If it’s too hot to turn on the oven...
~ I’ve got you covered with the perfect Malibu Rum-infused no-bake Coconut Rum Cheesecake! ~
Just layer, chill, and serve!
When I tell you summer gets hot where I live now - I say that as a pasty-white kid that didn't grow up anywhere near the south. I'm not just talking temperature.
I grew up on the west coast but have since moved to the north-ish part of the south. I’m used to 90+ degrees in the summer - but here's what I’m NOT used to.
90+ degrees along with 80-90% HUMIDITY.
When I tell you that that type of heat hits different - man. It hits. different. Some of y'all know exactly what I’m talking about.
(Probably my favorite comedy bit on the south - "I think that's why there's so many Christians in the south; it's easy to believe in hell there. 'What's hell like?' '...August.'")
My desire to be in the kitchen baking? - completely unchanged.
...but my desire to turn on my oven and super-heat the house…? Absolute ZERO. (Actually - probably a negative number.)
So!
As a result - I’m on a big no-bake dessert kick right now. Tbh I'm mad I didn't do this earlier! I promise I’ll branch out and do something new soon, but right now I’m having the best time re-creating my favorite cakes as no-bake cheesecakes!
(For example…here’s my Oreo Confetti Cake - and here’s my Oreo Confetti Cheesecake. 😉 Cool, right?
Pun not intended, but now that it’s in there…Imma leave it. 😉
ANYway.
Next up was the Coconut Rum cake ( - which always surprises me with its monthly pageviews). I love that cake recipe - but now I’ve re-invented it as a no-bake cheesecake and MAN am I a bit impressed with myself!
The nilla wafer crust has some coconut mixed in and I have NO regrets about trying that one out! It even has a touch of Malibu rum in it for cohesion since I didn’t want to bake it. Mix it up and throw it in the fridge to set.
The cheesecake layer is rich - but with whipped cream folded in it’s not quite the thick ‘slab’ that cheesecakes can sometimes be. It’s got ALL the coconut flavor I could pack into it! From (1) Malibu white coconut rum, (2) shredded coconut, (3) coconut pudding mix, and (4) from a touch of coconut extract - I’ve not come up with a way to get any more coconut flavor in there! 😉 And I'm still pumped about the *amount* of coconut rum I can add because of the pudding mix! 2/3 cup so far - and counting. 😉
The whipped cream topping is - well - the icing on the cake…? Literally and figuratively (lol). I flavored it with just a touch of coconut extract and added a rim of toasted coconut.
Okay, and speaking of toasting coconut - I discovered you can do this on the stovetop or even the microwave if you’re feeling adventurous! (insert wide-eyed emoji) - Man alive. I've been doing this in the oven and almost always frickin burning some of it for YEARS. Learning something new every day over here -and getting annoyed I didn't know this stuff sooner! 😉
So gather up some Nilla wafers, coconut, pudding mix, cream cheese, whipping cream, and a bottle of Malibu rum! Let’s get to it!
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Don't forget to pin this recipe for later! 🙂
Coconut Rum Cheesecake (no-bake)
Equipment
- Hand or stand mixer
- Piping bag with large star tip (optional; you could also use a sandwich bag or even some plastic wrap)
- Cake turntable (100% optional, just makes decorating easier)
Ingredients
Crust:
- 1 ½ cups crushed Nilla Wafers 60 regular / 90 mini wafers
- ¼ cup shredded coconut I used sweetened
- ¼ cup melted butter
- 1 Tablespoon Malibu Coconut Rum
Cheesecake
- 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream about 3 cups whipped
- 24 ounces cream cheese 3 blocks, softened
- 3.4 ounces coconut cream pudding mix one package; JUST the mix-no milk
- 1 cup chopped shredded coconut I used sweetened
- ½ teaspoon coconut extract
- ⅔ cup Malibu Coconut Rum
Topping
- ¾ cup heavy whipping cream about 1 ½ cups whipped
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon coconut extract
- ½ cup shredded coconut toasted (I did this on the stovetop; reportedly this can also be done in the microwave!)
Instructions
Crust
- Combine Nilla Wafer crumbs, coconut, melted butter, and 1 Tablespoon Malibu Coconut rum in a mixing bowl; mix until well-combined and even. Transfer to a 9-inch springform pan and place in the fridge to set.
Cheesecake
- Meanwhile,
- Whip 1 ½ cups of heavy cream until stiff peaks form; place in the fridge. (Absolutely fine to substitute pre-made whipped topping if you prefer - maybe also sub in unsweetened coconut so this layer doesn’t get overly-sweet.)
- In another bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add pudding mix and coconut extract, and beat until combined. Add ½ of the shredded coconut, ½ of the coconut rum, the remaining ½ of the coconut, then the rest of the rum (this ensures the mixture doesn’t get too thin too fast and cause the cream cheese to clump). Gently fold in whipped cream until well-combined. Transfer to springform pan and smooth; place in the fridge.
Topping
- Combine ¾ cup whipping cream with ¼ granulated sugar; whip until stiff peaks form. Scrape the sides of the bowl, then beat in coconut extract until well-combined. Top the cheesecake with whipped cream - either with an offset spatula or with a piping bag.
- Toast ½ cup shredded coconut, and decorate the outer rim of the cheesecake (or the whole thing if you’d like! ;) )
- And you’re done! Chill at least 2 hours; preferably overnight. High-five yourself on your amazing Coconut Rum cheesecake - and cut in and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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