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Instant Pot Chocolate Cheesecake

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This Instant Pot Chocolate Cheesecake is smooth, rich and creamy. If you’ve been tempted to see what else you can do with your Instant Pot, you’re going to enjoy this recipe.

a collage of three slices of chocolate cheesecake on a white plate with title text reading Instant Pot Chocolate Cheesecake

I used my Instant Pot to make hundreds of different dinners after I got mine. Eventually, I broadened to making breakfast in this magical appliance too.

Curiosity eventually gave in and I finally made a cheesecake in my Instant Pot. When I shared the recipe for the Instant Pot Peanut Butter Cheesecake, I covered all the reasons you may or may not want to attempt one.

Unlike most Instant Pot recipes, it doesn’t save you much time or effort. And let’s face it, cheesecake is always amazing, right?

So honestly, the reason most IP users make cheesecake in their Instant Pots instead of the oven is because we can! There’s something about making something unexpected, like my Instant Pot Chocolate Mousse, in your Instant Pot that makes you feel a little like a magician, or perhaps even a superhero.

If you’re a regular reader here, you know I went crazy with different versions of homemade no-churn ice cream when I realized how easy it is to make. News flash: You can expect the same thing with Instant Pot Cheesecakes.

For my second attempt, I made an Instant Pot Chocolate Cheesecake. The end result was heavenly!

3 slices of chocolate cheesecake topped with berries on a white plate with forks and an instant pot in the background

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How to Make Instant Pot Chocolate Cheesecake

This Instant Pot Chocolate Cheesecake isn’t any trickier than other cheesecakes. However, to get amazing results, don’t violate the most important cheesecake rule:

Make sure all of your cheesecake ingredients are room temperature (at least 2 hours on the counter)!

As long as you heed that warning (and follow some other tips I share below), this is a simple 3-step recipe.

Step 1: Make the Crust

The crust may seem like a small factor in a good cheesecake, but that sweet, crumbly crust adds so much. Thankfully, it’s not at all complicated to make.

Just combine graham cracker crumbs with sugar and melted butter.

bowls of graham cracker crumbs and sugar, springform pan, instant pot with melted butter in it next to a red and white cloth on a white table

Then, line a 7-inch springform pan with parchment paper and spray the bottom of the pan with cooking spray.

Press the crust into the bottom of the pan. If you want to make sure you don’t have a slanted cheesecake, use the flat bottom of a measuring cup or drinking glass to press the crust down evenly all the way out to the sides of the pan.

graham cracker crust in a paper lined springform pan with an instant pot in the background, all on a white table

Step 2: Make Cheesecake Batter

Now it’s time to make the batter! Combine the room-temperature cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl and beat until smooth.

cream cheese and sugar in a white mixing bowl with a hand mixer in it

Next add the cocoa powder so we can transform this from an ordinary cheesecake into a decadent chocolate cheesecake.

a measuring cup of cocoa powder above the mixing bowl of cream cheese and sugar

Use your mixer to beat in the chocolate until it’s well combined into the batter.

chocolate, cream cheese and sugar mixed together in a mixing bowl with beaters in it

Now, add two room-temperature eggs. Use large eggs, not jumbo eggs, for the best result.

eggs being poured from a bowl into a mixing bowl of chocolate, cream cheese and sugar

Mix just enough to incorporate the eggs. Then add vanilla extract and room-temperature sour cream.

sour cream and eggs being mixed into a bowl of chocolate, cream cheese and sugar

Beat the mixture again until smooth. Your batter should look something like this when you’re done:

chocolate cheesecake batter in a mixing bowl with beaters above it

Now we just need to pour the batter into the springform pan.

chocolate cheesecake batter in a paper lined springform pan with an instant pot and red and white cloth in the background, all on a white table

Step 3: Pressure Cook

Run a fork back and forth through the cheesecake several times to remove air bubbles, then cover the pan with foil.

Pour two cups of water into the inner pot of the Instant Pot and make a sling out of aluminum foil to lower the pan into the pressure cooker.

Secure the Instant Pot lid and make sure the valve is turned to the sealing position. Cook on manual high-pressure for 35 minutes.

When the timer beeps to indicate the cook time has ended, let the pressure release naturally for 12 minutes and then quick release the rest of the steam.

Carefully remove the lid. Your cheesecake will look jiggly. It should. Don’t worry, it will set as it cools.

After you remove your cheesecake from the Instant Pot, let it cool on the counter for an hour, then move it to the refrigerator (uncovered) to chill completely.

