The Best Funfetti Cheesecake Recipe
Life is simply better with sprinkles, especially of the rainbow variety. Also, people love a cheesecake, so I figured, why not bring the two together?
This cheesecake is as much FUN as it is FETTI (and now I feel like a lame dad). But really, it’s perfect for a big celebration or a cozy party because, again, rainbow sprinkles bring joy everywhere they are… sprinkled. If you’re also a sprinkle fanatic like me, give these Rainbow Sprinkle Cookie Sandwiches a try!
To say up front, your cheesecake is going to crack. It’s also going to be one of the best cheesecakes you’ve ever had. So there. I have an unproven theory around sprinkles and cracking baked cheesecakes… I’ll come back to you on it once I’ve proved it one way or another. Regardless, this cheesecake is AMAZING and the whipped topping will cover any of those cracks, easy peasy, no one will ever know.
So let’s get the rainbow party started with this colorful cheesecake sensation!
WHAT IS FUNFETTI CHEESECAKE?
This party-on-a-plate cheesecake has a shortbread crust (giving it a cookie-dough vibe) and a creamy, sprinkle-packed filling. We’re topping it with some fresh whipped cream – I mean, one of life’s simple pleasures is freshly whipped cream – more sprinkles (of course!), and some cookie crumbles for the perfect finish. It’s basically a plain vanilla cheesecake packed with sprinkles and baked on a shortbread crust instead of a graham cracker one.
P.S. If you love soft shortbread like me, try these One Bowl Lemon Shortbread Bars topped with crackly lemon glaze!
What is a shortbread cheesecake crust? If you’ve never had shortbread, it’s a simple bake, most often turned into cookies or bars. The dough is traditionally made of butter, flour, and sugar (we’re adding a splash of vanilla to bring out that cookie vibe). For this, we’re turning it into a crust, simply pressing our dough into the base of our springform pan and baking it off to set before we bake our cheesecake. Using a shortbread crust gives a deliciously soft cookie texture to the base of this cheesecake.
INGREDIENTS
- Cream Cheese: The base for our cheesecake. Let it sit out until it’s room temperature before mixing to prevent lumps!
- Sour Cream: Brings the tang and adds moisture
- Heavy Cream: Makes the final cheesecake texture extra smooth and creamy, plus acts as the base for our whipped cream
- Sugar: Adds sweetness to our cheesecake and helps to bind our crust
- Flour: Adds stability to the cheesecake while bringing structure to the shortbread base
- Eggs: Contribute to the texture, thickening, and setting of the final cheesecake
- Vanilla Extract: For a little flavor
- Rainbow Sprinkles: Because life is better with sprinkles! I used the Betty Crocker Confetti Sprinkles
- Unsalted Butter: Adds flavor and a slightly crumbly texture to the crust
- Salt: To balance everything out
- Powdered Sugar: To sweeten our whipped cream topping
- Sugar Cookie Crumbs: Optional for a fun finishing touch
Why do you freeze the shortbread crust before baking it? This crust has a lot of butter in it, so we want to freeze it to firm that butter back up before it hits the hot oven. If we don’t chill the crust, it will likely leak butter when baking and not set properly.
HOW TO MAKE FUNFETTI CHEESECAKE
Line your 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper and grease. Make sure to get into all the nooks of the pan for a clean release once it’s baked and cooled.
For the shortbread crust, combine your sugar, vanilla, butter, and salt in a bowl. Add in your flour, mixing until crumbly. Use your hands to bring the dough together and transfer it to your greased springform pan. Press the dough evenly into the base, first with your hands and then using the flat bottom of a measuring cup or glass. This will ensure the crust is packed together, making for an even base layer and bake. Pop your crust in the freezer for 15 minutes while you preheat your oven to 325°F. Once chilled, bake your crust for 20 minutes before removing it from the oven and allowing it to cool completely in the pan.
To make your funfetti cheesecake filling, in the bowl of a standing mixer, beat your softened cream cheese on high until smooth. Then mix in your sour cream, heavy cream, and vanilla until combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together your flour and sugar until there are no lumps, pour over your batter, and mix. One at a time, crack each egg into the filling, mixing between each until combined, before folding in your sprinkles with a spatula. Pour your cheesecake batter over your cooled shortbread crust, using a spatula to make sure it’s spread evenly in the pan.
In a pot, bring 6 cups of water to a boil. Place your cheesecake on the center rack of your hot oven and a large casserole dish on the rack below it. Carefully pour your boiling water into your casserole dish until it reaches the halfway point. Immediately close the oven door to trap all that steam inside and bake your cheesecake at 325°F for one hour and 10 minutes.
Your cheesecake is done baking when there is a slight wobble in the center, but the edges look set. To test, gently tap the side of the pan while it’s in the oven (with an oven mitt on your hand, of course!). Do not remove your cheesecake from the oven! Slightly crack the oven door – you can use a wooden spoon to keep it cracked if needed – and allow your cheesecake to slowly cool in the oven for one hour. Remove your cheesecake from the oven (it will still be warm) and allow to cool completely at room temperature for a few hours, before covering and placing in the fridge for 8 hours or overnight. The cheesecake stays in the pan this entire time.
