed mini eggs are studded throughout the most luscious, decadent cheesecake filling on a crisp graham cracker crust with edible Easter grass made from coconut adorning the top. Your Easter isn’t complete without this show-stopping cheesecake.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Makes for one festive dessert: To give this Easter cheesecake the perfect holiday touch, we dye coconut green and perch chocolate eggs on top. The green is beautifully vibrant, and it makes one impressive presentation for your Easter celebration.
No cracks with the most decadent texture: Most cheesecakes bake at 350 degrees for about an hour, but I prefer to bake my cheesecake at a lower temperature for longer. With this method, I’ve never had a cheesecake crack, and it results in an almost mousse-like texture. It’s absolutely divine.
Perfect for making ahead: Yes, cheesecake takes work. This is not a quick recipe. That said, everything is made well ahead of serving, making entertaining a breeze. We put in a little work upfront, so we can sit back and enjoy the holiday.
For instance, make the graham cracker crust on Friday, let it cool, cover and set aside. On Saturday, make the cheesecake filling and prepare the dyed coconut grass while it bakes. When Easter Sunday comes around, take five to 10 minutes to decorate the cheesecake before the family gathering begins.
Bonus: For another spring cheesecake idea, you’ll love my strawberry-ginger cheesecake!
Ingredients
Cream cheese: We want to make sure we use full-fat cream cheese in the bar form at room temperature. I also highly recommend using the Philadelphia brand. Cream cheese can have varying moisture levels by brand, and since Philadelphia is truly the standard cream cheese, you’ll get the most consistent results for most recipes.
Crushed mini Easter candy eggs: You can find these mini eggs in solid chocolate or malted chocolate balls. Either works here.
Eggs: The eggs should be room temperature before mixing. Cold eggs don’t combine nearly as well.
Sour cream: Like the cream cheese, we want to use the full-fat variety at room temperature.
Step-by-Step-Instructions
How to Make Graham Cracker Crust
Step 1: To make our crust, we first crush our graham crackers, which we can do by using the food processor or crushing them with a rolling pin in a plastic bag (photo 1). I prefer the rolling pin method because I don’t like dealing with washing out all those crumbs, but you do you.
Step 2: Now we combine the crushed graham crackers with a touch of white sugar and melted butter (photo 2). We want the mixture to be moist, but it won’t be overly wet.
Step 3: From here, we pour the graham cracker mixture into a parchment paper-lined 9-inch springform pan and press down the crumbs. To create a tight crust that stays together, I like to press down the crumbs with the bottom of a sturdy glass like so (photo 3). And now we bake.
Step 4 (optional): If you like an extra crisp crust, I like to brush the baked graham cracker crust with an egg white (photo 4) and then return to the oven for a few minutes. This helps create a barrier between the crust and cheesecake filling.
How to Make Cheesecake Filling
Step 5: For the delicious filling, we beat together our softened cream cheese and sugar in a large mixing bowl until they’re nice and fluffy (photo 5).
Step 6: Now we beat in our sour cream, vanilla extract and a smidge of salt (photo 6). We just want to beat the ingredients until they become a cohesive mixture.
Step 7: From here, we beat in the eggs one at a time (photo 7). Like above, we don’t want to overbeat the eggs. When the eggs are fully incorporated, we stop beating. Then, we stir in our crushed candy Easter eggs (photo 8).
Step 8: Now we pour our cheesecake batter into our prepared crust (photo 9), place in a water bath and bake. Initially, we place the cheesecake in a 350-degree oven and then immediately turn the heat down to 250 degrees.
The cheesecake continues to bake for an hour and a half, and then we turn off the heat completely and let it sit in the oven for three hours without opening the oven door. This is important — the cheesecake needs that residual heat to finish setting, and you lose a ton of heat from opening the door.
And look how perfectly it came out (photo 10) – no cracks!
After it sits, we let our Easter egg cheesecake set in the fridge for at least eight hours. An overnight set is perfect.
How to Make Dyed Coconut
Step 9: For that festive grass topping, we add shredded coconut to a mason jar (photo 11) with a little water and green food coloring, and then we give it a good shake (photo 12). Now we spread out the coconut on parchment paper to dry for a few minutes (photo 13), and we have our dyed coconut grass.
