This Instant Pot Cheesecake is a no-fail, ultra-creamy cheesecake that is luscious and smooth!
The perfect amount of sweetness that pairs well with all summer fruit!
A classic vanilla cheesecake is a recipe we all need on hand, and this Instant Pot Cheesecake is perfect for those who love their pressure cookers! Serve it with Strawberry Sauce or easy Caramel Sauce for a special treat!
Why Make Cheesecake in the Instant Pot?
I’ll admit when I first got my Instant Pot I wasn’t one of the ones rushing to make a cheesecake.
I’ve always thought of it as a slow cooker, just really fast, so I started with large cuts of meats, soups, and stews and didn’t venture much into desserts. Now I’m disappointed I didn’t start sooner!
The Instant Pot (or electric pressure cooker) is one of the best tools for cooking a “baked” cheesecake because of the moist environment.
Rather than fiddling with water baths in the oven, we can just rest our cheesecake pan on the trivet of our Instant Pot and let the steam work its magic.
The result? A smooth, incredibly creamy cheesecake that is nearly foolproof.
But just in case, be sure to see my tips for the best results below!
Variations on this Instant Pot Cheesecake
I highly recommend perfecting a basic vanilla cheesecake before improvising and adding things, because cooking with the Instant Pot takes a little more practice than just throwing something in the oven.
Here are a few ways to jazz up Instant Pot Cheesecake without changing the recipe too much:
- Serve with different toppings: fresh berries, lemon curd, chocolate sauce, whipped cream, or arrange colorful layers of a variety of fruit on top for a fruit tart inspired cheesecake.
- Stir in the lemon zest from one or two lemons for a fresh citrus spin.
- Swap out the graham crumbs for another flavor: chocolate baking crumbs, gingersnaps, or any hard cookie from the grocery store.
- Stir in crushed Oreo cookies for a simple Oreo cheesecake spin. Avoid adding too much or it will affect the height and cook time of the cheesecake.
How to Make Instant Pot Cheesecake – Tips for Best Results!
CRUST: I prefer to bake the crust (yes this means turning on the oven when we aren’t baking a cheesecake) because it really helps the crust to firm up and stay crispy. You can skip this step if you must, but I don’t recommend it.
INGREDIENTS: Start with room temperature ingredients. This is key in every cheesecake because cold cream cheese will make a lumpy cheesecake.
MIXING: Don’t overmix, as it would add too much air to the batter. Air bubbles in cheesecake — especially under pressure! — can do funny things while cooking.
EQUIPMENT: Use a fresh sealing ring. Find inexpensive replacement sealing rings for the Instant Pot online. It’s worth it if you intend to stray from cooking meat or savory dishes. The silicone rings hold on to odors, so for a sweet cheesecake with no hint of pot roast or chicken tacos, best to use a fresh sealing ring for all dessert recipes.
More Cheesecake Recipes You’ll Love!
- Blueberry Cheesecake – for those summer blueberries!
- Easy Cheesecake Recipe – a blank canvas for all the summer fruit!
- Oreo No Bake Cheesecake – an easy dessert for warm days.
- Easy Cheesecake Bites – perfect for a party!
- No Bake Chocolate Cheesecake – an easy dessert for chocolate lovers.
Did you love this Instant Pot Cheesecake Recipe? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
Instant Pot Cheesecake
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
- ¼ cup melted butter
- 16 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt (plain)
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups water for Instant Pot
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a medium bowl, stir together graham crumbs and butter. Press into the bottom and about 1" up the sides of a 7" springform pan or push pan.
- Bake crust for 10 minutes, or until dry. Set aside to cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth.
- Add sugar and beat on low speed until smooth. Using low speed helps to prevent adding unnecessary air bubbles to the batter.
- Add sour cream and beat on low speed just until smooth.
- Add eggs and vanilla and beat on low speed until smooth.
- Pour into prepared crust. Tap gently on the counter to bring air bubbles to the top and pop with a knife.
- Tear off a long piece of foil and fold it lengthwise to create a long narrow sling.
- Pour the water into the Instant Pot, then place the trivet in the pot. Put the sling on top of the trivet, bending it to lay flat on the bottom and stick up the sides, as shown in the image above.
- Place pan on top of the sling, and fold the ends of the sling over top the pan.
- Put the lid on, turn the valve to sealing, and select Pressure Cook for 32 minutes. It will take about 10 minutes to build pressure.
- When the cook time is over, turn the Instant Pot off and allow the pressure to release naturally before opening the valve and removing the lid.
- Remove the pan from the Instant Pot using the sling. Set on a wire rack to cool to room temperature before refrigerating for 8 hours or overnight.
- Slice and serve.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Dessert
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My Instant Pot has a low and a high setting. Which setting would you recommend? This will be the first time I will make a dessert in my instant pot. Fortunately it came with an extra sealing ring.
Hi Clasina, you will typically use a high setting unless otherwise stated in the recipe. I hope this helps!
I wonder if i can use a regular old made pressure cooker
We have only made this recipe in an Instant Pot but we would love to hear how it turns out for you in a regular pressure cooker.
I never leave a food review, but just had to comment that I am very impressed with the details of your recipe. Specifically, I never would have known to switch out the sealing ring between savory and sweet dishes! That made a huge difference since my other ring always has a “meaty” odor that would have definitely changed the flavor of the cheesecake had I not switched it out. Thank you for that information! This was my first cheesecake ever and this recipe was super simple to make the perfect cheesecake. I made an instant pot strawberry sauce as well which turned out delicious. My family absolutely loved it and they are quite picky about their cheesecakes! Thank you!
I’m so glad your famiyl loved this recipe Kami! Thank you so much for coming back and leaving a review.