The Ultimate Homemade Funfetti Cheesecake Recipe: A Celebration in Every Bite!

Get ready to add a burst of joy to any occasion with this incredible Funfetti Cheesecake! Packed with vibrant, colorful sprinkles and that nostalgic birthday cake flavor, this rich and creamy dessert is crowned with a dreamy vanilla frosting. It’s not just a cheesecake; it’s a show-stopping centerpiece that promises deliciousness and an abundance of fun in every single slice. Whether you’re celebrating a birthday, an anniversary, or just the everyday moments, this sprinkle-filled sensation is guaranteed to bring smiles.

What could possibly be better than a classic, rich, and creamy cheesecake? A cheesecake that’s bursting with a kaleidoscope of rainbow sprinkles, of course! This homemade funfetti cheesecake isn’t just good; it’s hands-down the BEST you’ll ever make or taste. Its velvety texture, combined with the playful crunch and sweet vanilla notes, makes it an unforgettable dessert experience.

I genuinely hope this recipe brings as much joy to your kitchen and your celebrations as it does to ours. It’s the quintessential make-ahead dessert, perfect for busy hosts planning birthdays, holidays, graduations, or any special gathering. Prepare it the day before, let it chill to perfection, and simply frost and serve when it’s time to celebrate!

A Sprinkle-Filled Cheesecake Worth Celebrating

Here’s why this funfetti cheesecake will become your new favorite celebration dessert:

• Irresistible Graham Cracker Crust: Every slice begins with a golden, buttery, and perfectly crumbly graham cracker crust, providing a delightful textural contrast to the smooth filling. It’s the ideal foundation for this festive treat.
• Luxuriously Creamy Filling: The heart of this cheesecake is its super creamy, rich, and luscious filling. Made with high-quality cream cheese and balanced sweetness, it melts in your mouth with every bite.
• Completely Homemade Goodness: Say goodbye to boxed mixes! This recipe is crafted from scratch, ensuring superior flavor, texture, and the satisfaction of knowing you’ve created something truly special.
• Authentic Birthday Cake Flavor: A generous amount of pure vanilla extract combined with a subtle hint of almond extract creates that unmistakable, nostalgic “birthday cake” flavor profile that everyone adores. It’s perfectly balanced and not too sweet.
• Fluffy Buttercream Frosting Topping: The final touch is a cloud of light and fluffy homemade buttercream frosting. This cake-like flourish elevates the cheesecake, adding an extra layer of sweetness and a beautiful presentation that truly takes it to the next level.
• Visually Stunning: The explosion of colorful sprinkles baked into the filling, plus more for decoration, makes this cheesecake an absolute feast for the eyes, perfect for capturing those Instagram-worthy moments.
• Perfect for Make-Ahead Planning: This cheesecake is an ideal make-ahead dessert, allowing you to prepare it a day or even two in advance, freeing up your time on the day of your event.

Table of Contents

• A Sprinkle-Filled Cheesecake Worth Celebrating
• Ingredients You’ll Need for Funfetti Cheesecake
• Let’s Make Funfetti Cheesecake! Step-by-Step Guide
• Recipe Tips for Perfect Funfetti Cheesecake
• Get the Full Funfetti Cheesecake Recipe
• More Delicious Cheesecake Recipes to Try

Ingredients You’ll Need for Funfetti Cheesecake

Creating this spectacular funfetti cheesecake starts with gathering the right ingredients. Using high-quality ingredients, especially full-fat cream cheese, and ensuring they are at room temperature are key steps for achieving that wonderfully smooth, rich, and crack-free cheesecake filling. Here’s a detailed look at what you’ll need to make this festive dessert:

From the crunchy graham cracker crust to the vibrant sprinkles and fluffy frosting, each component plays a vital role. Pay special attention to the type of sprinkles you choose, as this can impact the final look of your funfetti masterpiece!

Let’s Make Funfetti Cheesecake! Step-by-Step Guide

Baking a cheesecake might seem intimidating, but with these detailed steps, you’ll achieve a perfect, celebratory funfetti cheesecake every time. Follow along closely for a smooth process from start to finish.

