Instant Pot Vanilla Bean Cheesecake (That You Didn’t Babysit)
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For more Instant Pot cake recipes, visit 5 Instant Pot Cakes That’ll Wow Mom (Without the Stress).
Cheesecake can be fussy—but not this one. No water bath balancing act, no cracking, and no preheating the oven. Just creamy, dreamy cheesecake done the Lazy Homestead way: in your Instant Pot, with less mess and more flavor.
Why You’ll Love It:
✔️ Silky smooth and foolproof in the Instant Pot
✔️ Just a handful of ingredients
✔️ Flexible crust (or skip it!)
✔️ Elegant enough for a holiday, easy enough for a Wednesday
💬 “Cheesecake used to intimidate me too. But once I made it in the Instant Pot, I never went back.”
🍰 Recipe: Instant Pot Vanilla Bean Cheesecake
Yield: 6–8 small slices
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes + chill time
Total Time: About 1 hour 30 minutes
📝 Ingredients
For the Crust (Optional):
- ¾ cup graham cracker crumbs
- 2 tbsp melted butter
- 1 tbsp sugar
For the Filling:
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste (or extract)
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- Pinch of salt
👩🍳 Instructions
1️⃣ Grease a 6-inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment.
2️⃣ If making the crust: Mix graham crumbs, butter, and sugar. Press firmly into bottom of pan. No need to bake.
3️⃣ In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add egg, sour cream, vanilla, lemon juice, and salt. Stir just until combined—don’t overmix.
4️⃣ Pour filling over crust. Tap the pan gently on the counter to pop air bubbles. Cover tightly with foil.
5️⃣ Add 1 cup of water to Instant Pot. Lower pan onto trivet inside.
6️⃣ Cook on High Pressure for 30 minutes. Let pressure naturally release for 10 minutes, then quick release.
7️⃣ Remove and let cool to room temp, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours (overnight is best).
🔄 Substitutions & Variations
- No sour cream? Use plain Greek yogurt.
- No crust? Just spray the pan and go crustless.
- Flavored version? Swirl in a spoonful of jam before cooking.
💡 Pro Tips & Lazy Hacks
- No springform pan? Use a silicone cake pan or mini mason jars.
- Faster cooling: Let it chill in the freezer for 30 minutes, then move to the fridge.
- Dress it up: Add fresh berries, whipped cream, or drizzle with honey before serving.
🧼 Clean-Up & Storage Tips
- Cheesecake keeps in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freeze individual slices wrapped in parchment, then foil.
- Only two dishes to wash: your mixing bowl and the pan. Not bad for homemade cheesecake.
📌 Save This for Later!
💬 First cheesecake in the Instant Pot? Let me know how it turned out!
📌 Pin it for holidays, birthdays, or anytime dessert sounds good but oven stress doesn’t.
