21 Rainbow Desserts That’ll Light Up Any Celebration

Rainbow desserts are perfect for birthdays, pride celebrations, or anytime you want to add some fun color to your table. These treats are all about making people smile – the bright colors automatically put everyone in a good mood. Most of these use gel food coloring which gives better, brighter colors than liquid food coloring. These 21 recipes range from simple to show-stopping, so there’s something for every skill level and occasion.

Rainbow Layer Cake with Vanilla Buttercream

This is the classic rainbow cake that never fails to impress. Each layer is a different color of the rainbow, and when you slice it everyone goes “wow!” The trick is dividing your batter into 6 bowls and coloring each one. The vanilla buttercream keeps it from being too sweet since the colored layers already have lots of sugar. This takes some time to make all the layers but it’s so worth it for the reaction you get. Perfect centerpiece for any celebration. Get your recipe here.

Rainbow Funfetti Cupcakes

These are way easier than the layer cake but still super colorful. You can make rainbow batter or regular vanilla with lots of rainbow sprinkles mixed in. Some recipes do both colored batter AND sprinkles which is total overkill but kids love it. The frosting can be white or you can make it rainbow too by putting different colored frosting in a piping bag. These are perfect for kid’s parties since they’re individual portions and easy to eat. Get your recipe here.

Rainbow Macarons

These are definitely the fanciest option on the list. Macarons are tricky to make but when you get them right they look amazing. You make different colored shells and can fill them with different flavored buttercreams or ganaches. The colors need to be pretty saturated to show up well on the shells. These are more of a special occasion dessert since they take practice and patience. But if you can pull them off, people will think you’re a baking genius. Get your recipe here.

Tie-Dye Rainbow Cheesecake

This looks so cool when you cut into it – like a tie-dye shirt but in cheesecake form. You drop different colored cheesecake batter onto the crust and swirl it with a knife. Each slice looks completely different which is part of the fun. Some recipes do this with no-bake cheesecake which is easier than baked. The hardest part is not overmixing the colors or they’ll turn muddy. This is impressive but not as hard as it looks. Get your recipe here.

Rainbow Jello Parfait

This is probably the easiest rainbow dessert to make. You just layer different colored jello in clear glasses, letting each layer set before adding the next one. It takes time because of all the chilling but there’s not much actual work. Some recipes add whipped cream between layers which makes it creamier. These look really pretty in individual glasses and are perfect for summer since jello is so refreshing. Great for kids to help make since there’s no actual cooking. Get your recipe here.

Rainbow Sugar Cookies

These can be made a couple different ways – either with rainbow colored dough that gets swirled together, or regular sugar cookies decorated with rainbow icing. The swirled dough method is easier but the decorated ones look more professional. Either way, gel food coloring is essential for bright colors. These are great for cookie exchanges or when you need something that travels well. Kids love decorating these if you go the icing route. Get your recipe here.

Rainbow Sherbet Ice Cream Cake

This uses store-bought rainbow sherbet so it’s not much work but looks impressive. You line a pan with one flavor of sherbet, freeze it, add another layer, and repeat. Some recipes include cake layers between the sherbet which makes it more substantial. The hardest part is working fast so the sherbet doesn’t melt while you’re assembling. This is perfect for summer birthdays since it’s refreshing and colorful. Way easier than making ice cream from scratch. Get your recipe here.

Rainbow Fruit Tart

This uses natural colors from different fruits arranged in rainbow order on a tart crust with pastry cream. Think strawberries for red, oranges for orange, pineapple for yellow, kiwi for green, blueberries for blue, and grapes for purple. It’s healthier than most rainbow desserts since it’s mostly fruit. The pastry cream can be flavored with vanilla or lemon. This looks really elegant and sophisticated compared to some of the more kiddie rainbow desserts. Get your recipe here.

Rainbow Ombre Cake Pops

These are like regular cake pops but each one is a different shade going from light to dark of rainbow colors. You dip them in colored candy melts or white chocolate that’s been tinted. The trick is getting smooth, even coating which takes practice. These are cute for parties since everyone gets their own little rainbow. They’re more work than regular cake pops because of all the different colors but worth it for special occasions. Get your recipe here.

Rainbow Swirl Meringues

These are lighter than most rainbow desserts since meringues are basically just egg whites and sugar. You color portions of the meringue and either swirl them together or pipe them in rainbow stripes. They’re crispy and sweet and look really pretty. The hard part is getting the meringue consistency right – it needs to hold stiff peaks. These are naturally gluten-free which is nice for people with dietary restrictions. They look fancy but are actually pretty simple ingredients. Get your recipe here.

