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Orange Coconut Mini Cheesecake Recipe Jacquelynne Steves

Orange Coconut Mini Cheesecake Recipe Jacquelynne StevesAre you looking for a light, elegant dessert- perhaps for your Easter table, or for a Springtime brunch? How about this Orange Coconut Mini Cheesecake recipe? They are perfect little bites of bright citrus flavor. And they are so cute! I really like individual desserts for entertaining- they are so easy to serve because you don’t have to worry about cutting your cake/pie/whatever and trying to get it onto the serving plate in one piece :) Just set out the tray and you are set to go…

Orange Coconut Mini Cheesecake Recipe

  • 18 Vanilla Wafer cookies (such as Nilla Wafers)
  • 16 oz cream cheese, softened (regular or light)
  • 2 eggs
  • 3/4 cup sugar + 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 cup coconut, divided
  • 2 oranges, washed well
  • 15 oz can mandarin oranges
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tins with 18 paper cupcake liners. Place a vanilla wafer in the bottom of each paper liner.

Zest 1 of the oranges (this will yield about 1 tablespoon of orange zest.) Juice both of the oranges. Strain pulp from the orange juice.

Beat together cream cheese, eggs, 3/4 cup sugar, 1/2 cup coconut, orange zest, and 2 tablespoons of the orange juice. Pour into paper liners.

Bake about 18-20 minutes, until set.

Remove cheesecakes from muffin tins and place on wire racks to cool.

Drain mandarin oranges, reserving liquid. Measure out the orange juice; add reserved mandarin orange liquid so that you have a total of 3/4 cup of liquid.

In a small sauce pan, stir together 1/2 cup sugar, 3/4 cup orange juice/mandarin orange liquid, and cornstarch. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Boil for 1 minute, still whisking constantly. Remove from heat.

Arrange mandarin oranges on cheesecakes. Use a pastry brush to cover mandarin oranges and tops of cheesecakes.

Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add 1/2 cup coconut and toast for about 2 minutes until golden, stirring frequently and being careful not to burn. Allow to cool; sprinkle on cheesecakes.

Store in refrigerator up to 1 week.

Makes 18 mini-cheesecakes

Leftover glaze will keep in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks. Try pouring it as is over pound cake, pancakes, or ice cream; you can also stir in some cut up fruit before pouring it on. Soooo yummy :)

(I forgot to sprinkle the coconut on the tops before I took the photos… but they still look pretty good…)

Orange Coconut Mini Cheesecake Recipe Jacquelynne Steves

Orange Coconut Mini Cheesecake Recipe Jacquelynne Steves

Tulip Art Jacquelynne Steves