It needs to cool in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours before you can even think about slicing it. When you are ready to slice it, run your knife under hot water for a minute or two before slicing and dip your knife in a glass of hot water after each slice.

This will give you nice, clean slices.

3 slices of chocolate cheesecake topped with berries on a white plate with forks and an instant pot in the background

I love the taste of berries and chocolate so that’s what I used as a topping. And a chocolate sauce drizzle of course, because extra chocolate is never a bad thing!

You could also top your cheesecake with a dollop of whipped cream and some mini chocolate chips (my kids’ favorite version).

Ready to make your own Instant Pot Chocolate Cheesecake? Here are the exact measurements and summarized instructions.

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šŸ“‹ Recipe

Instant Pot Chocolate Cheesecake

Corinne Schmitt
Yes, you can make cheesecake in an instant pot!
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
5 hours
Total Time 5 hours 45 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 6
Calories 230 kcal

Ingredients
  

Crust

  • 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs processed in food processor, crushed
  • 2 tablespoons melted butter
  • 1 tablespoon sugar

Cheesecake

  • 2 8-oz pkgs regular cream cheese softened, room-temperature
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • Ā½ cup cocoa powder
  • 2 large eggs room-temperature
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup sour cream room-temperature

Instructions
 

  • Line a 7-inch springform pan and spray with cooking spray.
  • Combine graham cracker crumbs with sugar and melted butter and press into bottom of springform pan.
  • Cream together the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add the cocoa powder and mix until well combined. Add 2 large eggs and mix well. Finally, add the vanilla extract and sour cream and mix until smooth.
  • Pour batter into springform pan on top of the graham cracker crust.
  • Run a fork back and forth through the cheesecake several times to remove air bubbles.
  • Cover pan with foil.
  • Pour two cups of water into the inner pot of the Instant Pot.
  • Make a sling out of aluminum foil to lower the pan into the pressure cooker.
  • Close the lid of the Instant Pot and set valve to sealing.
  • Press “Manual” and set time for 35 minutes. When the timer beeps, let pressure release naturally for 12 minutes then turn valve to “venting.”
  • Once pressure has fully released, remove the lid and carefully remove the cheesecake from the Instant Pot. Cool on the counter for one hour, then place, uncovered, in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.

Notes

For best results, make sure cream cheese, eggs, and sour cream are at room temperature before mixing.
To get nice, clean slices when you’re ready to serve, run your knife under hot water first and dip into a glass of hot water after each slice.

Nutrition

Calories: 230kcalCarbohydrates: 37gProtein: 4gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 70mgSodium: 134mgPotassium: 162mgFiber: 3gSugar: 27gVitamin A: 256IUCalcium: 36mgIron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

More Instant Pot Resources

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4 thoughts on “Instant Pot Chocolate Cheesecake”

  1. I have made several cheesecakes in my Instant Pot, and one thing I would recommend is to mix the eggs in last, one egg at a time. You don’t want to over mix the eggs. I learned to hard way, that if you do your cheesecake may kind of explode in the instant pot.

    Reply
  2. 5 stars
    Hi, Corrine! I recently made Melissa Clark’s vanila cheesecake recipe in my InstantPot. It was the very first time I had ever made a cheesecake, and man, was I intimidated! But I followed Melissa’s simple recipe and it turned out to be the best cheesedake I have ever eaten. Everyone raved about it.
    If you want your cheesecake to be the best that it can be, I discovered that, since there are few ingredients, it is imperative that you use premium ingredients. Use the best cream cheese and sour cream that you can buy ( not store brand) and the very best graham cracker that you can get (again, NOT a store brand). I added about three tablespoons of Dark Brown sugar and cinnamon to the crust for a little more punch.

    I notice you, like Melissa, leave the two tablespoons of flour that most traditional recipes call for. Adding flour to the mix will give a slight “cake” texture to the cheesecake, which is more like most commercially baked cheesecake. Leaving the flour out give your cheesecake a smoother, more decadent mouthfeel and taste. I can’t stress enough the importance of using top quality ingredients.

    Reply
    • Thank you so much for the tips Hugh! I love the tip about adding the brown sugar to the crust. And yes, I prefer the creamier texture but a little flour does give it a little bit of cake texture which many people prefer. I haven’t made enough cheesecakes to notice the difference between ingredients but I’m definitely going to do some experimenting to see if my family notices a difference. Thanks again!

      Reply

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