Once your cheesecake has cooled, make your whipped cream by whisking together the heavy cream and sifted powdered sugar in a large bowl until fluffy. Take your cheesecake out of the fridge and remove it from the springform pan. Top with your fresh whipped cream, more sprinkles, and cookie crumbles. Slice and enjoy!
3 reasons you’ll love this cheesecake
TIPS & VARIATIONS
- Gently fold the sprinkles into the batter at the very end. This will help prevent them from bleeding too much once baked.
- You can add sprinkles to your shortbread crust though, you’ll never know they’re there so while I’ve done it, I wouldn’t recommend it. Seems like a waste of sprinkles, ya know?
- If you prefer a graham cracker crust instead of a shortbread crust, swap it out! In a bowl, combine 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs, 6 tbsp of melted butter, and 2 tbsp of brown sugar. Press into the base of your greased springform pan, using the bottom of a glass or measuring cup to really pack it in. Pop in the freezer to chill for 15 minutes while you heat your oven to 325°F. Bake for 15 minutes and allow to cool completely before adding in your cheesecake batter.
- It’s really important to let your baked crust cool completely before adding in your cheesecake filling. This ensures the crust has time to set completely!
- Noting again that your cheesecake will crack due to the sprinkles. No worries, that whipped topping will cover it perfectly and no one will know!
- If you are simply looking for a plain cheesecake, just omit the sprinkles and either keep the shortbread crust or swap for a graham cracker one (see tip #2).
MAKING AHEAD & STORING
You can make the shortbread base for this cheesecake up to 3 days in advance. Wrap the dough airtight before storing and then remove, press into your greased and lined pan, freeze, and bake!
This funfetti cheesecake will last in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week or frozen for up to two months. Noting that freezing your cheesecake can potentially affect the texture.
MORE CHEESECAKE RECIPES
For fans of something tart, try this Key Lime Cheesecake (it’s the BEST) for a little tangy-creamy situation. For something unique, try this Orange Cheesecake with Cranberry Sauce with a cinnamon-spiced graham cracker crust. Looking for something a little more bite-sized? Try these Cherry Cheesecake Cookies for a fun twist! If you want something cheesecake-inspired, try this No-Knead Strawberry Cheesecake Focaccia!
Equipment
- 9" Springform Pan
- Parchment Paper
- Mixer
- Mixing Bowls
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
- Spatulas
- Whisk
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 9 tbsp unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 ½ cups flour
- 24 oz cream cheese softened
- ¾ cup sour cream
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon flour sifted
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup rainbow sprinkles
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 ½ tbsp powdered sugar sifted
- ¼ cup sprinkles
- Sugar cookie crumbs optional
Instructions
CRUST
- Line a 9”-sized springform pan with parchment paper and grease
- In a bowl, combine your sugar, butter, vanilla, and, salt. Mix in your flour until crumbly. Press the dough together lightly with your hands, to bring it together (will still be crumbly just in bigger chunks). Pour into your springform pan and press in evenly, using the bottom of a glass or measuring cup to flatten
- Freeze the crust for 15 minutes and heat your oven to 325F. Once chilled, place your crust in the oven to bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely in the pan before adding the below cheesecake filling
FILLING
- For the cheesecake, add your cream cheese to the bowl of a standing mixer and beat on medium-high until smooth. Add in your sour cream, heavy cream, and vanilla, and mix to combine
- In a small bowl, combine your sugar and flour with a whisk. This will help ensure there are no clumps of flour in your mixture. Pour over cheesecake batter and mix until just incorporated
- Crack your eggs into your batter, one at a time, mixing between each egg until combined
- Gently fold in your sprinkles
- Pour your cheesecake batter over your cooled crust; spread evenly in the pan with a spatula
- Bring 4-6 cups of water to a boil. Place your cheesecake on the center rack of your oven. Place a large casserole dish on the rack below where your cheesecake will be and immediately (but carefully!) pour your boiling water into it until it reaches about halfway up your dish. Shut the oven as soon as possible, once you pour in your water. You want to trap all of that steam inside the oven!
- Bake your cheesecake at 325F for an hour and 10 minutes. When it’s done, there will be a slight wobble in the center of the cheesecake but the edges will look set. Turn the oven off but crack the door slightly, leaving the cheesecake in the oven for another hour
- After an hour, remove the cheesecake from the oven and allow it to cool completely at room temperature before covering it with foil and refrigerating it for 8 hours or overnight
TOPPING & ASSEMBLY
- Make your whipped cream by whisk together your heavy cream and powdered sugar until fluffy
- Remove from your cheesecake from the pan and top your cooled cheesecake with fresh whipped cream (beat together 1 cup of heavy cream with powdered sugar until fluffy), sprinkles, and cookie crumbles
- Enjoy!
