Instant Pot Cheesecake

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I have always avoided making baked cheesecakes; being too worried about cracking, or somehow producing some sort of cream cheese soup. Once I found out that you could make Instant Pot cheesecake, however, I knew that I had to experiment with it.

Well let me tell you, this was an incredibly easy, essentially fool-proof, cheesecake, that tastes as good (maybe even better) than it looks. There are a couple kitchen gadgets that you will need to make it. The first is, obviously, an Instant Pot/pressure cooker, and the second is a 7 Inch Springform Pan which fits in the 6 quart model. You can also buy these as part of a set of accessories, if there are multiple items you are looking for.

One of the secrets to making perfect cheesecake is to have your cream cheese and eggs at room temperature. If you just got home from the grocery store, and can’t wait any longer to make your cheesecake, there is a shortcut that you can use.

Fill a large bowl with warm water, unwrap your cream cheese blocks, place them in a resealable bag, and place the bag into the warm water. I find that weighing them down with something helps make sure they soften quickly. Leave them for ten minutes, and you should have soft cream cheese ready to go. I also use a similar method to bring my eggs to room temperature quickly; just place the eggs in the water for about five minutes.

Making the Crust

While the cream cheese is softening, melt the butter (I microwave approx 30 seconds), then mix into the Graham cracker crumbs until you have a wet sand-like colour and texture.

Press the mixture into the bottom of your springform pan, I usually spray with coconut oil cooking spray first, but you could also use parchment paper. Press down firmly, going no more than 1 inch up the sides. You can use a flat bottom glass to press it down evenly. Place the crust in the freezer for 10-15 minutes while you make the filling.

Making the Filling

Beat the softened cream cheese with a hand or stand mixer. Mix in the greek yogurt/sour cream, sugar, and flour, and beat until light and fluffy.

Next, mix the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla. If you have vanilla beans, vanilla bean paste, or vanilla bean powder, feel free to use that instead of vanilla extract. My SO brought me back a bottle of Mexican vanilla from Cancun, and it is AMAZING! I have been finding excuses to put it in everything.

To give the cheese cake an added layer of flavour, I added the zest of one lemon, and about a Tbsp of lemon juice.

Assembly and Cooking

Pour filling into chilled crust. Tap pan gently on counter to bring any air bubbles to the surface, and use a fork to pop. I suggest covering the pan with foil to prevent water pooling on the surface of your cheesecake.

Put 1 1/2 cups of water into the bottom of the Instant Pot. I am currently using the trivet that came with my IP, but I am planning on getting one of these silicone bakeware slings.

Gently lower the cheesecake into the Instant Pot. Put the lid on, turn the knob to Sealing, and set on High Pressure for 40 minutes.  When the time is up, naturally pressure release for at least 10 minutes before switching the knob to Venting.

Uncover cheesecake and allow to cool to room temperature.

Once cooled, run a knife around the edge of the springform pan, and then re-cover. Place in the fridge to chill for a minimum of 4 hours, but you could also leave it overnight.

Top your Instant Pot Cheesecake with whatever you would like; I chose raspberry pie filling to compliment the lemon flavours.

Enjoy!

Want more cheesecake? Check out my Chocolate Cheesecake with Cherry Compote recipe.