1. Prepare and Bake the Graham Cracker Crust: Begin by combining finely crushed graham crackers with melted butter, granulated sugar, and a pinch of salt. The key here is to create a consistent, sandy mixture. Press this mixture firmly into the bottom and slightly up the sides of a greased 9-inch springform pan. Use the flat bottom of a measuring cup or your hand to ensure an even, compact layer. Give it a quick bake in a 350°F (175°C) oven for about 10 minutes until it’s lightly golden and fragrant. This pre-baking step helps create a sturdy, flavorful crust that won’t get soggy. Allow the crust to cool completely on a wire rack while you prepare the cheesecake filling.
2. Craft the Silky Cheesecake Filling: A smooth, lump-free filling is paramount for cheesecake perfection. Start by beating the softened, full-fat cream cheese by itself on high speed for 1-2 minutes until it’s completely smooth and airy. This initial step is crucial for breaking down any cream cheese lumps. Next, add the granulated sugar, all-purpose flour, and salt. Continue beating on medium speed for 2-3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl frequently, until the mixture is incredibly creamy, light, and absolutely free of lumps. The flour helps prevent cracking. Now, incorporate the eggs one at a time, mixing on low speed just until each egg is combined. Overmixing after the eggs are added can incorporate too much air, leading to cracks. Finally, gently stir in the heavy cream, vanilla extract, and almond extract on low speed. For the funfetti magic, carefully fold in the vibrant confetti or sequin sprinkles by hand with a spatula. Avoid using a mixer for this to prevent the colors from bleeding into the batter.
3. Get a Water Bath Ready for Baking: A water bath is your secret weapon for a creamy, crack-free cheesecake. Carefully pour the prepared funfetti filling into the cooled graham cracker crust in the springform pan. Now, you need to make sure your springform pan is completely waterproof. You can achieve this by wrapping the bottom and sides of the pan with two layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil, or by placing the springform pan inside a slightly larger baking pan (like a 10-inch cake pan) or even a slow cooker plastic liner bag. Set this protected cheesecake inside a large roasting pan. Once in the oven, carefully pour hot or boiling water into the roasting pan, ensuring it comes 1-2 inches up the sides of the springform pan, but without touching the foil-wrapped edges of the cheesecake itself.
4. Bake to Perfection: Place the roasting pan with the cheesecake and water bath into your preheated oven set to 325°F (160°C). Bake for approximately 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours. The cheesecake is done when the edges are set, but the center 2-3 inches still show a slight, gentle wobble when the pan is carefully shaken. The top should be a light golden brown. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read around 155°F (68°C). Do not overbake, as this is a common cause of cracks and a dry texture.
5. Cool Gradually in Three Steps: Gradual cooling is essential for preventing cracks and achieving that signature silky-smooth texture.
   1. Oven Cooling (1 hour): Once baked, turn off the oven but leave the cheesecake inside. Crack the oven door open about an inch and let the cheesecake cool in the residual heat for 1 hour.
   2. Counter Cooling (1 hour): After an hour in the oven, carefully remove the cheesecake from the water bath and transfer it to a wire rack on your counter to cool completely at room temperature for another hour.
   3. Refrigerator Chilling (4-8 hours or overnight): Finally, transfer the fully cooled cheesecake (still in its springform pan) to the refrigerator. Chill it for a minimum of 4-8 hours, or ideally, overnight. This chilling period is crucial for the cheesecake to fully set, firm up, and develop its rich flavor. Do not rush this step!

   

6. Add the Fluffy Buttercream Frosting: Once your funfetti cheesecake is thoroughly chilled, it’s time for the crowning glory – the buttercream frosting! In a mixing bowl, beat softened butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, a few tablespoons of heavy cream, vanilla extract, almond extract, and a pinch of salt. Beat with an electric mixer for 3-5 minutes until the frosting is light, pale, and wonderfully fluffy. Adjust the amount of heavy cream to achieve your desired consistency – a spreadable, creamy texture is ideal.

   

   You can use an offset spatula to spread a smooth layer of frosting over the top, or get creative with a piping bag and various star tips to pipe decorative swirls, rosettes, or borders. Don’t forget to generously sprinkle more confetti sprinkles on top for that extra festive touch!

7. Slice and Serve: To achieve perfectly clean and neat slices, use a sharp, thin knife. Dip the knife in hot water and wipe it clean between each cut. This prevents the cheesecake from sticking and ensures a beautiful presentation. Serve your stunning funfetti cheesecake chilled and watch it disappear!

Recipe Tips for Perfect Funfetti Cheesecake

Achieving a perfectly creamy, crack-free, and flavorful funfetti cheesecake involves a few key techniques. These tips will help you bake like a pro and ensure your dessert is a triumph!

