Creamy Ube Cheesecake Recipe With A Buttery Crust

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Because of my husband’s Filipino heritage, I’ve had the pleasure of exploring a wide array of Filipino foods, flavors, and, of course, desserts! Among these delightful options, ube desserts have become a personal favorite. The beautiful purple color of ube is so captivating. This led to the brilliant idea of merging the unique flavor of this purple yam with a traditional cheesecake (because we love cheesecake). The outcome? A delectable and creamy ube cheesecake recipe!

Ube cheesecake recipe slices on off white plates.

This ube cheesecake recipe can be enjoyed on special occasions like a birthday, an anniversary, or after a family dinner. Ultimately, the timing for serving ube cheesecake depends on your preferences and the occasion. A classic cheesecake recipe paired with ube’s distinct flavor make it a dessert that can be enjoyed year-round.

Why you’ll Love this Ube Cheesecake Recipe

It’s just plain delicious. I can’t decide what I love more. The buttery coconut flavored crust or the ube cheesecake filling!
The texture. It’s honestly one of the creamiest cheesecakes you’ll ever have.
It’s one of the easiest cheesecakes to make. There’s no need for hot water or a water bath. The hardest thing about this recipe is probably waiting through the required chilling time before you can enjoy it!
This creamy cheesecake is one of our most popular recipes on the blog.

What Does Ube Taste Like?

Ube or Filipino purple yam, has a unique and delightful flavor. The flavors of ube are often described as having a sweet and nutty flavor with hints of vanilla. The taste of this popular ingredient is mildly earthy, making it a versatile ingredient in both sweet and savory dishes. When used in desserts, ube imparts a natural purple color and a rich, creamy texture that adds a delightful twist to classic sweets.

Ube is often mistaken for a sweet potato due to its physical similarities.

Ingredients for Base of the Cheesecake

Full-fat cream cheese
Sour cream
Large eggs
Vanilla extract
Granulated sugar
Ube extract
Ube halaya jam
All-purpose flour

See recipe card for quantities.

Image of jar of ube halaya and a serving of it in a bowl.

I’ve linked the purple yam jam (halaya) and ube extract in case you don’t have access to Asian grocery stores, nearby. The image above is of the halaya that I was able to find at a local market.

Ingredients for the Crust

Coconut-flavored cookies
Unsalted butter
Granulated sugar
Salt

See recipe card for quantities.

I was able to find a box of coconut-flavored cookies in the Hispanic section of a grocery store. If you can’t find any, digestive biscuits or graham crackers would be a great alternative. Nilla wafers would also be a great option. The Nilla flavor would mesh well with the ube’s nuttiness, perfectly!

Equipment

Food processor
Electric mixer like a stand or hand mixer
9-inch springform pan

The food processor really comes in handy when making crusts for different recipes.

Assembling your Cheesecake

Take your ingredients out 1-2 hours before making the cheesecake. This will allow enough time for them to come to room temperature.

Prepared crust for ube cheesecake recipe. — 1. Spray the inside of your springform pan and sides of the pan with non-stick cooking spray and add a piece of parchment paper over the base of the pan. This step makes it easier to transfer the cheesecake to another dish once it’s baked. Attach the spring to the pan and set aside.

Place cookies into a food processor and pulse until the crumbs are smooth. Add cookie crumbs to a medium bowl along with your melted butter, sugar, and salt. Combine well with a spatula. Pour crumb mixture into springform pan and press into the bottom of the pan. Use the flat bottom of a measuring cup to do this. Bake crust at 350°F for 8 minutes. Let cool and set aside while you make your cheesecake filling. Bring oven temperature down to 325°F.

Cheesecake filling in a springform pan. — 2. If using a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment. Add softened cream cheese and sugar to stand mixer’s mixing bowl. Combine on high speed until smooth. Beat in eggs, one at a time on medium speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add in sour cream and vanilla extract. Combine well. Lastly, add in flour and mix on medium speed for a few seconds.

Pour cheesecake batter over prepared crust. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cheesecake mixture.

Ube extract and halaya mixed with cream cheese mixture. — 3. Mix the 1/2 cup of cream cheese mixture with the halayang ube & ube extract. Mix on high speed for about a minute.

Ube dollops over cheesecake filling. — 4. Drop dollops of the purple ube mixture over top of the cheesecake. You may have a little bit left over which you can just discard.

Ube cheesecake recipe before going in the oven. — 5. Run a chopstick or butterknife back and forth and side to side through the dollops to create a beautiful swirl design. Be careful to not disrupt the crust at the bottom. Bake ube cheesecake at 325°F for 40 minutes. Edges should be firm and there should be some jiggle in the middle.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Cheesecake is at its best when eaten within 3-5 days of preparation. The longer it sits, the more it can lose its freshness and creamy texture.
For best results, be sure to let cheesecake cool completely on a wire rack at room temperature before chilling in the refrigerator. Chill in the refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight before serving. Enjoy!

