Mini Rainbow Cheesecakes With Whipped Cream [video]

Mini Rainbow Cheesecakes are incredibly easy to make and very festive, especially when served on St. Patrick’s Day. They taste delicious and would be a fun project to do with the kids.

These sweet little handfuls of heavenly creaminess are delightful and delicious, perfect for any occasion or just because! Everyone loves them, not just the kids. They are bursting with colors and flavor; the creamy texture is just outstanding. The mixture of all that cream cheese and sour cream is so thick and rich that you will have a hard time stopping at just one. Luckily, this recipe makes 16, so you can have a few. But maybe you should make a double batch anyway.

Mini Rainbow Cheesecakes  would be perfect for a birthday party or on St. Patrick Day. They are so colorful and festive that it is guaranteed that they will cheer up everyone. The cheesecakes have a subtle vanilla flavor and perfect creamy texture, topped with fluffy whipped cream and rainbow sprinkles. I made these together with my toddler boy and he had so much fun mixing the colors.

These are the kinds of little treats you expect to see at a birthday party or holiday, but that doesn’t mean you cannot make them and serve them on other occasions. This recipe makes it so easy that you can have them done in minutes. The only thing to do is wait for them to chill so you can serve them. Even if you don’t have kids, you can make them for yourself. I won’t tell anyone!

One really great thing about these is the size—perfect for little hands. They’re also great for a snack if you want, or a portioned dessert. You can use different colors for different occasions, too. And since it is so easy to do, you can let the kids help and make it a family project. Turn it into a new tradition for a holiday like Easter or Valentine’s Day.

You can make a bunch since they are so good and fun to make. Each batch makes 16 so triple it up so you can share them or give them out as gifts. Or put them into freezer-safe containers so you can just pull a few out of the freezer the next time you want to give the kids a nice treat. They go great with my rainbow smoothies. These healthy drinks are fun to make as well, and the kids like to help me with them too.

Why you will love this recipe

• Festive and colorful the cheesecakes are perfect for a special occasion.
• Very easy to make and perfectly portioned, the mini cheesecakes are baked in muffin cups and are the size of a cupcake.
• Endless colorful possibilities mix and match as you like.
• Delicious and creamy texture of a NY Cheesecake.
• So good that kids and adults will love them equally.
• The perfect project to do with the kids, everyone will have so much fun.

Cheesecake recipes are very popular on the blog, being that cheesecake is my favorite dessert. If you are a cheesecake addict like me, you should try these Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars, Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake and the Cheesecake Factory Original Cheesecake copycat recipe.

What you’ll need to make mini rainbow cheesecakes

Special items:

• Gel Food Coloring – this set comes in a variety of colors and it won’t water down your recipe
• Piping Bags – I like using disposable piping bags, I really don’t like the idea of cleaning another item after I make cheesecakes and frosting
• Piping Tips Set – I used the star tip to pipe my frosting, this is a great set at a very good price
• Regular Muffin Pan – I use this pan to bake muffins and regular size cupcakes, I had it for many years and absolutely love it
• Cupcake Liners – when it comes to cupcake liners the sky is the limit, I like to keep them in a wide range of colors so I can use it based on the recipe or event
• Electric mixer – Stand mixer or hand mixer.
• Bowls
• Utensils

Ingredients:

For the crust:

• Graham cracker crumbs – Make your own with some graham crackers and a food processor.
• Melted unsalted butter – To hold the crust together.

For the cheesecakes:

• Cream cheese – Use high-quality bricks of cream cheese. Not the whipped kind.
• White granulated sugar – For the best consistency and sweetness.
• Milk – Whole milk is best, but you can use almond milk or another non-dairy substitute.
• Sour cream – Full-fat sour cream or Greek yogurt.
• Vanilla – 100% pure vanilla extract. The flavoring has a bitter aftertaste.
• Flour – All-purpose flour. Measure carefully with the spoon and level method.
• Gel food coloring – Any colors you like. I chose purple, blue, green, yellow, orange, and red.

For the whipped cream:

• Heavy whipping cream – You need this for the fat content. Otherwise, you can use milk and butter.
• White granulated sugar – Granulated sugar is best, but you could also use powdered sugar.
• Vanilla – As before, flavored vanilla has a bitter aftertaste and should be avoided if possible.
• Rainbow sprinkles – Because that is what makes them rainbow cheesecakes.

How to make mini rainbow cheesecakes?