• New to Baking Cheesecake? Start Here! If this is your first time venturing into cheesecake baking, or if you’ve struggled in the past, I highly recommend reviewing my comprehensive classic cheesecake recipe article. It’s packed with invaluable information, advanced tips, and step-by-step photos that cover the fundamental techniques applicable to all cheesecakes, including troubleshooting common issues.
• Choosing the Best Sprinkles for Baking: The type of sprinkles you use is crucial for funfetti cheesecake. For this recipe, I used sequin sprinkles, also known as “candy quins” or confetti sprinkles. These hold their shape and color beautifully during baking. “Rod-style” sprinkles or “jimmies” would also work well. However, steer clear of “non-pareils” (tiny, round sprinkles) as their colors tend to bleed significantly into the batter, leaving you with a muddy, rather than vibrant, finish. Feel free to unleash your creativity with colors! While rainbow is always a festive choice, you can easily tailor the sprinkle colors to match any specific event, holiday, or birthday theme.
• Give Yourself Enough Time and Plan Ahead: Cheesecake is a labor of love that rewards patience. It requires low and slow baking, followed by a lengthy and gradual cooling process. This careful approach is essential for preventing cracks and ensuring the filling develops a silky-smooth, dense texture. While the hands-on preparation time for this recipe is less than an hour, you’ll need approximately 1.5-2 hours for baking and a minimum of 6-8 hours for cooling and chilling (preferably overnight). I almost always make my cheesecakes the day before I plan to serve them. Seriously, do not rush the cooling process!
• The Importance of Room Temperature Ingredients: This is a non-negotiable tip for cheesecake success. Cold cream cheese will not whip properly; it will remain lumpy, leading to a textured, rather than smooth, filling. Room temperature ingredients (cream cheese, eggs, heavy cream) emulsify much better, creating a uniform, silky batter and a superior finished product. Pull all your dairy and eggs out of the refrigerator at least 1-2 hours before you plan to start baking. For cream cheese, I often let it sit on the counter for a few hours to ensure it’s truly soft enough. If you’re short on time, check out my tips for how to quickly bring cream cheese and eggs to room temperature.
• Don’t Skip the Water Bath! The water bath (bain-marie) is a critical technique for baking cheesecakes, and it truly makes all the difference. It creates a moist, humid environment in the oven, which prevents the cheesecake from drying out and cracking. More importantly, it provides even and gentle heat distribution, ensuring the eggs in the filling cook slowly without curdling. This results in an incredibly silky-smooth texture, a beautiful tall rise, and significantly reduces the risk of those dreaded surface cracks. Trust me, it’s worth the extra step!

Get the Full Funfetti Cheesecake Recipe

Ready to bake this show-stopping dessert? Below you’ll find the complete, printable recipe for our Funfetti Cheesecake, including precise measurements, detailed instructions, and nutritional information. Follow these steps carefully to ensure a perfect, celebratory treat that will impress everyone.

Funfetti Cheesecake

Servings: 12 servings

Prep Time: 20 minutes mins

Cook Time: 2 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Cool Time: 9 hours hrs

Total Time: 11 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Packed with colorful sprinkles and birthday cake flavor, this funfetti cheesecake is perfect for any celebration. It’s rich and creamy, delicious, and so FUN!

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Ingredients

 

Graham cracker crust:

• ▢ 2 cup (215 grams) graham cracker crumbs (14 full sheets crackers, almost 2 envelopes)
• ▢ 5 tablespoons (79 grams) butter , melted
• ▢ 3 tablespoons (38 grams) granulated sugar
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt

Cheesecake filling:

• ▢ 24 ounces (680 grams) full-fat cream cheese , cubed and softened to room temperature (3 bricks)
• ▢ 1 ½ cup (300 grams) granulated sugar
• ▢ 3 tablespoons (24) all-purpose flour
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 4 large eggs , at room temperature
• ▢ ¾ cup (170 grams) heavy cream , at room temperature
• ▢ 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ▢ ½ teaspoon almond extract
• ▢ ½ cup (80 grams) confetti or sequin sprinkles , plus more for decoration

Buttercream frosting:

• ▢ ½ cup (113 grams) butter
• ▢ 2 cups (225 grams) powdered sugar
• ▢ 2-3 tablespoons (28 grams) heavy cream
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon almond extract
• ▢ Pinch of salt

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Equipment

9-inch springform pan

Food processor

Electric mixer

Instructions

 

To prepared the crust:

• Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick baking spray.
• Pulse graham crackers in a food processor to fine crumbs (alternatively, place them in a ziplock bag and crush with a rolling pin). Add melted butter, granulated sugar, and salt, then pulse until thoroughly combined and resembling wet sand.
• Use the underside of a measuring cup or your fingers to firmly pack the graham cracker mixture into an even layer on the bottom and about 1 inch up the sides of the prepared springform pan.
• Bake for 10 minutes until lightly golden. Allow the crust to cool completely on a wire rack before adding the filling.