Step 10: And now to decorate – the extra fun part! We spoon the dyed coconut grass around the edge of the cheesecake like so (photo 14), and then we place our Easter chocolate eggs throughout the grass (photo 15).
And that’s it! We’re now ready to serve this stunning Easter cheesecake to the whole family. I promise – everyone will love this decadent Easter dessert.
Recipe FAQs
Even after investing in a fancy, overpriced springform pan that promised no leaks, my cheesecakes still had seeping issues when only using multiple layers on aluminum foil. And then I discovered this tip – first wrap the springform in an oven bag, and then tightly wrap the covered springform pan with three tight layers of aluminum foil.
And just like that, my days of seeping springform pans disappeared. I found this tip from Lindsay with Life, Love and Sugar, and she has a more detailed tutorial on how to prevent a leaking water bath. She uses one layer of aluminum foil instead of three, but the type A in me likes to play it extra safe, so I go for a little more seeping protection.
To prepare a water bath, we pour boiling water into a roasting pan and place the unbaked cheesecake directly in the water and bake. The water should come up about halfway up the side of the springform pan. This creates a humid environment for a better finished texture and allows the cheesecake to gently bake without forming cracks on top.
Pouring a big pot of boiling water can be a little messy, and you don’t want your skin to come in contact with that hot, hot water. I find boiling water in a tea kettle makes for a much easier, cleaner and safer way to transfer the water to the roasting pan.
With properage storage, cheesecake will keep for about five days, and it must be stored in the refrigerator. Before serving, I leave the springform pan intact and cover with plastic wrap. After serving, I like to cover the leftovers with a cake dome.
Expert Tips
Make mixing easier: The cream cheese comes together more easily if you cut it into 1-inch cubes before beating.
For efficient candy egg crushing: I like to use the bottom of a sturdy glass to crush the milk chocolate eggs. Simply place the candy on a cutting board, put the glass on top and apply pressure.
Don’t ignore the room-temperature designation on ingredients: The cheesecake filling will not properly mix if you use cold ingredients, especially the cream cheese.
Use the right pan size: This recipe is for a 9-inch springform pan. Using a smaller pan will create a denser filling and may mess with the tested cooking time.
The best serving temperature: I like to remove the cheesecake from the refrigerator about 15 minutes before serving. This way, it’s still cool and refreshing, but taking off a bit of the chill allows the flavors to better shine. Some people prefer letting it sit even longer – about 30 minutes to reach room temperature. This comes down to personal preference.
Perfect Pairing
If you’re in the mood for a beer, a nice sour or wild ale makes a great pairing with this Easter egg cheesecake. The sour and wild yeast notes beautifully meld with the tang of cheesecake, and you’ll appreciate a little acidity to counter the ultra creamy, rich texture.
Wine more your style? A sweet riesling is a classic cheesecake pairing. Like the above beer pairing, riesling has a nice acidic kick to keep the two from tasting overly cloying. A sparkling wine is another popular option for pairing cheesecake.
And, of course, Easter often means brunch. A good spring brunch cocktail is perfect here. Try my honeyed strawberry-rhubarb mimosa for a delightful seasonal touch.
For a couple nonalcoholic options, I love a citrus lemonade with the tangy cheesecake. My cucumber-mint lemonade and strawberry-mint lemonade both make wonderful options.
Your holiday will be a whole lot more delicious and festive with this Easter egg cheesecake at your dessert table. I hope you enjoy every decadent, luscious bite.
Cheers!
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Easter Egg Cheesecake
Equipment
- Stand or hand mixer
- Parchment paper
- Oven bag
- Tin foil
- 9-inch springform pan
- Roasting pan
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 1 ½ cups crushed graham crackers
- ¼ cup white sugar
- 6 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 beaten egg white optional
Easter Egg Cheesecake Filling
- 3 (8-ounce) full-fat cream cheese in block form softened
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 cup sour cream room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 eggs room temperature
- 1 cup crushed candy mini eggs
Dyed Coconut Grass
- 1 tablespoon water
- A couple dashes of green food coloring
- 2 cups shredded coconut
- Additional mini eggs left intact and uncrushed
Instructions
Graham Cracker Crust
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Cut parchment paper to fit the bottom.
