Easter M&M Cheesecake Recipe
This Easter M&M Cheesecake Recipe features rich blue and aqua cheesecake layers atop a sugar cookie crust. Then, it’s all accented with a pink, purple, and yellow-striped frosting.
We love making cheesecake, and no-bake cheesecakes are our favorite variety. All cheesecake is delicious, but baking this classic dish can be a finicky proposition. From baking with water to timing everything just right, it can be a hassle. We can do it, but we prefer not to.
That’s why we love making this delicious Easter M&M cheesecake recipe when the Easter holiday rolls around. It’s bright and colorful like any good Easter treat should be, and it’s super easy to make. The only thing you have to bake is the sugar cookie crust.
Talk about a great dessert for Easter, this is it! It’s so colorful, and will match the Easter Eggs in any basket. The flavors are so good, and the Cookie Crust just makes this so delicious. It’s really easy to prepare, and is sure to make a stunning presentation when served. Everyone is going to love this one, so make sure to keep it in your favorites!
Easter M&M Cheesecake Recipe
Everything about this cheesecake just screams Easter or even spring. We start with a sugar cookie crust that’s mellow and sweet. Then we top it with a layer of blue cheesecake and another layer of green cheesecake for a pretty pastel look. Finally, it’s topped with Easter M&Ms and garnished with a pink, purple, and yellow-striped frosting around the perimeter of the cheesecake to complete the look. It’s absolutely beautiful and absolutely delicious.
Easter M&M Cheesecake Recipe Ingredients
All the ingredients used for this beautiful cheesecake are simple and easily found at your local grocery store.
For the Crust
- Sugar cookie mix
For the Cheesecake
- Softened cream cheese
- Torani White Chocolate Syrup
- Heavy cream
- Powdered sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Sugar
- Unflavored gelatin
- Aqua and lime green gel food coloring
For the Frosting
- Cream cheese
- Butter
- Vanilla extract
- heavy cream
- Powdered sugar
- Hot pink, purple, and yellow gell food coloring
**See the recipe card at the end of the post for quantities.
Easter M&M Cheesecake Recipe Instructions
It takes a few steps to make this recipe, but don’t let that scare you away. They’re all very easy and mostly involve coloring and layering.
Step 1: Make the Sugar Cookie Crust
Mix half the sugar cookie mix in a medium bowl, following the package directions. Then, line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper and press the sugar cookie mix into the bottom evenly, smoothing the dough with a spoon.
Finally, bake the dough for about 20 minutes at 350 degrees or until the cookie dough is completely done and browned on the top and the edges. Remove from the oven and gently press the dough down evenly with the bottom of a smooth glass. Chill in the freezer.
Step 2: Whip the Heavy Cream
Using a stand mixer, whip the heavy cream and 3 tablespoons of powdered sugar until stiff peaks form.
Step 3: Add Remaining Cheesecake Batter Ingredients Except for Gelatin
Add vanilla extract and cream cheese to the whipped cream and blend until smooth and fluffy. Then, add sugar and Torani white chocolate syrup and mix until smooth.
Step 4: Add Gelatin
Add 1/3 cup of water to a small dish and sprinkle the unflavored gelatin over it. Let the gelatin bloom for about 3 minutes or until all the gelatin has been absorbed in the water. Then, stir it into the cheesecake batter, blending well.
Step 5: Divide the Cheesecake Batter
Divide the batter equally into two bowls, adding aqua gel food coloring to one bowl and lime green gel food coloring to the other bowl. Add several drops to each and then adjust to your desired level of color intensity.
Step 6: Construct the Layered Cheesecake
Remove the springform pan from the freezer and pour the aqua cheesecake batter into the pan. Place the pan back in the freezer for about 3 hours or until firm. Chill the lime green batter in the refrigerator while the first layer is in the freezer.
After 3 hours, check the cheesecake in the freezer. If it’s firm to the touch, pour the lime green cheesecake batter over the top of it and place the pan in the freezer overnight.
