Name: Instant Pot Cheesecake
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 75 min
Ingredients: 3/4 cup almond flour ((Note 1)); 3 tablespoons salted butter, melted; 1 heaping tablespoon powdered erythritol sweetener; 2 (8-ounce) bricks cream cheese ((Note 3)); 2/3 cup powdered erythritol sweetener; 2 large eggs; 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream ((Note 4)); 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Summary:

This New York style cheesecake with almond flour crust is rich, creamy, and smooth. Cheesecake is one of few desserts that translates well to a low carb version, without any difference in taste or texture. Using a pressure cooker guarantees consistently good results every time.

Instant Pot Cheesecake

4.9 from 49 votes

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Prep: 30 mins

Cook: 30 mins

Pressure Release: 15 mins

Yield: 6 servings

Calories: 460

Net Carbs: 4.5g

INGREDIENTS

Crust:

▢ 3/4 cup almond flour (Note 1)
▢ 3 tablespoons salted butter, melted
▢ 1 heaping tablespoon powdered erythritol sweetener (Note 2)

Filling:

▢ 2 (8-ounce) bricks cream cheese (Note 3)
▢ 2/3 cup powdered erythritol sweetener (Note 2)
▢ 2 large eggs
▢ 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream (Note 4)
▢ 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS

Prepare: Set cream cheese, eggs, and heavy whipping cream on countertop to warm to room temperature, at least 30 minutes before proceeding with recipe (Note 5). Use separate pieces of parchment paper to line bottom and sides of aluminum 6-inch round cheesecake pan with removable bottom (Note 6). Place trivet inside pressure cooker, with handles resting on sides of pot (Note 7).
Make Crust: Stir melted butter and sweetener in mixing bowl until combined, then stir in almond flour until butter is absorbed and forms dough. Transfer dough to prepared cheesecake pan, and use spoon or measuring cup to firmly press down and form flat, smooth crust covering entire bottom of pan. Transfer pan to freezer to chill crust for 20 minutes while making filling.
Make Filling: Beat cream cheese and sweetener in large bowl with electric hand mixer on low speed until well-mixed, about 1 minute (Note 8). Add heavy cream, lemon juice, and vanilla extract; beat on low speed until smooth, about 30 seconds. Add eggs one at a time, beating on low speed until just combined, about 30 seconds each. Remove pan with chilled crust from freezer. Pour batter over crust, careful not to leave trapped air gaps. Flatten surface with spatula.
Pressure Cook: Pour 1 cup of water into pressure cooker pot, and lower cheesecake pan onto trivet. Secure and seal lid. Cook for 30 minutes at high pressure, followed by 15-minute natural release. Manually release any remaining pressure by gradually turning release knob to venting position. Carefully lift lid to avoid dripping condensation on cheesecake. Top of cheesecake should be jiggly but not liquid. If needed, use paper towel to carefully dab cheesecake to absorb condensation on surface. Turn off pressure cooker.
Cool Cheesecake: Let cheesecake cool uncovered in pressure cooker for about 1 hour. Use trivet's handles to lift cheesecake from pot onto countertop and let stand until fully cooled. Loosely drape dry paper towel over cheesecake pan and refrigerate for at least 24 hours (Note 9). Carefully remove chilled cheesecake from pan, and peel off parchment paper. Slice and serve (Note 10).

NUTRITION

Makes 6 Servings

Amount Per Serving (1 slice):

Calories 460 (88% from fat)
Total Fat 45g	69%
Saturated Fat 23g	114%
Cholesterol 168mg	56%
Sodium 370mg	15%
Net Carb 4.5g
Total Carb 6g (Note 11)	2%
Dietary Fiber 1.5g	6%
Sugars 1g
Protein 11g

Vitamin A 25% · Vitamin C 0% · Calcium 10% · Iron 9%

PHOTOS

Showing how to use a cheesecake pan with removable bottom and parchment paper

Step by step photos making cheesecake batter and almond crust for the instant pot pressure cooker

Low carb version of instant pot cheesecake served on a white plate

Overhead view of sliced instant pot cheesecake

NOTES & TIPS

(1) Almond Flour. About 3 ounces weight. I use almond flour that is blanched, which means the skins are taken off of the almonds, so the resulting flour looks white. I typically use Costco’s Kirkland brand, which has 2 grams of net carbs per 1/4 cup serving. Readers have had success substituting some or all of it with ground pecans. Don’t substitute with coconut flour, which is more absorbent.