Topping Ideas for this Ube Cheesecake Recipe

Whipped cream
Coconut flakes
Fresh ube
Homemade ube jam
Toasted nuts
Fresh fruit
Crushed Oreos
White chocolate shavings

Recipe Substitutions

Coconut Cookies – instead of using coconut cookies, you can use crushed graham cracker as an alternative to make a classic graham cracker crust.

Recipe Variations

Ube Cheesecake Bars – instead of a traditional round cheesecake, prepare ube cheesecake bars in a square baking dish for a more portable and snackable dessert option.
Mini Ube Cheesecakes – line a muffin tin with cupcake liners to make individual-sized mini cheesecakes.
Ube Oreo Cheesecake – incorporate crushed Oreo cookies into the crust for a delightful chocolatey contrast to the ube cheesecake filling.

One Last Bite

The creamy texture, beautiful color, and delightful flavor of this ube cheesecake recipe make it a standout among ube recipes. So, the next time you’re in search of a dessert that’s both visually stunning and deliciously unique, consider making this ube cheesecake. It’s a treat that will leave you craving more, time and time again.

Storage Tips

Cheesecake should be stored in the refrigerator to keep it fresh. Follow these steps:

Cover: Use a piece of plastic wrap or aluminum foil to cover the entire surface of the cheesecake. Make sure the wrap is touching the surface to prevent condensation and help maintain the cake’s texture.
Container: Place the covered cheesecake in an airtight container or cake carrier if it fits. This extra layer of protection helps keep the cheesecake’s flavor and prevents it from absorbing other odors in the refrigerator.
Shelf Placement: Store the cheesecake on a middle shelf in the refrigerator, away from items with strong odors like onions or garlic.

FAQ

Can you freeze cheesecake?

While cheesecake can be frozen, it may alter the texture slightly. If possible, it’s best to consume it within a few days of making it, rather than freezing it.

How do you serve cheesecake?

When serving cheesecake, keep it chilled until right before serving. This ensures that it retains its creamy texture and prevents it from becoming too soft.

Looking for another great cheesecake recipe? Check out Plum Cheesecake I also have another recipe featuring ube. You can check it out here Ube Pound Cake

Prep Time:20

Cook Time:40

Baking crust:8

Total Time:1 8

Servings:

Author: Melissa Bravo-Almazan

Equipment

food processor
9 inch springform pan

Ingredients

16 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup ube halaya
1 tsp ube extract
2 tbsp all-purpose flour

Crust

1 1/4 cup coconut-flavored cookies pulsed into fine crumbs can use graham crackers as an alternative
5 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup granulated sugar
pinch of salt

Instructions

Crust

Spray the inside of your springform pan with non-stick cooking spray. Optional to add a piece of parchment paper over the base of the pan. This step makes it easier to transfer the cheesecake to another dish once it's baked. Attach the spring to the pan and set aside.
Place cookies into a food processor and pulse until the crumbs are smooth. Add cookie crumbs to a medium bowl along with your melted butter, sugar, and salt. Combine well with a spatula. Pour crumb mixture into springform pan and press into the bottom of the pan. Use the flat bottom of a measuring cup to do this. Bake crust at 350°F for 8 minutes. Let cool and set aside while you make your cheesecake filling. Bring oven temperature down to 325°F.

Cheesecake filling

If using a stand mixer, use paddle attachment. Add softened cream cheese and sugar to stand mixer's mixing bowl. Combine on high speed until smooth. Beat in eggs, one at a time on medium speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add in sour cream and vanilla extract. Combine well. Lastly, add in flour and mix on medium speed for a few seconds.
Pour cheesecake batter over prepared crust. Reserve ½ cup of the cheesecake mixture. In that same mixing bowl, mix the ½ cup of cream cheese mixture with ube halaya & ube extract. Mix on high speed for about a minute.
Drop dollops of the purple ube mixture over top of the cheesecake. You may have a little bit left over which you can just discard.
Reserve 1/2 cup of cheesecake mix. Pour the rest of the cream cheese mixture over cooled crust. In your stand mixer, combine the ube halaya and ube extract with the reserved cheesecake mix. Dollop spoonfuls over the top of the cheesecake. Run a butterknife back and forth, through the dollops to create a beautiful swirl design. Be careful to not discrupt the crust with the knife.
Bake ube cheesecake at 325°F for 40 minutes. Edges should be firm and there should be some jiggle in the middle.
For best results, be sure to let cheesecake cool completely on a wire rack at room temperature before chilling in the refrigerator. Chill in the refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight before serving. Enjoy!