Creamy air fryer cheesecake is so decadent and flavorful you won’t want to share it! Top it with whipped cream, cherry pie filling, or caramel for a dessert to impress your family.
Combine the cracker crumbs, melted butter, and sugar in a medium bowl, and stir together until the crumbs feel like wet sand. Press the mixture firmly into the bottom of the greased pan. (Do not press up the sides.) Freeze while making the filling.
For the Filling:
Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the cream cheese in a large bowl until smooth. Add the sugar and beat until combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until each are well incorporated, stopping to scape down the sides of the bowl occasionally. Add the sour cream and vanilla, and beat just until smooth.
Pour the cheesecake filling over the frozen crust, then gently tap the pan several times on the counter to remove any large air bubbles.
Carefully place the pan in the air fryer basket.
Air fry on the Bake setting at 300°F until the center barely wobbles, about 20 minutes. If needed, continue cooking 2 minutes intervals until the cheesecake is done.
Once the cheesecake is done, turn off the air fryer, crack the air fryer basket, and let it cool for 30 minutes.
Remove the pan from the basket and cool completely on a wire rack. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours or overnight. Serve each slice with fresh fruit and whipped cream or cherry pie filling.
Use room temperature ingredients. They blend easier to form a smooth cheesecake filling. Using cold ingredients will form lumps in the cheesecake mixture.
Make your own graham cracker crumbs. I used store-bought graham cracker crumbs to save time, but you can make your own by smashing graham crackers with a rolling pin or crushing them in a food processor. Find tips and an exact method in my graham cracker crust recipe.
Don’t preheat the air fryer. For this recipe, you don't need to unless your model recommend preheating before use.
Don’t set the air fryer to too high a temperature. Higher temperatures will brown the top too much. I found that 300°F was a happy medium for the perfect texture, and in less time than cooking at lower temperatures. If you cheesecake is browning a lot early on in the cooking time, loosely cover the pan with foil.
Every air fryer is different. Brands can vary widely when it comes to heat, so keep an eye on your air fryer cheesecake. It might need more or less time than I have stated depending on which one you have.
Let the cheesecake cool in the air fryer basket first. The residual heat will help it set up more, as well as prevent cracks from forming from sudden temperature changes.
For neat slices: Use a large knife dipped in hot water to slice the cheesecake, and wipe it clean between cuts.