(2) Sweetener. Crust: 1 heaping tablespoon = 0.5 ounce weight. Filling: 2/3 cup = 4 ounces weight. Erythritol is a dry sweetener, about 70% as sweet as sugar. I buy granulated erythritol online and powder it using a small blender like the Nutribullet. If you’re substituting with Confectioners Swerve, use 1 scant tablespoon for the crust and 1/2 cup (= 2.8 ounces weight) for the filling. You can substitute with another dry sweetener; to determine how much to use, check your sweetener’s packaging to see how it compares to regular sugar. I don’t recommend liquid sweeteners which affect the ratio of dry to wet ingredients.

(3) Cream Cheese. Two standard bricks = 16 ounces total. I use regular, full-fat cream cheese from the brand Philadelphia, not reduced fat or light versions.

(4) Heavy Whipping Cream. This ingredient gives cheesecakes a silky, firm, and dense texture, which is a key characteristic of New York style cheesecakes. Some readers have reported success with substituting with half-and-half.

(5) Room Temperature Ingredients. It’s important to remove cold ingredients — cream cheese, heavy whipping cream, eggs — from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before starting the recipe. You want to give them time to come to room temperature, helping to ensure a smooth and creamy batter. Otherwise, you might end up with a lumpy batter.

(6) Cheesecake Pan. I use Fat Daddio’s aluminum 6-inch round cheesecake pan with removable bottom that’s six inches in diameter and 3 inches tall. If your pan is 7 inches in diameter, decrease the pressure cooking time by 5 minutes. I like the convenience of the removable bottom, but you can also use a springform pan. The sides and bottom of the pan should be lined with parchment paper (see photos); no greasing needed.

(7) Pressure Cooker Equipment. I use a 6-quart Instant Pot. Other sizes of electric pressure cookers should also work as long the cheesecake pan fits within the maximum capacity. You’ll also need the trivet that came with your Instant Pot or a steam rack with handles; if yours doesn’t have handles, you can make a foil sling to help you transfer the cheesecake out of the pressure cooker when it’s done.

(8) Mixing Batter. Don’t over-mix while beating the batter, or you’ll end up with a lighter and fluffier batter, resulting in an airier and puffier cheesecake. We want a dense, firm, and smooth cheesecake. At every step, the batter should be mixed until the ingredients are incorporated and smooth, and no more. I provide electric mixer time estimates in the recipe to give you an idea, based on a 5-speed KitchenAid electric hand mixer.

(9) Chilling Cheesecake. It’s very important to let the cheesecake chill in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours before serving. This cheesecake is very moist after pressure cooking and needs time to dehydrate in the refrigerator. That’s why it should only be loosely covered with a paper towel, not tightly sealed.

(10) Serving / Storage. This cheesecake is delicious by itself, with a dollop of whipped cream, or served with sliced strawberries or puréed berries. Store leftover slices in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Once frozen, thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

(11) Carbs. The nutrition calculation assumes you are using an erythritol-based sweetener that uses sugar alcohols, whose carbs are non-impact and therefore not included in the nutrition estimate. Apps that count sugar alcohols will show a higher number of carbs.

(12) Key Lime Cheesecake. I’ve made versions of this cheesecake with other flavors, and my favorite is key lime where I add 2-3 tablespoons key lime juice and lime zest in place of the lemon juice. If you make this with your own flavor twist, let me know in the comments section below.

(13) Why Instant Pot? The advantage of cooking cheesecake and other traditionally baked desserts in the Instant Pot is that pressure cooker recipes are less susceptible to the vagaries of ovens. Some ovens run too hot, some run too cold, and baking often involves some intuition on the part of the baker. With the Instant Pot, you get more consistent and reproducible results.