Step 7: Make the Frosting
Cream softened butter and cream cheese together until light and fluffy using a stand mixer. Then, add vanilla and heavy cream and mix again. Finally, add powdered sugar one cup at a time, blending on low speed and scraping the bowl down between each addition, until all the powdered sugar is added and the frosting is smooth.
Step 8: Color the Frosting
Divide the frosting equally into three bowls. In one bowl, add hot pink gel food coloring until you get the desired color intensity. Repeat this step using purple gel food coloring in another bowl and yellow gel food coloring in the third bowl.
Step 9: Create the Swirled Frosting
Lay out a 10-inch wide piece of plastic wrap and place each frosting color side by side lengthwise down the plastic wrap strip. It should look like 3 long ribbons of frosting. Next, wrap the plastic wrap around the frosting, making sure to keep it long.
Snip the end off of one end and twist the other end closed, then place the plastic wrap tube in a pastry bag with a large star tip.
Step 10: Decorate the Cheesecake
Pipe the frosting around the edges of the cheesecake using a swirling motion. Leave big dollops on the cheesecake, pulling the bag up to bring each dollop to a point. Then, place a generous amount of Easter M&Ms in the middle of the cheesecake and sprinkle more onto the frosting.
Place the cheesecake back into the freezer until ready to serve. When ready to serve, remove the springform from the pan and slice the cheesecake into 2-inch pieces.
Hint: Be sure your butter and cream cheese are fully softened to ensure the frosting mixes correctly.
PIN IT!!
Equipment
You’ll only need a few basic pieces of kitchen equipment to make this recipe.
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Stand or hand mixer
- Mixing bowl
- Small bowls for the frosting
- Medium bowls for the cheesecake batter
- Sprinform pan
- Plastic wrap
- Pastry bag
Storage
This delicious M&M cheesecake will last for about a month in the freezer. Be sure to wrap it tightly in cling wrap and again in foil when storing.
Tips
We have a few tips here to help ensure you make the tastiest, prettiest Easter M&M cheesecake recipe you possibly can. These are all very helpful tips so don’t skip them.
Fully Softened Cream Cheese and Butter – Fully softening your cream cheese and butter is vital to the smooth, creamy frosting.
Whip it Good – Ensure that you whip your cream until you get stiff peaks for the best texture. Stiff peaks don’t move and come to a point when you pull the mixer away.
Handle with Care – When wrapping your frosting in the cling wrap, use a light touch so the cling wrap remains in a long tube and your frosting doesn’t get smooshed together.
More Cheesecake Recipes
If you love cheesecake as much as we do, we have some recipes we think you’ll really enjoy.
Easter M&M Cheesecake Recipe FAQ
If you have questions about this Easter M&M cheesecake recipe, then read on. The following FAQ answers the most commonly asked questions about this recipe.
Is it necessary to use gelatin for cheesecake?
Some no-bake cheesecakes like this one are set with gelatine. This gives them a mousse-like texture.
What is the purpose of whipping cream in cheesecake?
Adding whipping cream to cheesecake softens the texture of the cheese and adds moisture.
Is no-bake cheesecake better than baked cheesecake?
No. Both types are absolutely delicious. They’re just different. No-bake cheesecakes are softer and have a mousse-like texture, whereas baked cheesecakes are denser.
How long is this cheesecake good?
It will last for about a month in the freezer.
How do you freeze no-bake cheesecake?
Wrap it tightly in cling wrap and then again in foil.
Try This Easter M&M Cheesecake Recipe
This Easter M&M cheesecake recipe is one of our favorite recipes to make for the Easter season, and after you give it a try, we think it will be one of your favorites, as well. A few simple steps are all it takes to make a delicious, colorful cheesecake that everyone will love.
