Pressure cooking a cheesecake might seem out there, but once you try my Instant Pot cheesecake, you may never use an oven again! There’s no water bath, and the cheesecake turns out so smooth and velvety every time.
One important tip: Invest in a trivet for your Instant Pot if it didn’t come with one! You will need a little water in the bottom of the pot to create humidity to cook the cheesecake perfectly, and a trivet keeps the bottom of the springform pan above the water so it doesn’t seep in and make the crust soggy. For more cheesecake recipes, try my cheesecake recipe, chocolate cheesecake, or no bake cheesecake.
What You Need to Make this Recipe
Crust — for the simple crust, you need graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and light brown sugar. You can make your own graham cracker crumbs by blitzing several sheets in a food processor until finely ground, or purchase a box of premade crumbs.
Cream cheese — use full-fat blocks of cream cheese (not the spreadable kind in a tub). Set it on the counter for at least an hour before you work on the cheesecake so it comes to room temperature.
Sugar — granulated sugar adds just the right amount of sweetness to the cheesecake batter.
Eggs — room temperature eggs help bind everything together. Make sure they aren’t cold, or they can cause the cream cheese to firm back up, and you’ll end up with a lumpy instead of a velvety smooth filling. I set out my eggs when I set out the cream cheese to warm up.
Sour cream — sour cream adds moisture and richness, as well as a delicious tang. If you don’t have any in your fridge, follow my recipe for homemade sour cream. Set it out at the same time as your cream cheese so it is also at room temperature.
Flour — adding a little all-purpose flour is a simple way to help prevent cracks and stabilize the cheesecake filling.
Vanilla — use good vanilla extract for the best flavor. You can even scrape a vanilla bean or use vanilla bean paste for excellent flavor and a vanilla-flecked appearance.
Salt — a pinch of salt enhances the other flavors in this Instant Pot cheesecake.
How to Make Instant Pot Cheesecake
1. Stir together the crust ingredients in a medium bowl. Add the mixture to a lightly greased 7-inch springform pan.
2. Press into an even layer using the bottom of a cup. Do not press up onto the sides. Freeze the crust while you work on the cheesecake filling.
3. Beat the cream cheese in a large bowl until smooth using an electric mixer. Add the granulated sugar and beat until incorporated.
4. Add the eggs one by one and beat.
5. Add the sour cream, flour, vanilla extract, and salt and beat until you have a smooth, creamy filling.
6. Pour the batter onto the frozen crust. Tap the pan on the counter to remove any air bubbles. Cover the pan with foil.
7. Place the trivet in the Instant pot and pour in enough water just to cover its feet (about a cup of water).
8. Make a foil sling for the cheesecake by folding a 20-inch long piece of foil in half lengthwise, and in half again. Lower the pan onto the trivet. Close the lid and seal the steam valve. Cook under high pressure for 35 minutes. Let the pressure have a natural release for 10 minutes, then quick-release any remaining steam.
Remove the cheesecake from the pot, place it on a wire rack, and uncover it. Let it cool completely. Once cooled, cover the cheesecake loosely with plastic wrap or foil and place in the fridge for at least 8 hours, up to overnight. Run a thin knife around the edge of the cheesecake, then remove the sides of the pan when ready to serve.
Why Make Cheesecake In An Instant Pot?
Using the Instant Pot to pressure cook a cheesecake is a great option to make a cheesecake without having to turn on your oven, and a virtually fool-proof method to guard against cracking. Plus, there’s no need for a water bath! The steam in the pot cooks the cheesecake evenly, and the slow release of pressure greatly reduces any risk of cracking.
The Best Tools for Making Instant Pot Cheesecake
- 6-quart Instant Pot (or larger). This size pot will leave enough space around the pan for heat and steam to circulate during cooking.
- 7-inch or 7.5-inch springform pan. This is the ideal size for a 6- to 8-quart pot. A 6” pan is too small for this recipe and an 8” pan will likely not fit in the Instant Pot with enough room to still circulate heat. You can find springform pans for Instant Pots at many stores that sell kitchen pans and accessories or online.
- Trivet or rack for the pot. A metal or silicone trivet works great. Just make sure it lifts the pan at least a ½-inch off the bottom to keep it out of the water so nothing seeps into the cheesecake.
Can I Make This Using An 8” Springform Pan?
Unfortunately, an 8-inch springform pan will not fit in the Instant Pot while leaving enough room to circulate the heat that cooks the cheesecake. A 7- or 7.5-inch pan are the best options. You can find springform pans specifically sized for Instant Pots at many stores that sell the appliance or online.
Can This Be Baked In A Regular Oven If I Don’t Have An Instant Pot?
Yes! Preheat the oven to 350°F. Follow this recipe until it’s ready to cook. Then, fill a casserole dish halfway with hot water and place it on the bottom rack of the oven before adding the cheesecake to the center rack. This creates steam and humidity for the cheesecake to cook evenly. Think of it as being a water bath twist…minus the risk of any water accidentally seeping into the crust and turning it soggy.
