Coconut Cheesecake Bites Remix
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Cheesecake bites coated in white almond bark with toasted coconut. Dry cake mix microwaved to safe temp, blended with cream cheese, half-and-half, and coconut extract. Chilled, scooped, dipped, and sprinkled with flakes. A slight twist swapping half-and-half for coconut milk for richness and almond bark for vanilla-flavored bark. Easy steps with timing cues emphasize texture and visual guides over clocks. Balanced sweet, creamy, crunchy layers work through cold chill and quick melts. Serves about 28 small bites, each under 200 calories. Mix of creamy fat and crisp exterior. A small coconut hit, with careful melting and coating techniques to avoid grainy or clumpy mishaps. Chill to firm before serving, and enjoy the snap when bitten.
Prep:
15 min
Cook:
0 min
Total:
Servings:
28 servings
#dessert
#no-bake
#coconut
#cheesecake
#snack
#easy recipe
Messy dry cake mix? Dangerous if uncooked? Always heat treat the dry mix first. Microwaving in short bursts kills any lurking bacteria or egg powder spores. Yes, I know it sounds weird but don’t skip; safety first. Coconut milk instead of half-and-half? Gets creamier, denser. If you want lighter bites, stick with the original liquid but I prefer that extra coconut mouthfeel. Cream cheese must soften or lumps will ruin your creamy base. No shortcuts here. Mixing dry and wet: quick fold only. Overmix and you get a gluey mess; undermix and pockets of dry crunch confuse the texture. Chilling is mandatory: dough firms so you can roll balls cleanly. Melt candy coating low and slow. Watch for dryness or overheating ruins the texture, you want glossy, not grainy. Dip fast, sprinkle faster. Coating snaps hard cold but inside stays creamy. A good dessert bite pop, in your mouth, workmanlike, enjoyable. I’m picky about rolling technique; sticky hands wreck your balls. Wet hands or oil them lightly. Toast coconut flakes yourself, last minute. Leaves a toasted aroma pop. Simple but all these little steps save you from a sad crumbly mess. Tried skipping chill once? Disaster. Learn from me.
Ingredients
- one 15.25 oz box yellow cake mix dry
- 16 oz cream cheese softened
- 1 1/2 cup coconut milk (full fat) substitute for half-and-half
- 2 tsp coconut extract
- 1 1/4 cup shredded sweetened coconut divided (reserve 1/4 cup toasted)
- 12 oz white vanilla-flavored candy coating (instead of plain almond bark)
- parchment paper for lining
About the ingredients
Cake mix dry is a shortcut but safety is paramount; microwave before using. Can swap yellow cake for white or vanilla cake mix but expect slight taste change. Cream cheese needs to be very soft; cold lumps won’t blend well. Coconut milk adds thickness that helps the batter hold without making it too runny; substitutes include regular half-and-half or heavy cream if you prefer richer bites. Coconut extract over vanilla concentrate enhances coconut flavor, but pure vanilla extract can replace if coconut extract unavailable. Sweetened shredded coconut provides chew and texture; toss some in batter, reserve some for topping. Toasted coconut flakes add crunch and aroma that contrast the creamy interior. White almond bark replaced with vanilla-flavored candy coating for extra subtle vanilla hint; use pure almond bark if preferred. Parchment or silicone mats best; prevents sticking during coating and chilling. Avoid wax paper.
Method
- Heat treat dry cake mix first. Transfer dry cake mix to a medium heat-safe bowl; microwave 3 bursts of 25 seconds, stirring well after each session. Watch for tiny steam puffs, no browning allowed. Let cool until just room temp or cooler. This kills any egg powder bacteria in the mix, yes, that step is crucial.
- Grab a medium bowl and soften cream cheese fully, no lumps. Use a handheld mixer; blend cream cheese with full-fat coconut milk and coconut extract on medium-high for about 90 seconds, or until velvety, no streaks. The coconut milk swap adds a silken note; skip if you want traditional half-and-half but expect thinner batter.
- Sprinkle the cooled cake mix and 1 cup shredded coconut over the cream cheese mixture. Mix just enough to combine — nothing crazy, no overwhipping. Gritty bits of cake mix should blend but not disappear. That dry mix keeps structure here.
- Cover bowl airtight and chill in fridge at least 1 hour 55 mins. This firms the batter, letting flavors meld and helps dough hold shape when scooped. Resist stirring or tempting to taste raw.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment or silicone mat. Wet hands with water (prevents sticky fingers) and scoop 1 tablespoon-sized balls using a cookie scoop or spoon. Roll gently until smooth; you want tight compact balls, no cracks, or the coating will seep in later. Place spaced apart on sheet.
- Melt candy coating slowly. Use 25-second intervals in microwave, stirring after every melt. Watch for smooth pourable texture; lumps or graininess means overheated. You want shiny, silky coating—not clumpy paste.
