• Preheat oven to 325°F. To begin, gather all your ingredients so that you have everything close at hand on the counter or table. Place a piece of parchment paper on the bottom of the 9″ springform pan and secure with the locking device.

Prepare the Ingredients

• Place vanilla wafers in a quart freezer bag and finely crush the cookies with a rolling pin or the flat side of a meat tenderizing mallet. Another option is to use a food processor to crush the cookies for a total of 1 1/2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs.
• Using a nut chopper or knife and cutting board, chop 1/3 cup finely chopped pecans.

Make the Crust

• In a medium mixing bowl, combine vanilla wafer crumbs, 1/3 cup flaked coconut, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, and 3 tablespoons baking cocoa. Add to this 1/3 cup butter (melted) and mix well.
• Press the crust onto the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.

Prepare the Cream Cheese Filling

• In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened 24 oz cream cheese until smooth. Mix in 1 cup granulated sugar, and then add 4 large eggs one at a time, mixing well between additions. Stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla extract.
• Finish by folding in 1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips until incorporated.
• Pour the batter into prepared crust, carefully spreading the cream cheese mixture to the edges and leveling it with a rubber spatula. Try not to touch the edges of the pan, which will cause sticking when baked.

Bake the Cheesecake

• Place a pan of hot water on the rack below the pan to help prevent the top of the cheesecake from cracking. Bake in preheated oven for 50-60 minutes until center is nearly set. Turn off oven and allow cheesecake to cool for an hour.
• Remove from oven, and carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen. Let cool completely.
• Cover the pan with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and refrigerate overnight.
• When ready to serve, remove the sides of the springform pan and lift the cheesecake up with the parchment paper. Carefully, transfer the cheesecake to a serving plate. Serves 16.