Instant Pot Pumpkin Cheesecake
Creamy, spiced pumpkin cheesecake with a delicious gingersnap crust – all made in an Instant Pot! The perfect dessert for fall.
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients
Gingersnap Crust
- 4 1/4 oz (120 g) gingersnap cookies (or substitute equal weight of graham crackers)
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger powder
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling
- 16 oz cream cheese (room temperature)
- 1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 3/4 cup brown sugar (packed)
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 teaspoon ginger powder
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3 eggs
Sour Cream Topping (optional)
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Gingersnap Crust
- Prepare a 7" x 3" springform or push pan by spraying the sides and bottom liberally with cooking spray or grease the sides and bottom with butter or shortening. Set aside.
- If blind baking (see note) preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. If not, then proceed to the next step.
- Measure out the gingersnap cookies and place in a large Ziploc bag (I used a gallon-sized bag). Crush the gingersnap cookies using a rolling pin until they are the consistency of crumbs. Alternatively, you can use a food processor to grind into crumbs. Place the crumbs in a medium bowl.
- Add the brown sugar, flour, ginger, allspice, cinnamon, and nutmeg to the same bowl and mix together with a spoon.
- Melt the butter and pour into the bowl with the crumbs and spices. Mix until the butter is combined well. Pour the mixture into the pan and press down on the bottom with a small cup or spoon.
- If blind baking the crust, bake in the oven for 8 minutes, then remove and set aside. If not blind baking, place the crust in the freezer until the filling is ready.
Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling
- Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat the cream cheese on medium until smooth, about two to four minutes.
- Add the remaining ingredients except for the eggs (pumpkin puree, brown sugar, sour cream, vanilla, and spices) to the cream cheese and beat for another minute or two on medium until well combined. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl to make sure nothing is stuck to the sides.
- Then add the eggs. Beat on low just until combined (20-30 seconds). Then pour the mixture into the prepared pie crust.
- Add two cups of water to the Instant Pot stainless steel pot. Place the pot inside the Instant Pot.
- Place a short trivet in the Instant Pot. It should not touch the water. Prepare a foil sling to help you get the cheesecake out of the Instant Pot. To do this, tear off about 24 inches of foil and fold lengthwise into thirds (so the final piece is 24" x 4" or so if your foil is 12" wide). Place the cheesecake in the center of the foil sling and fold up the sides around the pan so you can lift the pan using the foil. Pick up the cheesecake and place in the Instant Pot. Fold over the foil sides so they don't touch the cheesecake batter.
- Seal the Instant Pot lid and turn the pressure release valve to close it. Press the "Pressure Cook" button ("Manual" on some models) until it's on "High Pressure" and press the +/- buttons until it says 00:30.
- The Instant Pot will say "On" until it comes up to pressure and will then start counting down from 30 minutes. After it's done, leave it to natural release for another 30 minutes. To do this, just leave the Instant Pot alone after it beeps. It will start counting up until it says "L00:30." Then release any remaining pressure by opening the pressure release valve and opening the lid once the pressure is released.
- Gently remove the cheesecake with the foil sling and allow to sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes. Run a small knife around the rim of the pan to make sure the filling is not stuck to it. Then refrigerate for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
- When you're ready to serve the cheesecake, gently remove the sides of the springform or push pan. For the springform, just release the sides and slip off. For the push pan, just push the bottom right through. Do this gently and use a small knife to release any stuck spots. Place the cheesecake on a serving plate.
Sour Cream Topping (optional)
- Skip this step if not using the sour cream topping. If adding the topping, mix together the sour cream, sugar, and vanilla in a small bowl with a spoon. Gently spread over the top of the cheesecake.
- Cut the cheesecake into slices and serve!
Notes
Blind baking the crust leads to a crispier crust in the end. The step is completely optional, I've made the cheesecake both ways (either blind baking or freezing), so if you don't feel like using the oven, then skip the step.