- Stir together the crushed graham crackers, sugar and butter in a bowl until the mixture is evenly moist. Press the crumbs into the parchment paper-lined springform pan. Use the bottom of a measuring cup or glass to compress the crumbs. Bake for 10 minutes.
- Remove from the oven. Brush the crust with the beaten egg white and bake for another three to fives minutes. This step is optional, but it helps the crust stay crisp.
- Make parchment paper strips to fit the side of the springform pan. Spray with cooking spray and adhere to the side of the pan.
Easter Egg Cheesecake Filling
- Heat oven to 350 degrees. Tightly wrap the outside of the springform pan with an oven bag and tie on the side if possible. Then, tightly wrap the outside with two to three layers of aluminum foil, making sure the foil goes all the way up the side for extra insurance against leaking.
- To make the cheesecake filling, combine the softened cream cheese and white sugar in the large mixing bowl. Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand mixer, beat on medium speed until smooth, creamy and fluffy, about two to three minutes. As needed, scrape down the side of the bowl with a spatula.
- Beat in the sour cream, vanilla extract and salt until it all comes together. Don’t overmix.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time at medium speed. Mix just until the egg is fully incorporated before adding the next. Stop mixing once the egg is combined. Stir in the crushed mini eggs.
- Pour the cream cheese mixture into the prepared crust.
- Place the wrapped springform pan into a large roasting pan. Fill with enough boiling water to come about halfway up the side of the springform pan. Don’t pour water past the foil.
- Place the cheesecake on the middle rack, close the oven door and immediately turn the oven to 250 degrees. Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
- After the hour and 30 minutes, turn off the oven completely. Do not open the oven door. Let the cheesecake sit for 3 hours. Do not open the oven door at this point either. It needs the heat to finish setting, and you will lose a lot of heat if you open the door.
- After three hours, remove the cheesecake from the oven. Cover the top with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least eight hours. Overnight chilling works well here.
Dyed Coconut Grass
- Pour water and food coloring into a mason jar. Add coconut on top. Secure with a lid and shake well until the coconut is dyed green.
- Spread the coconut onto parchment paper to dry for a few minutes. Spoon on top outer edge of the cheesecake after it has time to set in the refrigerator. Place mini eggs within the grass. When ready to serve, remove the springform pan. The parchment paper should make it easy to remove. Enjoy!
Notes
- The cream cheese comes together more easily if you cut it into 1-inch cubes before beating.
- I like to use the bottom of a sturdy glass to crush the milk chocolate eggs. Simply place the candy on a cutting board, put the glass on top and apply pressure.
- The cheesecake filling will not properly mix if you use cold ingredients, especially the cream cheese.
- This recipe is for a 10-inch springform pan. Using a smaller pan will create a denser filling and mess with the tested cooking time.
- I like to remove the cheesecake from the refrigerator about 15 minutes before serving. This way, it’s still cool and refreshing, but taking off a bit of the chill allows the flavors to better shine. Some people prefer letting it sit even longer – about 30 minutes to reach room temperature. This comes down to personal preference.
- Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Anita says
I loved the bright green coconut grass. It looked super pretty and turned out perfectly for Easter.
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Thank you so much, Anita!
Kathleen says
You had me at chopped Robin Eggs! Oh my goodness, made this for Easter yesterday and turned out so delicious!! And cute!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
That makes me so happy -- thank you!
Andrea says
Absolutely loved this recipe for our easter dinner. Both kids and adults loved it. I'm a huge cadbury egg fan and this hit the spot.
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Yay! Happy it was a hit.
Cara says
So cute and so delicious! It was absolutely the perfect addition to our Easter table!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Awww, thank you!
Anjali says
We made this cheesecake for Easter yesterday and it was a total hit! It was festive and delicious!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Glad it added a fun touch to the holiday!
Michele says
This cheesecake is perfect for Easter and is loved by my kids. It will be making an appearance again at our Easter table.
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Have a happy Easter!
Liz says
Oh my, this cheesecake is so cute! My kids would love this! I love your presentation - the green coconut and eggs around the edge are so cute!
Freya says
Such a fabulous cheesecake and the green coconut worked perfectly!