Instant Pot Lemon Cheesecake. Sweet and tart, and easy when you use a pressure cooker.
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Cheesecake is all about balancing contrasts. Sure, you can make a regular cake, all sugar and sweetness. I’d rather have cheesecake, its rich, sour cream cheese balancing the sweet. And, what if I include the acidity of lemon on top of that in my Instant Pot Lemon Cheesecake?
What’s that? Lots of cheesecake recipes have lemon juice in them? I knew that. Why do you think I didn’t know that? I’m moving it from bit player to the starring role, with its tart citrus flavor as the key to this recipe.
I make all my cheesecakes in my Instant Pot. I’m not much of a baker, but pressure cooker cheesecakes are my standby, ready to go whenever I need to bring a dessert. The key to this recipe is a 7-inch springform pan, to put on the rack that came with your pressure cooker. (Or you can get this fantastic silicone baking sling from Oxo, designed for pressure cooker cheesecake. If you pressure cook as many cheesecakes as I do, spring for the sling. You won’t regret it.)
Inspired by: https://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipe/051354/philadelphia-3-step-luscious-lemon-cheesecake
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Instant Pot Lemon Cheesecake
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 8 pieces 1x
Description
Instant Pot Lemon Cheesecake. Sweet, tart, and sour, this pressure cooker cheesecake is a fantastic dessert to make in the Instant Pot (or any other pressure cooker).
Ingredients
Crust
- ¾ cup graham cracker crumbs
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
Cheesecake
- 1 pound regular cream cheese, softened (2 (8-ounce) packages)
- ⅔ cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
- 1 teaspoon minced lemon zest (zest from 1 lemon)
- 2 large eggs
Topping (optional)
- Whipped topping
- Curls of lemon zest (to garnish)
Instructions
- Prepare the pan: Spray a 7-inch cheesecake pan with nonstick cooking spray. Mix the graham cracker crumbs and melted butter, then spread evenly across the bottom of the pan and pack down, pushing the crumbs up the sides a little.
- Make the cheesecake filling: Soften the cream cheese by leaving it out at room temperature for at least 1 hour. (Or soften the cream cheese in the microwave, 30 seconds to 1 minute). Beat the cream cheese in an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Slowly add the sugar and beat on medium speed until the sugar is completely blended, about 3 minutes. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides. Add the vanilla, sour cream, lemon juice, and lemon zest, and beat on low speed until completely blended, about 1 minute. Stop the mixer again and scrape down the sides. Add the eggs one at a time, beating each on low speed until just blended. (Don’t over-beat the eggs.) Pour the filling into the prepared cheesecake pan.
- Pressure cook the cheesecake for 20 minutes with a natural pressure release: Put the cooking rack in the pressure cooker pot, then pour in 2 cups of water. If your rack does not have handles, make an aluminum foil sling to lift the cheesecake: fold a 2-foot long piece of aluminum foil over a few times, until it is a long strip about 4 inches wide. Center the cheesecake pan on the sling and carefully lower it into the pot, setting it on the rack. Lock the lid on the cooker and pressure cook on high for 20 minutes in an electric PC or 16 minutes in a stovetop PC, then let the pressure come down naturally, about 20 more minutes. (If you’re in a hurry, you can quick release any pressure left in the pot after 20 minutes.)
- Cool the cheesecake, top with whipped topping, garnish, and serve: Lift the cheesecake out of the pressure cooker. Loosen the cheesecake by running a paring knife around the edge of the pan. Cool the pan at room temperature for an hour, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. Top with whipped topping and twists of lemon peel as a garnish.
Notes
I don't cover my cheesecake with foil while cooking. I used to, but I stopped when I realized how much it slows down cooking. (The center would never set.) I use a paper towel to dab at any water on top of the cheesecake after cooking.
Tools
6 quart or larger pressure cooker (I love my Instant Pot electric pressure cooker)
7-inch springform pan
Steam rack - I love this silicone baking sling by Oxo, or use the rack that came with your pressure cooker
Aluminum foil to make a sling (if you don’t have a rack with handles)
Citrus juicer (I use this lever-action, lemon yellow juicer for both limes and lemons.)
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Pressure Cooker
- Cuisine: American
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What do you think?
Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.
Related Posts
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- Instant Pot Cheesecake with Sour Cream topping
- Instant Pot Carrot Cake
- My other Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Recipes
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Cathy C says
My first Instapot cheesecake, and this was amazing!! So fluffy and flavourful and easy to make.