1. Preheat the oven and prepare the pans: Before you begin, heat the oven to 350 degrees F and put the oven rack on the middle shelf. Then, line a muffin pan with 12 liners and another with four.
2. Make the crusts: Then, mix the graham cracker crumbs and the melted butter in a bowl until it looks like coarse, wet sand. Put one tablespoon in each muffin cup and use the back of the spoon to press it down firmly. Bake for five minutes. Remove the pan and let them cool while you prepare the cheesecakes.
3. Mix the cheesecakes: Now, use a mixer to mix the cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl until it is smooth, scraping the sides and bottom as needed. Blend in the milk and the eggs, one at a time, only enough to incorporate it all. Do not overmix. Add sour cream, vanilla, and flour. Stir just until mixed.
4. Color and fill: After, scoop the filling evenly into six bowls. Stir a few drops of each color into each bowl, stirring and adding more if needed. Once they are done, add them to the muffin cups in this order: purple, blue, green, yellow, orange, and red. Make sure you have enough for each one.
5. Bake and cool: Bake for 20-30 minutes or until the centers are just a little jiggly. Let them cool to room temperature before removing them from the trays to cool the rest of the way.
6. Top and chill: While the cheesecakes cook, put a bowl in the fridge to chill for the whipped cream. Then, add the heavy whipping cream, vanilla, and sugar and whisk on medium-low, gradually increasing to high until soft peaks form. Spoon it into a piping bag with a star tip and frost the cupcakes. Top with rainbow sprinkles before chilling for three hours. Serve cold.

Expert tip

The difference between regular and whipped cream cheese

As everyone who has ever made a cheesecake before knows, you always grab the block of cream cheese – not the tub of whipped cream cheese. But has anyone ever wondered why? Well, before 1982, they did not even have whipped cream cheese. After that, it was because that is how we have always done it. Why would you switch? The brick stuff is solid and heavy, with a thick consistency. Whipped? Not so much.

You may think that may be good for making a light and fluffy cheesecake. But no, the problem is that whipped cream cheese is coagulated with lactic acid instead of cheese culture, so it is actually a whole different product. The whipped stuff is grainier, and the liquids in it leak out when it cooks, making your cheesecake watery. It just isn’t the same.

You can use whipped cream cheese for other kinds of cream cheese recipes, just not in those that you have to bake. In fact, you can use it in no-bake cheesecakes without any problem. If you do not have to heat the cream cheese, it can be used instead of the block stuff without any issues.

Recipe variations and add-ins:

• Different extracts: Instead of vanilla, make your cheesecake a distinct flavor like strawberry, lemon, birthday cake, or banana bread.
• Chocolate chips: Another way to add some extra flavor is to pour some mini chocolate chips into the batter. 
• Other crust: Instead of using graham cracker crust, use a vanilla wafer or Oreo cookies at the bottom of each muffin tin.
• Add fruit: Top your tiny cakes with tiny fruits like chopped strawberries, pineapples, or cherries.
• Frosting: Instead of whipped cream, use my rich cream cheese frosting. You only need four ingredients!

Serving suggestions:

Here are some fun serving ideas you can try!

• Top these cute little cakes with some candy eggs, and you can serve them at an Easter party.
• They would go great with my strawberry sorbet. No ice cream machine is needed. You only need strawberries, honey, and a lime.
• You can also serve these tiny cheesecakes for dessert after burgers, fries, or tacos.
• These would also go great with Shamrock shakes for a st. Patrick’s party.
• And adults can have these with a grown-up Irish coffee!

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to do a water bath on mini cheesecakes?

No, doing a water bath on these mini cheesecakes is unnecessary. They should have enough structural support not to have to worry about it. This is usually only an issue if the outsides cook faster than the middle. But small cakes like these should cook evenly as long as you fill them all to the same level. The only other thing to worry about is keeping the door closed while it cooks.

Why did my mini cheesecakes sink?

Just like a regular cheesecake, if you whip the batter too much, it incorporates too much air and causes the cake to rise too much while it is in the oven. Make sure you only stir it until smooth. Also, let them cool gradually, just like a full-sized cake. Open the oven with just a crack and leave them inside for one hour. Then, carefully let them sit on a cooling rack for 30 minutes before removing them to cool.

Why didn’t my cheesecakes set?

If your cheesecakes are too watery and did not set properly, there must have been some measuring error. Did you use a liquid measuring cup to measure the liquids and a dry measuring cup for the dry ingredients? Also, make sure you use bricks of cream cheese instead of the whipped spread cream cheese. The whipped stuff is full of air and does not have enough substance to it. Finally, ensure you cook it long enough, or it will not set.

What can I use instead of a piping bag?

Many people have never even heard of a piping bag. You can put your whipped cream in a sandwich baggie and cut the corner off. Or you can roll a piece of parchment paper into a cone and use that. Cut it into a triangle. Then, curl it into a cone. Fold it, tape it, and that’s it! You could do this with wax paper as well! Actually, I have heard of people using envelopes and other V-shaped things for the same thing. Be creative!

How to store leftovers:

• Refrigerate: Place mini cheesecakes in an airtight container that can be refrigerated for up to three days.   
• Freezing: To freeze, ensure the container is freezer-safe and you can keep it for up to three months. 
• Defrost: Thaw overnight in your refrigerator for the best texture and flavor.

Desserts for St. Patrick’s day:

Recipe tips:

• Make sure you use gel food coloring. The regular kind adds too much liquid, and it matters with such little cakes.
• You do not have to worry about cracks or sinking in the middle because you can cover them with whipped cream.
• A regular muffin pan works perfectly for this—no need to get special molds.
• No piping bag? No problem! Use a Ziploc baggie or a bit of parchment or wax paper.
• Make sure you measure carefully so your cheesecakes will be set properly.