Who would have ever thought that you could bake the most delicious cheesecake in an Instant Pot pressure cooker. Not me, I was a huge skeptic. But I will have to tell you that I have been baking cheesecakes all summer long. Now it is time for a fall flavor. Here comes pumpkin spice.
For the foundation, the crust. You can use the traditional graham cracker crust or for a different flavor profile try ginger snaps. For my cheesecake I wanted to add a bit of Italy so I used Amaretti di Saronno cookies. For those of you who have never tried one they are a light crisp almond flavor. At the restaurant we used these cookies often in the fall and winter for desserts, also with savory dishes. I ordered the one pound bag from Amazon knowing I will be using them in recipes in the weeks to come. Here is the link if you would like to give them a try https://amzn.to/3mnylIB . For you World Market shoppers, you might be able to find the cookies there as well.
Some important thing to know about making cheesecakes in the Instant Pot before you get started
If you have been using your instant pot for a lot of savory cooking, please take the sealing ring off the lid and smell it. Yes smell it, if it smells like green chili, chances are so will your cheesecake. You can soak it in a lemon or vinegar water mixture. You can order an additional sealing ring and use one for sweet and one for savory.
Prepare your crust and place in the freezer while you are preparing the filling. This will firm up the butter in the crust making it nice and firm when you pour the filling in. This will one – keep the filling from leaking through, two – create a crunchier crust.
Must, must, must bring the cream cheese to room temperature. Also the eggs. Yes there have been times, when I have been busy and have forgotten to do this step. And I have softened cream cheese in the microwave. the trick here is just a few seconds at a time and check, you do not want it warm or melted.
You will need a 7 inch spring form pan. I have a dozen springform pans, not one would fit in the instant pot. So I hate to admit I ordered two more from Amazon. They were here in just a couple of days. Here is the link https://amzn.to/2ZElOa6
Check to see what type of steaming rack you have. Some have folding handles which makes it easy to lower the cheesecake pan in the instant pot. You must have a steaming rack of some sort, you do not want the spring from pan sitting directly in the water. I have this sling that works perfect for the springform pans https://amzn.to/32u1UR0
You must let the instant pot do a natural release for 20 minutes! Do not instantly preform a manual release after the cooking time. Let’s call this a carry over cooking time. The cheesecake will continue to cook and set up during this time.
If after you have cooked the cheesecake for the 30 minutes on high pressure and allowed to set for the natural release for 20 and the cheesecake seems to jiggly in the center. Occasionally this will happen. Do not worry, just pop it back into the instant pot and reset the cooking time for 5 or 10 minutes of cooking and still allow to naturally release for 20 minutes.
OK you are ready to make a fantastic cheesecake in the Instant Pot!
A wonderful pumpkin spice cheesecake for fall and winter. So incredibly easy and creamy.
Ingredients
Crust
1 cup Amaretti di Saronno cookie crumbs
2 tablespoons sugar
4 tablespoons melted butter
Filling
2 – 8 ounce packages cream cheese at room temperature
2 eggs at room temperature
1 cup pumpkin puree
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pumpkin spice
1/4 cup flour
2 tablespoons Amaretto Liquer
1 teaspoon vanilla
Sour Cream Layer
1/2 cup sour cream
2 teaspoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon pumpkin spice
1 teaspoon Amaretto
Instructions
Crust:
Trace the bottom of the 7 inch springform pan on a piece of parchment paper and lay the parchment inside the pan. In a small bowl combine the cookie crumbs, sugar and melted butter. Stir with a fork until well combined. Press the crumbs into the lined springform pan coming up an inch on the sides of the pan. I use a small 1/4 cup to pat down the crumbs, it works real well getting the sides and the bottom all patted down nicely. Now place your pan in the freezer.
Filling
Place the softened cream cheese in a mixing bowl. Beat the cream cheese well on medium speed until it is nice and creamy. In a small bowl mix the pumpkin spice into your sugar and flour give it a good stir. Now add this to the cream cheese blend well. Add the eggs one at a time mixing well after each one. Now add your pumpkin puree, Amaretto and vanilla. Mix well.
Its time to get the springform pan out of the freezer and pour your filling in the crust.. Cut two pieces of foil slightly larger then your spring form pan, set your pan on top and bring the foil up the sides. this helps from water getting inside your pan. Now cut another piece of foil and cover the top. Add 1 1/2 cups of water into your instant pot. Using your steaming rack with handles or the Instant Pot bakeware sling lower the springform pan into the Instant pot. Secure the lid and make sure the pressure valve is set to sealing. Manually set your Instant pot to High for 30 minutes. When the time is complete allow to naturally release for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes you can turn the valve to release, most of the steam should be gone at this point. Carefully remove your cheesecake. It still will be very hot. Carefully remove the top and bottom foil. The bottom foil you may notice some water and or butter. I like to get the springform pan off the foil immediately so that it does not absorb any water. This helps prevent from a soggy crust. Place the springform pan on a cookie sheet pan lined with a paper towel. If there is any water on top of the cheesecake you can gently pat with a paper towel.
Sour Cream Layer
Whisk the sour cream, sugar, pumpkin spice (mix with the sugar prior) and Amaretto. pour over the cheesecake. Allow to cool on the counter top 30 to 60 minutes. Refrigerate the cheesecake several hours or overnight before serving.
Serving
I sprinkled honey toasted almonds and Heath bar toffee bits on each piece for serving. You could also drizzle caramel on the plate or on top of the cheesecake.
