🎂 Easy Birthday Cake Cheesecake Recipe Card
Why settle for a regular birthday cake when you can wow everyone with a Birthday Cake Cheesecake? This velvety-rich cheesecake is made with Philadelphia cream cheese, studded with dye-free sprinkles, and baked on top of a buttery sugar cookie crust. It’s fun, festive, and guaranteed to steal the show at any celebration. Bonus: no need to mess with food coloring or artificial dyes—just creamy, dreamy, sprinkle-studded perfection.
Equipment
- 9 or 10-inch springform pan
- Stand mixer with paddle attachment
- Mixing bowls
- Rubber spatula
- Oven
- 9x13-inch baking pan (for water bath)
- parchment paper
Ingredients
- 16 ounces store-bought sugar cookie dough
- 3 8-ounce packages Philadelphia Original Cream Cheese, room temp
- 8 ounces sour cream room temp
- 1¼ cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs room temp
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- â…“ cup dye-free natural sprinkles
Instructions
Prepare Crust:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Line the bottom of the springform pan with parchment paper. Grease sides well.
- Press sugar cookie dough evenly into the bottom of the pan.
- Bake crust for 20 minutes, then refrigerate to chill.
Lower Heat & Prep Water Bath:
- Reduce oven temperature to 325°F (160°C).
- Place a 9x13-inch pan filled with water on the bottom rack of the oven to act as a steam bath.
Mix Cheesecake Batter:
- In a stand mixer, beat cream cheese, sour cream, and sugar for 3 minutes until smooth.
- Add vanilla extract, then eggs one at a time, mixing just until incorporated.
- Gently fold in the sprinkles—do not overmix.
Assemble & Bake:
- Pour batter over the chilled cookie crust.
- Tap pan on counter to release air bubbles.
- Bake on middle rack above the water bath for 55 minutes, rotating halfway.
- The center should still wobble slightly when done.
Cool Gradually:
- Turn off oven and crack the door slightly. Let cheesecake sit inside for 1 hour.
- Remove, run a knife around the edge, and let sit at room temp for 1 more hour.
- Chill overnight in the fridge.
Serve & Celebrate:
- Remove springform pan rim.
- Top with whipped cream and slice into 16 servings.
- Enjoy your sprinkle-packed celebration cheesecake!
Notes
Using room temperature ingredients is key to achieving that ultra-smooth texture. Resist the urge to overmix once the eggs are added to prevent cracking or dense texture. For a gluten-free version, use GF sugar cookie dough.