Easter Egg Cheesecake

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.

Course Desserts

Cuisine American

Prep Time 45

Cook Time 1 30

Total Time 2 15

Servings people

Calories 246kcal

Author Amanda McGrory-Dixon

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
8 ounces 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.
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.

Nutrition