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–+ servings
two stacked rainbow cheesecake bars topped with whipped cream and rainbow sprinkles.

Rainbow Cheesecake Bars Recipe

Course: Bars, cheesecake, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Cool/Chill Time: 10 hours 30 minutes
Total Time: 12 hours
Servings: 16 bars
Calories: 395kcal
Author: Becky Hardin
Vibrant, tie-dye cheesecake squares layered over a melt-in-your-mouth shortbread crust. These colorful rainbow dessert bars are surprisingly simple to make and provide a show-stopping finish for any celebration or party.
Print Recipe
US Customary - Metric

Equipment

  • Kitchen Scale (optional)
  • 8x8x2 Baking Pan
  • Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer
  • Baking Sheet

Ingredients

For the Crust:

  • 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup unsalted butter slightly melted (2 sticks)
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

For the Cheesecake:

  • 24 ounces cream cheese room temperature (3 bricks)*
  • 1½ cups granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs room temperature
  • ½ cup sour cream room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • Gel food coloring red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple**

Instructions

For the Crust:

  • Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper and grease the parchment with nonstick spray. Set aside.
    ingredients for rainbow cheesecake bars in individual bowls.
  • In a medium bowl, mix the flour, slightly melted butter, sugar, and salt together until smooth.
    1¼ cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup unsalted butter , 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
    shortbread cookie crust in a glass bowl.
  • Use a spatula to spread this evenly in the bottom of the prepared cake pan. Place in the refrigerator to chill for at least 30 minutes.
    shortbread cookie crust pressed into a lined square baking pan.
  • While the crust chills, preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • After 30 minutes, use a fork to poke a few holes into the crust, then place it in the oven to bake for 15 minutes, or until lightly browned on the edges and no longer shiny on top.
    docked shortbread cookie crust in a lined square baking pan before baking.
  • Remove the crust from the oven and allow it to cool for 15 minutes before adding the cheesecake batter.
    baked shortbread cookie crust in a lined square baking pan.

For the Cheesecake:

  • Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.
  • In a large bowl, using a hand or stand mixer, beat the softened cream cheese and sugar together on medium speed until smooth, about 2-3 minutes.
    24 ounces cream cheese, 1½ cups granulated sugar
    whipped cream cheese in a glass bowl.
  • Beat in eggs, one at a time, on low speed until fully combined, about 10-15 seconds each.
    3 large eggs
    cheesecake batter in a bowl with bowls of sour cream and vanilla extract next to it.
  • Beat the sour cream and vanilla extract into the cheesecake batter on low until fully combined, about 30 seconds.
    ½ cup sour cream, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
    cheesecake batter in a glass bowl.
  • Separate cheesecake batter evenly into 6 bowls (about 208 grams per bowl). Color one bowl of cheesecake batter red, one orange, one yellow, one green, one blue, and one purple.
    Gel food coloring
    six glass bowls of cheesecake batter, each colored a different color of the rainbow.
  • Use one spoon per bowl to drop dollops of colored cheesecake batter over the cooled crust, alternating colors until all of the batter has been used.
    swirled rainbow cheesecake batter in a lined square baking pan.
  • Place the baking pan on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 55-60 minutes, or until the cheesecake looks set.
    baked rainbow cheesecake in a lined square baking pan.
  • Remove the cheesecake from the oven and let it cool to room temperature for about 2 hours.
  • Once cooled, wrap the cheesecake (still in the cake pan) well in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours.
  • Unmold the chilled cheesecake from the pan and cut into 16 squares. Top with whipped cream and rainbow sprinkles, if desired. Serve cold.
    overhead view of cut rainbow cheesecake bars on parchment.

Notes

*Use bricks of cream cheese, not the kind in the tub.
**For these vibrant batter colors, I used the brand Chefmaster Liqua-gel in the colors: super red, neon brite orange, lemon yellow, leaf green, neon brite blue, and neon brite purple. If using liquid food coloring, your colors will turn out more pastel. Make sure to use only 3-5 drops to avoid changing the consistency of the batter.
Tips:
  • If the dough for the crust is sticky and won’t spread evenly, spray the spatula with nonstick cooking spray to help smooth out the crust batter.
  • Once you add the eggs to your cheesecake batter, switch your mixer to the lowest speed. Overbeating can cause cracks.
  • Purple food coloring can sometimes turn dull during baking. Add a tiny drop of pink or red to help it maintain its vibrant hue. 
  • Don't swirl the colors together, as this can turn them muddy. Just do clean dollops, using a different spoon for each color to avoid contaminating them.
  • After layering your colors, firmly tap the baking pan on the counter 5-10 times to release trapped air bubbles that can create holes.
  • Optional Steam Trick: Preheat a rimmed baking sheet in the oven. Once hot, add the cheesecake pan on top, then pour 1 cup of water into the rimmed baking sheet (around the cheesecake pan, but not inside), and quickly close the door to trap in the steam and prevent cracks.
  • This cheesecake pan will be very full, so be careful when transferring to the oven so you don't spill. 
  • The cheesecake is done when the edges are set, but the center has a slight, uniform jiggle (like Jell-O). It will firm up completely during the 8-hour chill.
  • If the cheesecake does crack, cover the cracks with whipped cream and sprinkles.
  • For perfectly sharp edges, dip a sharp knife in hot water and wipe it dry before every cut.
Make-Ahead: You can prepare the crust and chill overnight in the refrigerator, or fully bake the crust and store at room temperature until ready to top.
Storage: Store rainbow cheesecake bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Nutrition

Serving: 1bar | Calories: 395kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 113mg | Sodium: 187mg | Potassium: 93mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 1021IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 59mg | Iron: 1mg