Mike Vrobel says
Aren't they great? I love pressure cooking cheesecake.
Debera Lepage says
Have you ever done a sour cream topping? My mom's recipe has that and we like it. Would I just add that after cooking in the IP and set the topping in the oven or the IP on bake?
Mike Vrobel says
No, I never have. If you try one, let me know how it goes.
Mike says
I couldn’t find a 7” pan in time but I found a 6” pan. Would this change the recipe dramatically or what can I do to adjust? Thank you.
Mike Vrobel says
No, it should work fine. Good luck!
Alfred Gorlick says
Mike: Does it matter if I use a baking non-stick spray (with flour)?
Mike Vrobel says
I don’t think it matters - I’ve never used a spray with flour, but I don’t think it will hurt.
Owen says
Mr. Dad Cooks Dinner,
I love this recipe and have made it three times now, including a pineapple variation. (Replace lemon juice with pineapple juice and zest with minced pineapple. Bring pineapple ingredients to a boil and cool before adding to the batter to break down the bromelain.) I plan to make more.
But I'm just cooking for me and my partner and it's a lot to eat by ourselves since we can't currently entertain. I'm thinking about cutting the batter in half or two-thirds to make a shorter cake. Do you have any recommendations for the cooking time with this? Is there really a significant risk of overcooking it at all?
Mike Vrobel says
It will mess up the timings - so, make mini cheesecakes instead: https://www.dadcooksdinner.com/instant-pot-mini-cheesecakes/ That one you can cut in half and it won’t matter.
MNslacker says
Greetings, Mike! You are the best. Thanks for the superlative instant pot cheesecake recipe. I especially love how it's barely sweet, which brings out the lemon flavor beautifully. Plus? Your directions are so straightforward. I'd rather not wade through a narrative and find directions along the way, if you know what I mean. My family thanks you for your efforts too!
Pam says
This is my first time with a cheese cake ever. It was so easy and had all the necessary items needed, thank goodness. It is in the pressure cooker now and I am praying it comes out as delicious as the batter tasted. Thank you.
Tina Howard says
Its in the refrigerator chilling. Its my first Instant Pot cheesecake and it looks great! Thank you!
Arlene says
My first cheesecake ever in the Instant Pot and I hit the jackpot! Came out perfectly. Thank you!
Mike Vrobel says
You’re welcome!
Sheryl says
Would I half the recipe for a 3 quart IP?
Mike Vrobel says
No, I don't think so. I don't have a 3 quart IP, but shrinking the size of the cheesecake pan and the amount of cheesecake will mess with the timings.
Jenny says
I have a 6 inch IP Multi-use/cake pan. I'm hoping this recipe will work using this pan!
Mike Vrobel says
I can't say. I've never tried it in a non-springform pan.
Barbara says
Jenny, if you haven’t already done so, I’ve used a non-stick springform without any problems, I still spray it with Crisco butter flavor spray though
Susie says
This came out amazing. I added an extra TBS of lemon juice and maybe some extra zest. I also subbed a natural non-caloric sweetener. My whipped topping was also lemon flavored. This was my first IP cheesecake, and we were all quite pleased!
Maria says
So bummed, as I was lifting my lemon cheesecake out with the Instant Pot lifter, the cheesecake tin fell into the water! So bummed! I tasted what was left in the pan and it was amazing! Will have to make another one and make a foil sling. No way I'm losing it next time!! 🙁
Mike Vrobel says
Oh no!
Logan says
Since you spray the springform pan with cooking spray, I'm assuming you don't *also* need parchment paper, correct? Spray bottom *and* sides? Thanks!
Mike Vrobel says
Correct
Logan says
Thanks so much! I've never made a cheesecake before, much less one in the IP. Wish me luck!
Nancy Connor says
Hello--this is a great lemon cheesecake, perfect size...my question is this: when I remove the top from the Instant Pot, some water falls on cake, and I suspect that there is already water from just the baking process...I have been tipping the cheesecake pan and removed water with a spoon, and I've even taken a straw and suctioned some water out...your comments?
Thank you,
Nancy
Louisville KY
Mike Vrobel says
I pat it dry with a paper towel. (See the first Note). A little water doesn't hurt the cheesecake.
RK says
The water doesn't seep into the crust and make it soggy? I like the idea of not wrapping the whole cake in foil.
Mike Vrobel says
No, it does not.