More Instant Pot

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Instant Pot Chicken Wings

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Hi Julia,

Wow, thank you so much for this recipe! It is delicious. My husband thought it was perfect: I would add a tiny bit more sweetener. It is wonderful with strawberries.

We took your advice and ordered quality flour and pure erythritol WHICH LITERALLY COSTS HALF THE PRICE OF SWERVE.

We can’t wait to try more of your recipes. We get to reap the rewards of all of your perfecting!

PEOPLE: This girl knows what she is talking about!!

Brenda

First time ever making a cheesecake let alone an instant pot one and it came out perfect! I topped mine with a keto raspberry purée.

Ed Morris

This cheesecake was delicious! Amazing! The single change I made was to increase the amount of erythritol in the batter by 10% to ensure it was plenty sweet. No doubt the most expensive cake ever as I had to buy all the ingredients including the push pan! Totally worth it! Thanks for this recipe.

I can’t stop making this cheesecake – and eating it! I’ve made one a week for months. I divide it eight ways and have two pieces on Sunday. Lol! I’ve experimented some with using juice instead of water to infuse flavors and adding other flavoring to the crust. Simply the best!

Cyndy

I love this cheesecake. The only thing I do differently is let it do a natural release for an hour then remove lid and let it cool in the pot. I did this by accident the first time and loved the creamy texture. The next time I followed the directions and didn’t like the firmer texture.

Lisa

Easiest, best cheesecake ever! I’m low carb and this hits the spot for my sweet tooth!

Jackie

I’m not much for baking, but this came out fantastic. I only had a 7” pan so I added 1 cup of almond flour and 4 T butter for crust and I also used confectioners swerve and used 78 grams of it in the cheesecake mixture. Same cooking time as stated in the recipe. Thank you for a great recipe and for including the measurements, it helped out a lot.

Amanda Gray

This cheesecake for Fourth of July was a big huge hit even for the people that are on keto. My husband was definitely sad that we didn’t get to keep any for us so I went ahead and made another one this week so we would be able to have a cheesecake to eat for dessert! We eat it with strawberries or blueberries and whipped cream. It is the best cheesecake I’ve had hands-down!

Kathy

The texture was perfect! All went smoothly in the instant pot. Not even the slightest crack in sight. I followed the recipe exactly and used Erythritol. We waited almost 24 hours to dig in. It needed a tad more sweetness for my preferences, so I sprinkled Pyure (stevia) on top and it was much better. Also next time I’ll add Pyure and a little cinnamon to the crust. I followed the instructions on how long to beat various ingredients, and the author really was on point. We served with puréed mixed berries. I’ll definitely make this recipe again and again! Thank you!!

Elizabeth

If I wanted to do 1.5 times the recipe since I only have the 7 in pan and want to get a taller cheesecake, would I cook for longer than the 30 minutes? I made your recipe last week and it is amazing! My husband is already requesting it again.

Julia

Glad to hear you guys enjoyed this, Elizabeth! I would cook longer than 30 minutes, more like 35 to 40 minutes.

Diane

The taste is very good, nice and creamy texture. I will definitely make it again.

Wendy

My first time cooking cheesecake in the Instant Pot and it turned out perfectly. Very delicious! I add a tablespoon of speculoos spice to the almond crust which really made it pop. So tasty!

Ebony

I have never commented on any recipes I’ve tried but this recipe has by far passed all of my expectations! The one thing that has been the hardest for me doing keto is finding a dessert to satisfy my sweet tooth. I have tried several low-carb cheesecake recipes and they always leave me wanting more. Cheesecake is my absolute favorite thing in the whole entire world and now I can have my cake and eat it too! It’s 99% like real thing. Thanks for sharing this recipe, you’ve changed my life!

Virginia Greuling

I love the Keto program. I have lost 60 pounds now. So many good recipes to make. I make a Keto recipe in my double boiler with chocolate and almonds…. Just like eating a candy bar except it will not spoil the Keto program.

