I’m here to show you just how easy it is to make classic, decadent cheesecake from scratch using your Instant Pot. This recipe is not as simple as the “no-bake” versions, but let’s face it, they lack that depth and richness of a baked cake…or even better, a perfectly steamed one.
Overly Complicated Recipes Online Will Convince You That Making Cheesecake Is A Delicate Science…I Disagree!
I remember my first cheesecake, the first that I know of, I was 18 and spending the day in New York City with friends. We spent the day being typical tourists, although we had done this many times before. Fortunately for us, my Aunt and Uncle lived right outside the area which made these little trips more convenient. On this particular day we happened upon the famous Junior’s Cheesecake Restaurant; I should preface that we could smell this shop from three blocks away. Now for any of you who are familiar with downtown Manhattan, in the late summer, you understand just how magically potent a smell must be to overpower the permeating mix of brake lines and boiling sewage. For us, that smell was Junior’s Cheesecake. This promising trail led our noses straight to the little storefront with quaint bistro tables lining the sidewalk in front of it. In that moment, it was as if we had teleported from the bustling streets of NYC to a little side road in France. Prior to that day, I had never been interested in cheesecake, pastries, or desserts in general – I’m that rare breed that doesn’t even like chocolate… to this day. However, that amazing sweet cream smell mixed with the cold blast of air, coming from each opening of the door as we approached, was enough for me to give it a try. After literally two or three bites I was stuffed but so pleasantly surprised with how amazing this dessert was. What flavor did I get? Plain! Ha ha ha. Let’s face it, trying a dessert in and of itself was a huge feat for me, never mind adding more sweet toppings to the mix and completely overcomplicating it. From that day on holidays were not complete without a cheesecake front and center on the dessert table.
With the incredible versatility and endless variations of cheesecake, it’s no wonder why it’s a year-round dessert… 4th of July included.
The 2016 cheesecake recipe update: Instant Pot! There was no looking back once I purchased my Instant Pot.
Look at how perfectly steamed the cake is, using the Instant Pot. Overly complicated recipes online will convince you that cheesecake is a delicate science …I disagree.
The MVP tools that I count on for this cheesecake.
(Amazon Affiliate Links)
Food processor: all the prep work takes place in my food processor. This streamlines the whole recipe and cuts down on the cleanup! https://amzn.to/368Ayky
Instant Pot Pressure Cooker: https://amzn.to/3xgIbBe
Instant Pot Springform Pan – cant make it without one! Well, ok, maybe you can but it would take an Olympic level flip-flopping to get it out of the pan and upright. As a retired gymnast, trust me when I say…just buy the springform pan. Find it here: https://amzn.to/3hoVRDu
The Recipe Steps:
My foolproof recipe uses 2 pieces of equipment: a Food Processor and an Instant Pot. The food processor is used for more than just grinding up the crackers- I give it a quick rinse and complete the entire cream cheese batter in the processor as well! The advantage is that it never over mixes and yields a consistently perfect cheesecake. I don’t recommend using a big stand mixer for this, it tends to make the batter more temperamental.
- Grind the graham crackers + 1 tsp of brown sugar into fine sand. Drizzle melted butter and pulse until combined and sand becomes moldable.
- Press ground cracker mixture into a *well-greased* springform pan.
- Rinse out any leftover crumbs in the processor and blend together the *room temperature* cream cheese and sugar.
- When it’s super smooth and creamy, add the eggs. Pulse a few times until just combined.
- Add flour, cornstarch, vanilla extract, and salt. Pulse for about 15-30 seconds.
- Pour the batter over the crust and place the pan on the trivet in your Instant Pot. (1.5 cups of water in the bottom of the pot/under the trivet)
- Do not cover the cheesecake, just pop on the IP lid and cook!
Instant Pot Cheesecake
Description
Perfectly steamed, fool proof recipe for cheesecake using your pressure cooker!
Ingredients
1–1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs (around 10 cracker sheets)
5 tablespoons melted butter (salted). Add a pinch of salt if using unsalted butter
1 tablespoon brown sugar
16 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
2 large eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup sour cream, room temperature
1.5 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Grind the graham crackers + brown sugar into sand-like consistency. Drizzle melted butter and pulse until combined and mixture becomes moldable.
- Press ground cracker mixture into a *well-greased* springform pan.
- Rinse out any leftover crumbs in the processor and blend together the *room temperature* cream cheese and sugar.
- When it’s super smooth and creamy, add the eggs and sour cream. Pulse a few times until just combined.
- Add flour, vanilla extract, and salt. Pulse for about 5 seconds.
- Pour the batter over the crust and place the pan on the trivet in your Instant Pot. (1.5 cups of water in the bottom of the pot/under the trivet)
- Do not cover the cheesecake, just pop on the IP lid and cook!
- Cook on Manual High Pressure for 25 minutes.
- Allow a full natural pressure release
- Set aside to cool on the counter for about 15 minutes, then cover and refrigerate 1+ hours until ready to serve. Top with fruit, cherry preserves or leave it plain and enjoy 🙂
2 thoughts on “Instant Pot Cheesecake”
How much sour cream for this recipe, it’s left out of the ingredients list?
Thank you for catching that typo! The recipe card has been updated – this cheesecake requires 1/3 cup sour cream.
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