This Funfetti Cheesecake is super fun and easy recipe that's packed with colourful sprinkles. Funfetti is also known as birthday cake, confetti, sprinkle - it's perfect for parties and any event where you want to inject some colour and joy. The no bake cheesecake is simple to make, really creamy and flavoured with vanilla, all on top of a buttery biscuit base. I've decorated it with whipped cream, and more sprinkles of course, but you can customise the decoration to your special occasion.

Ingredient Tips & Equipment Information

The funfetti sprinkles I use are from The Shire Bakery, they are pricier than supermarket versions but this is because you get the best results. They retain their colour and don't bleed into the cheesecake mix. You can also get them from Iced Jems and Sprinkles and Toppers.
It is really important to stick to the ingredients and use full fat cream cheese and double cream (a cream with a 48% fat content), both of these ingredients are essential to ensure the no bake cheesecake sets. If you want to make a low fat version, I suggest doing this in small dessert glasses or ramekins as they will not set well enough to be sliced.
I am based in the UK and I find that Philadelphia cream cheese is the thickest and best quality cream cheese to use for no bake cheesecakes. I have made many cheesecakes with supermarket own brand cream cheeses too, and they have worked great. If you can though, I think it is worth spending a little more for Philadelphia (and no they haven't paid me to say this!)
I like to use digestive biscuits (Graham crackers if you're in the US) for the base, but you could substitute if for another similar biscuit like Hobnobs.
You can use either butter or baking spread for the biscuit base, I find that baking spread makes the cheesecake easier to remove from the tin as it doesn't make the base set as solidly.
You can find lots of answers to common no bake cheesecake questions on my How To Make A No Bake Cheesecake guide. If you've never made a no bake cheesecake before, I highly recommend reading through my guide first!
Although I provide cup measurements, I highly recommend weighing your ingredients out using digital kitchen scales*. It is the most accurate way to measure ingredients and will ensure the best results. Digital scales are very low cost and can be purchased for around £12 ($16.50) .
For teaspoon (tsp) and tablespoon (tbsp) measurements, please use measuring spoons* and not the type of spoons you eat with. Again this will ensure accuracy and provide the best results.

For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post.

How to make Funfetti Cheesecake

To make the biscuit base, blitz the biscuits in a food processor until they become crumbs. Stir in melted butter or baking spread, then press the mixture into the tin until compact and even. Put in the fridge to chill.

For the filling, mix the cream cheese, icing sugar and vanilla extract together. Mix in the double cream until the mixture is very thick and holds its shape.

Add the sprinkles and fold them in gently until they are evenly distributed. Spoon the filling into the tin over the biscuit base and smooth it out. Put in the fridge for at least 4 hours to set. Remove from the tin, whip up the double cream, vanilla extract and icing sugar, then pipe it around the edge of the cheesecake. Decorate with more sprinkles.

For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post.

What is funfetti?

Funfetti goes by many names - confetti, birthday cake and sprinkle. The word funfetti is infact a combination of the words "fun" and "confetti". The trend of adding brightly coloured sprinkles to vanilla cake was started by the American company Pillsbury in the late 80s, and it has been popular ever since! It is a very simple concept of stirring sprinkles into cake batter, and then after baking you get brightly coloured dots throughout the sliced cake. It does not change the flavour of the cake, but adds a fun and unique appearance! Some people add almond extract to funfetti bakes, which you can do if you prefer.

How do you make sure the cheesecake sets?

When you’re mixing the filling, you want it to get to a stage where you can scoop some up with your spatula or spoon and you have to give it a tap on the side of the bowl or slight flick of the wrist to get the mixture off the spoon. If it’s sloppy and slides right off the spoon without any encouragement needed, then you need to mix it more. This should only take a couple of minutes, so do be careful not to over mix. Always use an electric mixer for best results. If you have issues with this method, you can whip the double cream up separately and fold it into the other ingredients. It’s also very important to use full fat cream cheese and double cream (heavy cream), as any low fat versions will affect the setting of the cheesecake. I always set my cheesecake overnight in the fridge, I’d suggest a minimum of 4 hours.

How long does the cheesecake last and can it be frozen?

The cheesecake should be stored in the fridge and will last for 3-4 days. You can freeze the undecorated cheesecake, however you do need to let it set in the fridge first. Setting it in the freezer will affect the texture and it won't be as nice. Once it's set in the fridge, you can remove it from the tin and put the cheesecake in a box or tupperware. You could also slice it up, and freeze in portions. Then you can easily defrost a few slices at a time depending on when you'd like some cheesecake!

How do you remove a no bake cheesecake from the tin?

To see step by step photos and a video showing you how to remove a no bake cheesecake from the tin, as well as the answers to lots of other common no bake cheesecake questions, check out my How to make a No Bake Cheesecake guide!

What are the best sprinkles to use?

The funfetti sprinkles I use are from The Shire Bakery, they are pricier than supermarket versions but this is because you get the best results. They retain their colour and don't bleed into the cheesecake mix. You can also get them from Iced Jems and Sprinkles and Toppers.

Can this cheesecake be made gluten free?

Yes! To make this recipe gluten free, swap the biscuits in the biscuit base for gluten free biscuits. I would also recommend that you check the packaging of everything you're using in the recipe in case of cross contamination. And especially if you're serving this to someone with an allergy or intolerance.

Can you use mascarpone instead of cream cheese?

Yes, you can swap the full fat cream cheese for full fat mascarpone cheese. I prefer using cream cheese as it has that slight 'tang' that you expect from a cheesecake. I find mascarpone to be much creamier and a little too rich. But, if you prefer it then you can absolutely use it instead!

More tips for making the Funfetti Cheesecake:

You can decorate this cheesecake with anything you like - fresh fruit, sweets, chocolates, it's really versatile!
If you want to add some white chocolate to the cheesecake, melt 200g chocolate before you make the cheesecake filling, so it has time to cool. Make the filling then gently fold in the melted white chocolate. Or you could stir in 150g white chocolate chips.

Troubleshooting

If you have any questions about this recipe, or if something went wrong and you need help, please use the comment form below and I will get back to you. You can also get in touch with me on my Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. I'd love to hear from you!

Recommended equipment & ingredients*

*I earn a small amount of money if you buy the products after clicking on the links. You will not be charged anything extra for this. Thank you for supporting The Baking Explorer!

More funfetti recipes...