To prepare filling:

• Reduce oven temperature to 325°F (160°C). Ensure the top oven rack is positioned in the center of the oven.
• Using an electric mixer (stand mixer or handheld), beat the softened, room temperature full-fat cream cheese on high speed until it is completely smooth and creamy, about 1-2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl as needed.
• Add the granulated sugar, all-purpose flour, and salt to the cream cheese. Beat on medium speed for 2-3 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl at least twice, until the mixture is light, very creamy, and entirely lump-free.
• Add the large eggs one at a time, mixing on low speed just until each egg is incorporated. Scrape down the bowl after each addition. Finally, gently mix in the heavy cream, vanilla extract, and almond extract on low speed until just combined. Fold in the confetti or sequin sprinkles by hand using a spatula to avoid color bleeding.
• Pour the prepared funfetti filling into the cooled graham cracker crust. Prepare your springform pan for a water bath (refer to the “Recipe Tips” section above and the “Notes” below for detailed instructions on preventing leaks).
• Set the protected springform pan inside a large roasting pan. Carefully transfer the roasting pan into the oven. Once positioned, pour hot water into the roasting pan so it comes 1-2 inches up the sides of the springform pan.
• Bake for 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours. The cheesecake is done when the edges are set, but the center 2-3 inches still wobble slightly when gently shaken. The top should be a light golden brown (if it’s browning too quickly, loosely cover it with aluminum foil during baking). An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should register approximately 155°F (68°C). Avoid overbaking!
• Turn the oven off and crack the oven door open about an inch. Let the cheesecake cool gradually inside the oven for 1 hour. This slow cooling helps prevent cracks.
• After 1 hour in the oven, carefully remove the cheesecake from the water bath (and roasting pan) and transfer it to a wire rack on the counter. Cool at room temperature for another hour. Then, transfer the cheesecake (still in its springform pan) to the refrigerator and chill for 4-8 hours or, ideally, overnight. This crucial chilling period ensures it sets properly and develops its full flavor.

To prepare the frosting:

• In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar, 2-3 tablespoons of heavy cream, vanilla extract, almond extract, and a pinch of salt. Beat on medium-high speed for 3-5 minutes until the frosting is pale, light, and wonderfully fluffy. Add just enough cream to achieve a creamy, spreadable consistency.
• Once the cheesecake is thoroughly chilled, use an offset spatula to spread the frosting evenly over the top. Alternatively, for decorative flourishes, transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with your favorite star tip and pipe designs as desired. Finish by topping with additional confetti sprinkles for extra festive cheer.
• Store the funfetti cheesecake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. However, it is best enjoyed within 2-3 days for optimal freshness. For clean, neat slices, run a sharp, thin knife under hot water and wipe it clean between each cut.

Notes

• For the best results and to avoid color bleeding, use either confetti/sequin sprinkles or “jimmies” for this cheesecake. Do not use nonpareils (tiny round sprinkles) as their colors will likely bleed into the batter, affecting the visual appeal.
• To prepare for water bath: To ensure your springform pan is waterproof, cover its bottom and sides with 2 layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil (it’s often easier to do this before pouring the filling into the crust). Alternatively, you can set the springform pan into a 10-inch baking pan or a slow cooker liner (rolled down and left open at the top) instead of lining with foil. Both methods provide effective barriers against water.
• To effectively avoid cracks in your cheesecake, carefully read the detailed tips provided in the blog post above, especially regarding room temperature ingredients, proper mixing, and gradual cooling, and follow all recipe instructions as written.
• If you have a nut allergy or simply prefer, feel free to omit the almond extract from both the cheesecake filling and the buttercream frosting. The vanilla extract alone will provide a delicious flavor.

Calories: 644kcal, Carbohydrates: 64g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 41g, Saturated Fat: 24g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 11g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 164mg, Sodium: 492mg, Potassium: 145mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 54g, Vitamin A: 1478IU, Vitamin C: 0.1mg, Calcium: 90mg, Iron: 1mg

Cuisine: American

Course: Dessert

Author: Annalise Sandberg

Have you tried this recipe?I’d love to hear about it! Leave a rating and review below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram @completelydelicious with #completelydelicious.

More Delicious Cheesecake Recipes to Try

Somehow, I’ve unexpectedly become a bit of a cheesecake enthusiast and expert over the years! One delicious experiment led to another, and now I have a growing collection of over a dozen amazing cheesecake recipes that I simply have to share with you. Whether you prefer baked, no-bake, classic, or fruity, there’s a cheesecake here for every taste and occasion. Explore these delectable options and find your next favorite dessert!