Bake for 10 minutes at 350°F, then reduce the oven temperature to 300F and continue baking for 25 to 30 minutes or until the center of the cheesecake wobbles slightly when gently shaken. Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake in the oven with the door closed for 1 hour. Remove the cheesecake and let it cool at room temperature for another hour, then chill it for at least 6 hours or up to 3 days.
How to Serve Instant Pot Cheesecake
While you don’t necessarily need toppings, I do think they take a cheesecake to the next level. Some of my favorites are fresh fruit, strawberry jam, cherry pie filling, salted caramel sauce, whipped cream, chocolate ganache, or lemon curd. You can also follow the topping recipe from my strawberry cheesecake for the perfect juicy berry topping!
Pro Tips for Making this Recipe
- Try a different crust. Instead of graham crackers, use different cookies like Oreos, Biscoff, or gingersnaps to change the flavor of the crust.
- Use room temperature ingredients. Cold cream cheese will give you a lumpy filling, and cold eggs don’t blend as well as room-temperature eggs. Allocate time for the cold ingredients to warm to room temperature. Trust me, it’s worth the time!
- Cover the springform pan with foil. This will give you a smooth top with no bumps or craters caused by condensation falling onto the cheesecake.
- If your trivet has handles that will pit up and around the cheesecake pan, there’s no need to make the aluminum foil sling. However, you should still wrap the pan with foil to prevent any water from seeping in.
- Use a separate sealing ring for desserts. Instant Pot sealing rings retain the smells of whatever has been cooked in it, so your cheesecake may end up having an odd savory infusion if you use the same sealing ring for everything. Many new pots come with two rings of different colors, so you can easily swap them out!
- For the neatest slices. Use a sharp, warm knife to slice the cold cheesecake. Wipe the knife off between slices.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, like regular cheesecake, you can definitely freeze Instant Pot cheesecake! Wrap it tightly in a couple of layers of plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator. You can freeze it whole or as individual servings so you can grab one or two slices when the mood strikes!
Yes, it needs to be completely cool and chilled so that it is set and firm before you remove it from the pan. If you remove it from the pan before it is refrigerated, it can collapse.
Store leftover cheesecake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Or, freeze it in a freezer-safe container or wrapped in several layers of plastic wrap for up to 3 months.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this Instant Pot cheesecake recipe, then don’t forget to rate it and let me know how you got on in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
Instant Pot Cheesecake
Equipment
- Instant Pot or pressure cooker
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 1¼ cups graham cracker crumbs (150g)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
For the Filling:
- 16 ounces cream cheese room temperature (454g)
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar (132g)
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup sour cream (120g)
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Instructions
For the Crust:
- Lightly grease a 7-inch springform pan with butter or baking spray.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the crust ingredients until the crumbs feel like wet sand. Add to the pan and press firmly into an even layer (do not press up onto the sides of the pan) using the bottom of a cup. Place the crust in the freezer while making the filling.
For the Filling:
- Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese in a large bowl until smooth. Add the sugar and beat until well combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl between each egg. Add the sour cream, flour, vanilla, and salt and beat until smooth.
- Pour the filling over the frozen crust. Gently tap the pan several times on the counter to remove any large air bubbles. Tightly cover the pan with foil.
- Place the trivet in the bottom of the Instant pot and pour in enough water just to cover the feet of the trivet (about 1 cup).
- Make a sling for the cheesecake by folding a 20-inch long piece of foil in half lengthwise, and in half again. Place the pan in the center of the sling and carefully lower the pan onto the trivet. Fold down the excess foil to ensure the lid closes properly.
- Close the lid and seal the steam valve.
- Cook under high pressure for 35 minutes. Let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes, then quick-release any remaining steam. Carefully remove the pan from the pot using the sling and place it on a wire rack. Uncover the cheesecake and cool it completely.
- Cover loosely with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight. When ready to serve, run a thin knife around the edge of the cheesecake, and remove the sides of pan. Slice with a warm knife for the cleanest cuts.
Notes
- Try a different crust. Instead of graham crackers, use different cookies like Oreos, Biscoff, or gingersnaps to change the flavor of the crust.
- Use room temperature ingredients. Cold cream cheese will give you a lumpy filling, and cold eggs don’t blend as well as room-temperature eggs. Allocate time for the cold ingredients to warm to room temperature. Trust me, it’s worth the time!
- Cover the springform pan with foil. This will give you a smooth top with no bumps or craters caused by condensation falling onto the cheesecake.
- If your trivet has handles that will pit up and around the cheesecake pan, there’s no need to make the aluminum foil sling. However, you should still wrap the pan with foil to prevent any water from seeping in.
- Use a separate sealing ring for desserts. Instant Pot sealing rings retain the smells of whatever has been cooked in it, so your cheesecake may end up having an odd savory infusion if you use the same sealing ring for everything. Many new pots come with two rings of different colors, so you can easily swap them out!
- For the neatest slices. Use a sharp, warm knife to slice the cold cheesecake. Wipe the knife off between slices.