VRainbow Bagels with Cream Cheese

These became Instagram famous a few years ago. The dough gets colored and twisted together to make rainbow swirls throughout the bagel. They taste like regular bagels but look amazing. Some recipes just color the outside which is easier but not as impressive when you slice them. The cream cheese can be plain or you can make that rainbow too. These are more novelty than practical but so fun for special breakfasts or brunches. Get your recipe here.

Rainbow Pancakes

These are regular pancakes but you color the batter and either make each pancake a different color or swirl colors in each pancake. Kids go absolutely crazy for these. Some recipes make a huge stack with each pancake a different rainbow color. The key is keeping the batter from getting too thick when you add the food coloring. These are perfect for birthday breakfasts or lazy weekend mornings when you want to do something special. Get your recipe here.

Rainbow Donuts with Glaze

You can make these from scratch or use store-bought donuts and just do rainbow glazes. The homemade route gives you more control over colors but takes way more time. Each donut gets dipped in a different colored glaze. Some recipes do rainbow sprinkles on top too which is total sugar overload but looks amazing. These are great for office parties or anytime you want something that looks impressive but doesn’t require plates and forks. Get your recipe here.

Rainbow Smoothie Bowl

This is probably the healthiest rainbow dessert option. You make different colored smoothie layers using natural ingredients like strawberries, mango, spinach (for green), and blueberries. Each layer goes in the bowl one at a time to create rainbow stripes. Then you top with colorful fruits, granola, or coconut. The trick is making each layer thick enough that they don’t blend together. Perfect for Instagram and actually nutritious too. Get your recipe here.

Rainbow Popsicles

These are great for summer and you can make them as healthy or sugary as you want. Some recipes use fruit juices, others use flavored syrups or kool-aid. You freeze each layer before adding the next color. The clear popsicle molds work best for showing off the rainbow effect. These are perfect for pool parties or just cooling off on hot days. Kids love helping pour the different layers even though it takes forever with all the freezing time. Get your recipe here.

Rainbow Candy Bark

This is super easy – you just melt white chocolate, divide it up, color each portion, and pour it onto a pan in rainbow stripes. Then you can add sprinkles, crushed cookies, or other toppings while it’s still soft. Once it hardens you break it into pieces. This is great for gift-giving since it keeps well and looks fancy in a clear bag with a ribbon. My kids love making this because there’s no real technique required and they can go crazy with toppings. Get your recipe here.

Rainbow Unicorn Bark

This is similar to regular rainbow bark but with more magical additions like edible glitter, gold stars, or unicorn horn candies. It’s basically candy bark but taken to the next level with all the sparkly decorations. This became super popular when unicorns were having their moment. It’s more about the visual effect than the flavor since white chocolate can only taste so many ways. Perfect for unicorn-themed parties or when you want something that photographs well. Get your recipe here.

Rainbow Layered Trifle

This uses different colored cake layers, puddings, or whipped creams layered in a clear bowl so you can see all the rainbow stripes. Each layer can be a different flavor too which makes it more interesting to eat. The clear bowl or individual glasses are essential for showing off the effect. This is impressive looking but actually pretty easy since you’re just layering prepared components. Great for feeding a crowd since you can make a huge trifle. Get your recipe here.

Rainbow Sprinkle Cookies

These are basically sugar cookies rolled in rainbow sprinkles before baking. The sprinkles stick to the dough and create a colorful crust. Some recipes mix the sprinkles into the dough too for even more color. These are probably the easiest rainbow cookies to make since you don’t need to mess with coloring dough or icing. The sprinkles do most of the work for you. Perfect when you want rainbow cookies but don’t have time for fancy decorating. Get your recipe here.

Rainbow Fudge Squares

You make layers of different colored fudge and stack them up, then cut into squares so each piece has rainbow stripes. The key is letting each layer set before adding the next one or they’ll blend together. This takes patience because of all the waiting between layers. But the end result looks really professional and tastes good too since fudge is always a crowd pleaser. These keep well and make good gifts. Get your recipe here.

Rainbow Birthday Cake Truffles

These taste like birthday cake but in truffle form. You crumble up rainbow cake (or vanilla cake with rainbow sprinkles), mix it with frosting, roll into balls, and dip in colored candy melts. Each truffle can be a different rainbow color. Some recipes roll them in more sprinkles before the coating sets. These are rich and sweet and perfect for parties since they’re bite-sized. They look really fancy but are actually just cake scraps held together with frosting and covered in chocolate. Get your recipe here.