Instant Pot Creme Brulee Cheesecake
Instant Pot Crème Brulee Cheesecake combines buttery Graham cracker crust, silky smooth vanilla scented cheesecake filling, and an irresistible caramelized sugar topping – just like Crème Brulee!
If you love this Instant Pot Crème Brulee Cheesecake, try Instant Pot Gingerbread Cheesecake or Instant Pot Chocolate Cheesecake!
This Instant Pot Crème Brulee Cheesecake includes sour cream in the filling which increases the moisture content and adds a delicious tangy kick, perfectly balanced against the cream cheese, sweet buttery crust, and caramelized sugar topping.
Once your cheesecake has been assembled, feel free to add some extra flare with piped whipped cream along the outer edges and some juicy strawberries as garnish.
WHY OUR RECIPE
- It’s a sophisticated-looking cheesecake that’s perfect for those special occasions, like birthdays, anniversaries, or holidays!
- The caramelized sugar topping is so easy to add yet instantly turns traditional vanilla cheesecake into an impressive dessert with an irresistible crunchy texture with each forkful.
- Once you’ve made cheesecake in the Instant Pot, you won’t go back to making it in the oven – I’ve found the Instant Pot to yield more consistent results!
INGREDIENT NOTES
- Crust – This cheesecake crust is made with Graham cracker crumbs, granulated sugar, and melted unsalted butter.
- Cream Cheese – Soften at room temperature for easy mixing and a smooth cheesecake filling.
- Granulated Sugar – A great option for sweetening the cheesecake filling and retaining that creamy white color.
- Eggs – Bring to room temperature for easy mixing.
- All-Purpose Flour – A sturdy flour for cheesecake. It helps to bind the ingredients and prevents the cheesecake from cracking.
- Sour Cream – Adds moisture and a delicious tangy kick to balance out the sweetness in this dessert.
- Vanilla Extract – Adds a depth of flavor that you don’t want to skip.
- Topping – I’ve used granulated sugar as the topping for the Instant Pot Crème Brulee cheesecake, much like a classic Crème Brulee dessert that gets heated with a kitchen torch for that delicious caramelized finish!
HOW TO PREVENT CRACKING
You’ve poured your heart into making a knock-out cheesecake so the last thing you’d want is a cheesecake with cracks, right?! Luckily, I’ve made many cheesecakes in my life, and with that I’ve stumbled across a few key tips and tricks that will almost always guarantee a crack-free cheesecake!
Here are my top tips to ensure you get that silky smooth and flawless cheesecake every time:
- Grease the push pan well with non-stick cooking spray or butter. If any part of the cheesecake filling sticks to the sides of the pan, it will cause the center to pull away and crack.
- Once the push pan has been filled with the cheesecake filling, give the pan a few gentle taps on the countertop. This will help prevent any bubbles in the filling which could otherwise cause the cheesecake to crack.
- Water added to the Instant Pot will help prevent the cheesecake from drying out and cracking. The sour cream added to the cheesecake filling also adds extra moisture which will also help to reduce any drying of the filling.
- Allow the cheesecake to cool on a wire rack for a minimum of 1 hour before transferring it to the fridge to chill for 12 hours or overnight. The point of this is to prevent exposure to sudden changes in temperature as this can cause the cheesecake to crack.
SPRINGFORM PAN VERSUS PUSH PAN
If you don’t have a push pan, don’t worry! A springform pan will work just as well.
A push pan is exactly what it sounds like. It’s a cake pan that has a removable bottom that you can push up to remove the cheesecake with ease. It also has a silicone ring at the bottom which helps stop any cake filling to leak out.
A springform pan is also a cake pan with a removable bottom, but its sides can also be unclipped and removed away from the cheesecake thanks to the interlocking band mechanism.
Both of these types of pan are great for making cheesecake, allowing the pan to separate from the cheesecake in a very clean and no-fuss way, leaving you with beautifully smooth edges around the set cheesecake and enabling you to slice the cheesecake in free form.
So, if you don’t own one of these, use the other in its place!
STORAGE INSTRUCTIONS
- Refrigeration: Store leftover Instant Pot Crème Brulee Cheesecake in an airtight container, tightly wrapped with plastic wrap, for up to 5-7 days.
- Freezer: Freeze individual slices of this cheesecake for up to 3 months. Wrap each slice tightly a few times with plastic wrap. Thaw the frozen slices of cheesecake in the fridge overnight.
MORE INSTANT POT CHEESECAKE RECIPES
Instant Pot Creme Brulee Cheesecake
Instant Pot Crème Brulee Cheesecake combines buttery Graham cracker crust, silky smooth cheesecake filling, and an irresistible caramelized sugar topping - just like Crème Brulee!
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
Filling
- 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ¼ sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Topping
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Instructions
- Grease the sides and bottoms of a 6-inch push pan and line the pan with a parchment round. Alternatively, you can also line the sides of the pan with parchment paper.
- In a food processor, combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter and pulse to mix ingredients. Then, press crust out on the bottom of the pan and ½ way up the sides. You can use the bottom of a glass to press down the crust.
- Place pan in the freezer while making the filling. Freezing will help hold the crust together.
- Mix the cream cheese and granulated sugar until nice and smooth, and then add in one egg at a time while mixing in between adding the eggs.
- Add in the flour, sour cream and vanilla and mix to incorporate.
- Pour the filling into the push pan and tap the pan several times on the counter to remove air bubbles. You can also run a fork or knife through the cheesecake filling to remove air bubbles.
- Cover the cheesecake with aluminum foil and/or a paper towel to prevent condensation from accumulating on the top of the cheesecake.
- Add 1 ½ cups of water to the inner pot of the Instant Pot.
- Using a sling (you can buy a sling for the Instant Pot or make one out of foil), lower the pan into the inner pot.
- Close lid and set for a manual high-pressure cooking time of 30 minutes. Allow for a natural pressure release when the cooking time has finished.
- Remove the cheesecake from the Instant Pot. Take the foil off of the top and gently soak up any condensation that has formed on the top of the cheesecake with a paper towel or flour sack towel.
- Let the cheesecake cool on a wire rack for at least an hour before refrigerating for 12 hours or overnight.
- After 12 hours, remove the cheesecake from the refrigerator and set the pan on top of a large can. Push the sides of the cake pan down, slowly.
- Remove the cheesecake from the pan bottom, and set on a cake plate or serving tray. Top with granulated sugar and torch with a hand-held kitchen torch until the top is nice and golden brown.
- Top Crème Brulee Cheesecake with additional toppings of berries or sliced fruit, if desired.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
While this dessert has a regular vanilla cheesecake filling, like many cheesecakes do, the caramelized sugar topping resembles the look of a classic Crème Brulee. Granulated sugar is sprinkled on the top of the cheesecake and then heated with a kitchen blow torch to create that irresistible crunchy topping.
Covering the top of the push pan with foil helps to prevent condensation collecting on the top of the cheesecake, which can affect the outcome. You can also cover this cheesecake with a paper towel.
Absolutely! I enjoy the buttery Graham cracker crust in this creme brulee cheesecake recipe, but you could opt to make a crust from homemade or store-bought cookie dough instead.
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