- Dip one cheesecake ball fully in the melted coating using fork. Tap gently to let excess drip off; a quick flick of the wrist helps. Use a small spoon to cover any missed spots immediately, coat while still wet. Move coated bites back to lined sheet using a toothpick or fork so you don’t mar surface.
- Before coating dries (takes seconds), sprinkle reserved toasted coconut flakes over top. Timing is everything; too late and flakes won’t stick, too early and coating messes up. Repeat dipping and sprinkling for all balls.
- Let all coated bites chill completely until coating is hard. This can be 10–15 mins in fridge or simply set on counter until firm to touch.
- Store leftovers covered in fridge. Bring to room temp 10 minutes before serving to soften cream cheese inside. Bites won’t melt, but texture is better if not fridge cold.
Cooking tips
Heat treats dry cake mix in short microwave bursts to avoid darkening or cooking prematurely; stir prevents hot spots. Let cool completely to avoid melting cream cheese mixture later. Soften cream cheese fully by letting sit at room temperature at least 1 hour; beat vigorously to get rid of lumps. Mix coconut milk or chosen liquid in medium-high speed until mixture visually consistent but not bubbly. Fold dry cake mix into cream cheese carefully; roughly combined to keep crumb structure helps final texture. Chilling solidifies fats and firms batter, skip at your peril; you’ll get messy whirlpools during scooping otherwise. Scoop exact tablespoon; smaller makes more bites but less satisfying size—personal preference. Rolling hands wet or lightly oiled stops sticky mess and smoother balls; too dry and dough sticks like glue. Melt candy coating in intervals to keep from scorching—lumpy coating is ruined coating. Use fork dipping method for even coverage and tap off excess to avoid thick clumps. Coat all bites quickly; coating dries fast. Sprinkle toasted coconut ASAP to stick properly to coating. Use toothpick to place bites gently on prepared sheet; keeps coating intact. Chill again before storing or serving; coating sets shiny and firm, inside stays creamy. Use fridge storage to keep fresh; bring to room temp prior to eating for best cream cheese texture.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Heat treat dry cake mix in short bursts. Avoid darkening or browning; watch for tiny steam puffs not color change. Stir after every burst to prevent hot spots. Cooling fully essential before mixing or cream cheese melts. Egg powder bacteria a real risk without this step.
- 💡 Soften cream cheese by resting at room temp at least an hour. Use handheld mixer medium-high speed to blend coconut milk and extract until velvety. No lumps. Coconut milk makes it thicker; half-and-half thins batter, expect different scoop texture.
- 💡 Fold dry cake mix and 1 cup shredded coconut in gently. Over mixing leads to gluey dough; under mixing leaves dry pockets but texture balance. Retained crumb structure gives firm toughness when chilled. Don't skip chilling - batter must firm up to roll clean balls without cracking.
- 💡 Melt candy coating incrementally in 25-second bursts. Stir well each time, look for shiny smooth, no graininess or lumps. Avoid overheating; clumpy coating marks ruined batch. Dip fast, tap excess off fork to prevent thick clumps. Flick wrist for drip. Roll wet hands before scooping balls; keeps shape tight and smooth.
- 💡 Sprinkle toasted coconut immediately before coating dries; timing is critical. Too late flakes fall off, too early coating messes with flakes' texture and stick. Toast coconut in pan or oven last minute for fresh aroma. Use toothpick or fork to place bites gently on parchment-lined sheet; prevents marring coating.
- 💡 Chill coated bites until shiny coating sets hard, 10-15 minutes is typical. Can do room temp but fridge speeds firming. Cold coating snaps audibly when bitten; inside remains creamy. Store covered in fridge, bring to room temp 10 mins before serving to soften cream cheese center but bites won’t melt.
- 💡 Substitute vanilla almond bark with plain white almond bark for less vanilla note. Swap coconut extract for pure vanilla extract but lose coconut aroma. Half-and-half or heavy cream possible liquid swaps; affects batter thickness and mouthfeel but still works. Yellow cake mix swap with white or vanilla changes flavor slightly, no major texture issues.
Common questions
What is heat treating dry cake mix?
Microwave dry mix in short bursts with stirring. No browning allowed. Kills bacteria in egg powder. Must cool before mixing to avoid melting cream cheese. Skip this and risk contamination.
Can I use half-and-half instead of coconut milk?
Yes. Coconut milk thickens batter more, creamier texture, richer. Half-and-half thinner, scoop may be looser. Heavy cream also okay but changes richness. Coconut flavor reduced without coconut milk.
Why is coating grainy or clumpy after melting?
Overheated candy coating causes it. Melt in short bursts, stir often. If lumpy, discard or try to remelt gently. Smooth shiny coating needed for even dipping and snap texture. Avoid quick full melts.
How do I store leftovers properly?
Keep bites covered in fridge. Use airtight container or plastic wrap over parchment sheet. Bring to room temp about 10 minutes before eating. Coating stays firm cold but cream cheese inside softer at room temp. Freeze not recommended; coating cracks or dulls.