Tina Waldrep

This was wonderful! I have tried other keto cheesecake recipes but this recipe is the best, and it was so easy! Will definitely be making this again. Thank you for sharing this recipe.

Toni

Off the charts good! I have made New York style Cheesecake for about 45 years, so I am not impressed with most cheesecake recipes. This one is very good, and done in short order via the instant pot. Thank You!!!

Pandora

I made this yesterday and was surprised how easy it was. I was rather nervous at first because it was my first time using a pressure cooker to make a cheesecake. First time ever using Swerve also. I must say, the cheesecake was fantastic! I let it chill in the refrigerator for 24 hours before cutting. It was the perfect consistency and oh so flavorful. My husband did not even realize it was low carb. lol I will be making another one for Thanksgiving because we have several family members that eat low carb and this will be a hit with them too! Thank you for sharing this recipe!

Carol

Haven’t made it yet, but plan to try it. The reviews sound great! Am wondering if anyone used MonkFruit Sweetener in this recipe? I presume the amount would be the same.

Robert

Just made this for movie night with my boyfriend and friends. Needed a low carb dessert to die for and winner, winner chicken dinner 😂. Turned out simply amazing and soooo creamy. Followed recipe to the tea and had not one issue. Definitely a great way to tweak it into your own but super happy and will make again and again.

Charenda Hinshaw

Awesome recipe! Have made several. Added some dark choc chips. Not a ton but just enough! Next I want to try making it pumpkin! Will let you know how it goes!

I too want to do a pumpkin one. Please tell us your results.

christine

This recipe is fabulous. Every weekend I try a new cheesecake recipe looking for that low carb but delicious one. THIS IS IT.

Torri

I’m about to make it again, lol! Was a complete hit for my family and visiting little brother; he didn’t even know it was sugar-free! Pro Tip: Do let it chill as mentioned; it was soft and too tender to eat, but we didn’t feel like waiting. It was perfect the next day. I feel like that is ’nuff said 😉

Wanda

I baked mine in the oven. Had a tray with water on the bottom of oven….Perfect and delicious!
Your recipes never fail thank you.

Lynn

What temp and for how long?

Kstone

You should add the refrigeration time and cooling time to the total cook time. Got all the way to the bottom and realized I had to wait another 24 hours to eat the cake! otherwise was really good.

Considering how much time can be spent shopping for ingredients and making a recipe, it’s definitely worth spending 5 minutes reading through an entire recipe before starting it.

Mary Gill

The only problem I had was the 6 inch spring form pan I used wasn’t high enough for all the filling. Please indicate in the recipe how high it should be……mine was only 1 3/4 inches. I should have decreased the cooking time. It was overcooked and a lot of the filling spilled over despite me only filling it up to the top and having well over a cup of filling left. Taste was very good.

Melissa

Hi Julia! My pot built pressure very quickly and at 18 minutes the pressure button went down. I kept the lid on for the full 30, but there was no pressure when finished and absolutely out of water. Is this ok? I checked temp and it was over 155 degrees in the middle of the cheesecake.

Hi Melissa! After pressurizing, the Instant Pot should not lose pressure because it’s well-sealed. Since yours did, I’m wondering if you forgot to turn the pressure knob from “venting” to “sealing” before pressurizing the pot. Either way, you did the right thing by keeping the lid on and 155 F means your cheesecake was properly cooked. I hope you continued to follow the recipe’s instructions by cooling and chilling in the refrigerator overnight. I hope you get to test a bite of it today, and please let me know how it turns out for you.

Tammy

Well I made this and made the mistake of using my expensive marscapone cheese instead of cream cheese…well don’t make the same mistake I did. It didn’t set right and shrunk. I haven’t tasted it yet, I am sure it will be fine covered with raspberry sauce…but I am so sad it is not light and fluffy. I will definitely make it again, just don’t have the heart to throw this out now 🙁

Instant Pot Cheesecake