Instant Pot Funfetti Cheesecake

This cheesecake is just so much fun and so pretty! I mean, can you look at a cheesecake filled with rainbow sprinkles and not smile? I love Funfetti desserts so much, this one included!

Here are some of my other favorite Funfetti recipes:

Funfetti cheesecake with a slice taken out showing the colorful inside

Ingredients

Butter cookies
Butter (melted)
Cream cheese (softened )
Granulated sugar
Sour cream
Vanilla extract
Eggs
Rainbow jimmies
Whipped cream (optional)

Slice of funfetti cheesecake on a stack of white plates with 2 butter cookies next to it.

How to Make an Instant Pot Funfetti Cheesecake

If you will follow these instructions closely, you will end up with the creamiest, most delicious cheesecake you've ever had!

Making the Cheesecake Crust

This Instant Pot Funfetti Cheesecake is really just a variation of a basic cheesecake - the two big changes being that I made the crust from butter cookies instead of graham crackers and I added sprinkles. These particular "sprinkles" are actually called jimmies and you do need to make sure you get these vs. nonpareils. I'll tell you why below!

But let's get back to the crust. You'll need about 4 ounces of butter cookies (around 20 cookies if yours are the same size as mine). Does anybody else think of Vacation Bible School when you see these? Just me? Okay.

Take your cookies and place them into a food processor. Pulse until you have fine crumbs. Then mix in the melted butter. Pour the crumbs into the bottom of your spring form pan and press down to form the crust covering the bottom of the pan and up the sides about halfway.

Making the cheesecake batter.

bowl with the cream cheese mixture with a purple spatula in the bowl.

Next, you want to prepare the batter by placing the room temperature cream cheese into a large mixing bowl and beat on high speed until light and fluffy and there are no lumps. You want to make sure to get the cream cheese as smooth as possible at this step. Next add your sugar, sour cream, and vanilla extract.

Add the eggs and gently mix them in with a spoon or spatula. I prefer to not use an electric mixer for this stage. You want to mix the eggs just until combined, again being careful not to over mix the batter.

After you have added in the eggs, take a spatula and go around the edges of the bowl and make sure all of the ingredients are combined. Then it is time for my favorite part, the sprinkles!!

a measuring cup filled with colorful jimmies sprinkles over the bowl of cream cheese mixture

As mentioned above - you'll want to use rainbow jimmies here - not the tiny round sprinkles (aka nonpareils). Jimmies hold their shape and don't bleed a lot of color. The tiny round sprinkles (nonpariels), when mixed into a wet batter, will completely melt and change the color of your batter!

the springform pan wrapped in aluminum foil and placed into the instant pot

Finally pour the batter into the spring form pan with the prepared crust and cover completely with aluminum foil. Seal as tightly as you can and place in the Instant Pot on a trivet. Add 1 cup of water and place on high pressure for 40 minutes with a natural release (at least 10 minutes).

After you can open the lid, remove the foil and allow the cheesecake to cool completely on the counter. Then place in the fridge for at least 6 hours to overnight to allow it to completely set and chill.

Completely cool and chill before serving.

Funfetti cheesecake topped with whipped cream and rainbow sprinkles on top.

Top with whipped cream and more sprinkles before serving!

Slice of funfetti cheesecake on a white plate with the rest of the cheesecake in the background

Pro Tips to Make the Perfect Instant Pot Cheesecake

Make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature before beginning. This seems like something so minimal that it couldn't make that big of a difference but it does, just trust me on this one.
DO NOT OVER MIX! When you first begin with this recipe you mix the cream cheese well, like for 5-10 minutes. You do not want any lumps or bumps in your cream cheese or that will cause a lumpy and bumpy cheesecake. You want to get the cheese as smooth as possible in the beginning so you do not have to over mix the batter at the end.
I'll say it again for the people in the back. Do not over mix! When you add the eggs into the batter, only mix just enough to combine the egg, that is it, no more.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to have a "cake" option on my Instant Pot for this recipe?

NO you do not, I just use the manual pressure option on mine so you do not have to have the cake function. You can also use the off brand pressure cookers as well. Just set to high pressure 🙂

Which size spring form pan?

I'm using a 7" springform pan but you could also use a 6" pan. Just make sure that you have enough room in your Instant Pot to allow the stem to move around the pot evenly. If you have to shove it into the pot it will probably not bake correctly.

If I use a 7" pan do I have to add more batter?

The cheesecake you see above was done in a 7" pan. If you use a 6" pan, your cheesecake will be thicker. If you want a thicker cheesecake in the 7" pan, prepare the recipe as written plus half. So for example if the recipe calls for 2 cream cheese packages, use 3 and so on.

Can I bake this cheesecake in the oven?

No Instant Pot? This Instant Pot cheesecake recipe can be baked in the oven in a water bath. Wrap the pan in foil to assure no water leaks in, then place it in a pan larger than the springform pan. Add ½ inch of hot water. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes or until the center is almost set. Cool following the same instructions as before.

More Instant Pot Cheesecakes

Recipe