MORE RECIPES YOU WILL LOVE:
M&M Easter Cookies
Easter Hot Cocoa Bombs
Easter Cookie Bars
Easter M&M Cheesecake
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 1/2 of Sugar Cookie mix – I used Betty Crocker (Follow package directions)
For the Cheesecake:
- 5 Packages Cream Cheese – 8 ounces – softened
- 1/4 cup Torani White Chocolate Syrup
- 3 cups Heavy Cream – Whipped
- 3 heaping Tablespoons Powdered Sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 1/2 cups Granulated Sugar
- 2 envelopes Unflavored Gelatin – bloomed in water – see instructions
- Aqua – Lime Green – Gel Food Coloring
- Easter M&M's
For the Frosting:
- 4 ounces Cream Cheese
- 4 Tablespoons Butter
- 1/4 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 Tablespoon Heavy Cream
- 3 to 4 cups Powdered Sugar
- Hot Pink – Purple – Yellow – Gel Food Coloring
Instructions
- In a medium sized bowl, mix half of a Sugar Cookie Mix, following the package directions.
- Line the Bottom of a 9 inch Spring-form pan with Parchment paper, and press the Sugar Cookie Mix into the bottom of the pan, evenly, smoothing the dough with a spoon. Place the pan in the Oven and bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until cookie dough is completely done, and browned on the top and edges. Remove from oven, and gently press the dough down evenly on top with the bottom of a smooth glass. Set pan in the Freezer to cool quickly.
- In the mixing bowl of a stand mixer, place the Heavy Cream, 3 Tablespoons of Powdered Sugar, and whip with the Whisk attachment until stiff peaks form, and the Cream is whipped. Add the Vanilla and the Cream Cheese, and blend until smooth and fluffy. Add the Sugar, and Torani White Chocolate Syrup, and mix until smooth.
- In a small dish, add 1/3 cup of water, and sprinkle the Unflavored Gelatin over the water, and let the Gelatin 'bloom' for about 3 minutes, or until the gelatin has absorbed the water. Stir the Gelatin to mix, and add the Gelatin to the mixer. Blend well to make sure Gelatin is blended into the Cheesecake batter.
- Divide the Cheesecake batter in half, and place several drops of Aqua Food Coloring Gel in one half of the batter, and stir well to mix. Remove the spring-form pan from the Freezer, and pour the Aqua Cheesecake Batter into the pan on top of the Sugar Cookie Crust. Place the pan back in the Freezer until firm, about 3 hours.
- In the remaining half of the Cheesecake Batter, add the Lime Green Food Coloring Gel several drops at a time until you get the desired color. Place the Lime Green Cheesecake Batter in the refrigerator until it's time to pour into the pan. When the Aqua Cheesecake is set, or firm to the touch, remove the pan, and pour the Lime Green Cheesecake Batter into the pan, on top of the Aqua layer, and place the pan back in the Freezer, over night.
For the Frosting:
- In the mixing bowl, add the Softened Butter, and Softened Cream Cheese, and mix with the whisk attachment until creamy and fluffy. Add the Vanilla and Heavy Cream, and mix.
- Add the Powdered Sugar, one cup at a time, blending on low speed, and scraping the bowl down as needed, until all powdered sugar is added, and the frosting is completely mixed and smooth.
- Divide the Frosting into three equal bowls, and in one bowl, add several drops of the Hot Pink Food Coloring Gel, until you get a bright pink color. Repeat with the Purple, and Yellow Food Coloring Gel in the remaining two bowls.
- Using Plastic wrap (Glad Wrap) tear off a piece about 10 inches wide, and place the Frosting length-wise, side by side, in the middle of the plastic wrap. It will look like long ribbons of Frosting. Then, roll the plastic wrap around the Frosting, making sure to keep it long, or length-wise like a long ribbon. Snip the end off of the Plastic wrap, on one end only, and twist the other end closed.
- Place the plastic wrap in a pastry bag with the Large Star Tip. Pipe the Frosting onto the edges of the Cheesecake, using a swirling, motion, leaving big dollops on the cheesecake, and bring it up to a point. Place the Easter/Pastel M&M's generously in the middle of the Cheesecake, and on to each dollop of Frosting on top of the cheesecake.
- Place the cheesecake back in the Freezer until time to serve. When ready to serve, remove the Spring-form from the pan, and slice the Cheesecake into 2 inch pieces. Serve, and Enjoy!
