Instant Pot Key Lime Cheesecake
Forgive me but I’m about to yell at you. CHEESECAKE MADE IN THE PRESSURE COOKER IS THE BEST DAMN THING EVER!!!!!!
For reals, people. I keep seeing the internet world rave about making cheesecake in their Instant Pot’s but I just didn’t believe it. I mean how much better could it be than baking it in the oven? And, isn’t cheesecake in a pressure cooker kind of weird? The answer is most definitely no. It’s so moist (ick, I hate that word), the crust stays surprisingly crisp, and the best part is that IT’S SO MUCH EASIER AND FASTER THAN BAKING IN THE OVEN. Sorry, there I go yelling again.
It all started when my friend and food blogger, Barbara, sent me a copy of her new cookbook, Instantly Sweet that she co-authored with Marci Buttars. Barbara writes and manages two food blogs: Barbara Bakes and Pressure Cooking Today. Her latest cookbook is a true marriage of both of her passions. An all dessert cookbook with recipes made in an Instant Pot. Yup, genius.
I immediately skipped right to the cheesecake section- there are plenty to choose from. This Key Lime Cheesecake caught my eye as did her individual lemon cheesecakes. In the name of simplicity (easy is my middle name) I opted for the key lime. I love citrus, I happened to have the right size pan, and I was intrigued that this recipe called for sweetened condensed milk. These cheesecake is truly a hybrid of key lime pie and cheesecake!
This recipe couldn’t be easier to put together. In just 2 hours you have the creamiest, most delicious dessert I’ve had in ages. You do need to plan ahead as the cheesecake needs to chill for at least 4 hours before serving. Both times I’ve made this, I have let it refrigerate over night. For reals, I couldn’t keep my hands off this once it was ready to go!
Just before serving you top with a layer of sweetened whipped cream and garnish with lime zest. The cheesecake is not overly sweet and perfectly tart. I’m going to go out on a limb and say this is my favorite thing yet I’ve made in my Instant Pot. The cheesecake held beautifully in the fridge for a few days after it was made. I can’t speak to whether it holds after 2 days because both times I made it it was gobbled up within 48 hours.
The cookbook is filled with so many fantastic recipes! I can’t wait to try the Mini Lemon Cheesecakes and the Cranberry-Orange Poached Pears. This would be a perfect holiday gift for someone that uses their Instant Pot regularly. And, this cheesecake would make a wonderful addition to any holiday party! That is all. The end. 🙂
Recipe from Instantly Sweet/ photos by Kelli Hatcher
PrintInstant Pot Key Lime Cheesecake
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Pin RecipeDescription
A cross between a key-lime pie and a cheesecake. This is dreamy!
Ingredients
For the crust:
- Nonstick cooking spray, for preparing the pan
- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 tablespoon sugar
For filling:
- 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 can (14 ounces0 sweetened condensed milk
- 1/3 cup freshly squeeze key lime juice
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon key lime zest
For the vanilla whipped cream topping:
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Coat a 7-inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a small bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs, butter, and sugar. Spread the crust evenly in the bottom and no more than 1 inch up the side of the pan. Freeze for 10 minutes.
- In a large bowl, using a handheld mixer, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until smooth. Gradually blend the sweetened condensed milk. Beat in the key lime juice. Mix in the egg just until blended; don’t over mix. Stir in the key lime zest. Pour the batter over the prepared pan.
- Pour 1 cup of water into the Instant Pot and place the trivet in the bottom. Carefully center the filled pan on a sling and lower the pan into the cooking pot. Lock the lid in place and turn the pressure release valve to the “sealed” position. Select “high pressure” and 25 minutes cook time.
- When the cook time ends, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, and finish with a quick pressure release. When the valve drops, carefully remove the lid.
- Use the sling to transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool.Soak up any water that may have collected on top of the cheesecake with the corner of a paper towel.
- Once the cheesecake is cool, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight, until ready to serve.
- Just before serving, make the whipped cream. In a medium bowl, using a handheld mixer, beat the cream on medium-high speed until it starts to thicken. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Spread the whipped cream over the cheesecake. Slice and serve with lime wedges if desired.
Notes
If you can’t find key limes, substitute 3 tablespoons freshly squeeze lime juice and 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice.
27 Comments
I’m so glad you loved the cheesecake and the book. The photos are great. Thanks so much for sharing!
At what point do I remove the springform pan?
Just before serving. I leave the cheesecake in the springform while it cools in the fridge. Enjoy!
I am making this for Christmas dinner dessert.
You should. It’s a winner!
I’m a little confused about the sling… can you explain what you mean there?
The sling is the trivet looking thing with handles that comes with your pressure cooker and fits into the base.
Do I need to cover the pan with foil to prevent the water from staying the top of the cheesecake?
Nope!
Did you try it? I am reducing sugar too. So I am interested on your “experiment”
I have an 8″ springform…how would I need to adjust the recipe for it..or should I just go buy a 7″?
I don’t really know. If the 8″ will fit in your IP then I say go for it and decrease the cooking time by a minute or so. But, again, I don’t really know…
Best cheesecake I ever made. But am trying to reduce sugar consumption. Next time, I will make this with unsweetened, evaporated milk and added sweetener, to cut down on sugar and calories.
I made this for Easter and it was good. The lime was more subtle than I expected and my crust felt soggy, (I’ll blind bake it next time) but the cheesecake itself was thick and creamy. And SO EASY!
One question: is it harder to whip cream at high altitude? I used a chilled bowl and beaters but it seemed to take forever and I just gave up at soft peaks.
Hi! I didn’t find the crust soggy at all…..soft, but not soggy. I’m intrigued by the idea of blind baking it first. Let me know how it turns out if you do it again! I don’t find it hard to whip the cream. I don’t even use a chilled bowl though I do make the actually cream is pretty cold. 🙂
Made this again. I think I used too many graham crackers last time and that made it feel soggy, but adding 1/4 cup flour and blind baking the crust (even with adding too many crumbs again ) made it awesome and crispy! I also used lemon instead of lime and added something like a soft set version of your triple berry jam between the cheesecake and the whipped cream. Yumm!
This is going to be my go-to “dessert for company”. It’s so good!
Yay! I really love it, too. It’s so easy to make and foolproof every single time!
Thank you for this recipe. Made exactly as written. It is absolutely perfect for our taste. I love the creamy texture in this cheesecake. My new “go-to” recipe. All the best!
Thank you! I love it, too!
Could I use an extra package of cream cheese instead of condensed sweetened milk?
No. The sweetened condensed milk 1) sweetens the cheesecake and 2) is crucial to the consistency and texture. Thanks!
K thanks will do
Could this cheesecake be frozen?
Freezing isn’t recommended.
I don’t have an instapot. Can I bake this in the oven?
I would find a new recipe that was developed for an oven. I don’t know how it would turn out.