Sugar cookies and cheesecake, a Simple Easter Sugar Cookie Cheesecake for y’all.
After creating the Simple Christmas Sugar Cookie Cheesecake for Christmas, I knew I had to do an Easter version. This Simple Easter Sugar Cookie Cheesecake adds an Easter twist on the Christmas version. Pink cheesecake filling and bunny sugar cookies for the crust, and I can’t forget to add the Peeps added to the top. Perfect for an Easter brunch.
Pink Cheesecake, why not?
I wanted to add a fun color to this cheesecake in celebration of spring and Easter. This pink color is perfect with the Pillsbury bunny sugar cookies, but of course you can opt for the plain white cheesecake. Make sure to use a gel food coloring so that the color is more saturated and it doesn’t taste like food coloring.
No sugar cookie drama.
When my Simple Christmas Sugar Cookie Cheesecake reel went live back in December, it got a lot of feedback. Some good and some not so good. I have never heard so many complaints about using these sugar cookies as a crust option. I honestly find this crust idea not only simple, but also a lot of fun. Even if you can see the design on the cookies, you know it is there. My kids loved knowing these cookies were there. You know what, I did too!
If these sugar cookies aren’t your favorite, then you can opt for an original graham cookie crust or for another cookie you like. Just make those simple changes and enjoy this Simple Easter Sugar Cookie Cheesecake.
Most cheesecake crusts are made out of some sort of cookie crumb base. In the case of this sugar cookie cheesecake, we use cookies for the crust. Yep! Ready to Bake Bunny Cookie dough rounds are arranged into the bottom of the springform pan and along the sides. Then baked to the point where they are spreading before adding the cheesecake batter on top (about 8 minutes). The key when using fresh cookies for the crust is that you don’t want to over bake them since they will be cooking some more while the cheesecake is baking.
As I have said it before, baking a cheesecake really isn’t that bad.
Like macarons, cheesecake can get a bad rep when it comes to the technicality of it all. It really isn’t all that bad either. This Simple Easter Sugar Cookie Cheesecake takes care of the fear of a cracked cheesecake top. That’s what we usually worry about when baking a cheesecake, right? Well, you cover this top with sprinkles. So, there is that! If you want to add whipping cream dollops around the edges, you can most definitely do that as well!
This recipe used a water bath. This water bath version is not the one where you place the springform pan-bottom wrapped in aluminum foil, into a large roasting pan that contains about 1″ of water. I knew I wasn’t going to panic about any cracks in the top of my cheesecake. Instead, I placed a large roasting pan filled with about 2″ of boiling water on the very bottom rack of my oven, underneath my cheesecake.
The water will still create a humid and steamy environment, which is perfect for keeping the eggs in the cheesecake for creating too much air, aka cracks.
THE HARDEST PART OF THIS RECIPE: WAITING.
I know I have said this before, some of the hardest parts about my favorite recipes is the waiting process. Ugh! My patience already isn’t the best. Then you add the fact that I am ready to devour this cheesecake. Yep, all my patience is non-existent.
You must wait for this cheesecake to completely set before removing it from the springform pan. You will notice that when you turn the oven off after it has been baking for about 55 minutes, the outside of the cheesecake is set, but the middle portion still looks a little jiggly. This is because the cheesecake will finish setting as it cools.
The worst mistake (besides over cooking it) would be to try and take it from the springform pan before it has finished setting. Think of it as a cheesecake catastrophe with no defined shape.
Adding that last touch: Peeps!
I know there are 2 groups of people when it comes to Peeps. You either love them or you hate them. Similar to how people feel about candy corn. For me, I am a fan of Peeps and all their different flavors. The perfect Easter touch for this pink cheesecake is to add those blue bunny Peeps! Just omit if you aren’t a fan: that simple 😉
Simple Easter Sugar Cookie Cheesecake
Combination of two favorites: sugar cookies and cheesecake. This Simple Easter Sugar Cookie Cheesecake uses Bunny sugar cookies for the crust plus it has a fun pink color, perfect for spring.
Ingredients
- 4 (8oz) packages of cream cheese, softened at room temperature
- 1 cup of granulated sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
- 3 packages of Ready to Bake Sugar Cookies (24 cookies/pack): Bunny
- Few drop of gel pink food coloring
- bunny Peeps!
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325
- Prep a 9" springform pan by lightly spraying it with cooking spray and adding a circle parchment paper; set aside.
- Prepare the crust: add one of the packages of cookies to the springform pan, only lining the very outside of the inner pan. Then work inward with the othe package of cookies. Make sure these cookie dough rounds are completely touching each other. Then add them sugar cookies around the sides. (Note: you will have a few cookies left over from the packs.) You want them to seal together as they bake.
- Bake the cookies for about 8 minutes, or until the cookies have spread and filled all the spots. You don't want to over cook these!
- Remove from oven and allow to cool for about 5 minutes.
- While the sugar cookie crust is baking, make the cheesecake. In a large mixing bowl, add the completely softened cream cheese and beat until all is creamy.
- Next, add the sugar, vanilla and almond extract. Mix some more until all is combined. Add the pink food coloring.
- Now, add 1 egg at a time, mixing slightly in between each addition. After you have added all eggs, stop mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Mix for another 30 seconds-1 minute (when all the yellow of the egg yolk is incorporated). You don't want to over mix the eggs and create air pockets. This will give way to more cracks in your crust.
- Pour the cheesecake batter on top of the sugar cookie crust.
- Before placing in the oven, add a large roasting pan filled with 2" of boiling water to the very middle, bottom rack. Now put the cheesecake in on the middle rack (don't want it too close to the top of the oven).
- Bake for about 55 minutes, or until you notice the outer edge of the cheesecake is set and the middle portion is still a little jiggly.
- Turn off oven and crack the oven door. Allow the cheesecake to fully cool in the oven for 1 hour. Then remove from oven and place in the refrigerator for at least another 4 hours. I waited until the next day to remove it from the springform pan.
- Once the cheesecake has completely cooled and has set during the alloted time, gently remove it from the springform pan.
- Decorate with bunny Peeps!
- Store in refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Hopping along to the Spring and Easter!
I love it when I have a recipe that I know I can go to when needed. This Simple Easter Sugar Cookie Cheesecake is one that I truly enjoy and one that I can count on. I can always switch out the crust as needed. Have you tried these sugar cookie crust cheesecakes yet?
More cheesecake recipes: Apple Pie Stuffed Cheesecake ; Peeps Mini Cheesecake Bites ; Simple Creme Brûlée Cheesecake Bites
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