Instant Pot Death by Chocolate Cheesecake

This instant pot death by chocolate cheesecake is a chocolate lover’s dream come true! Rich, decadent chocolate is combined with smooth cream cheese to make this delicious dessert. I promise you, this will become your favorite cheesecake to make in your instant pot, so proceed with caution. If you love making desserts in the instant pot, try some of my other cheesecake recipes like this Instant Pot Strawberry Crunch Cheesecake, Instant Pot RumChata Cheesecake or this Instant Pot Coconut Rum Cheesecake.

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

An Explanation Of The Ingredients

• Cream Cheese – Use a good quality brand like Philadelphia.
• White Granulated Sugar – Sweeten it up with a little sugar.
• Oreos – Pulse the Oreos in a food processor to make the cheesecake crust.
• Unsweetened Cocoa Powder – Just a little bit of cocoa powder goes a long way.
• Eggs – Mix the eggs just until incorporated.
• Vanilla Extract – Add vanilla extract and mix.
• Sour Cream – Use sour cream to balance out the sweetness from the chocolate.
• Semi-Sweet Chocolate – You can use chocolate chips or a chocolate bar for this.
• Heavy Whipping Cream – Make homemade chocolate ganache with heavy cream and melted chocolate.

How To Make The Oreo Crust

1. Pulse the Oreos in a food processor until they resemble fine crumbs.
2. Grease a springform pan. You may use round parchment paper if you’d like. Spray the parchment paper if using.
3. Pour the oreo crumbs into the springform pan and use a measuring cup to press it down into the springform pan and slightly up the sides to form the crust.
4. Place in the freezer to chill while you prepare the chocolate cheesecake filling.

How To Make Instant Pot Death By Chocolate Cheesecake

1. First, start by creaming together the cream cheese and sugar in a stand mixer on low speed.
2. Melt the chocolate in 30 second intervals in the microwave. Set aside for now to cool a bit.
3. Add the sour cream, unsweetened cocoa powder and vanilla extract. Continue mixing on low speed until combined.
4. Pour in the melted chocolate while mixing.
5. Add the eggs one at a time. Mix just until combined.
6. Remove the crust from the freezer and pour the cheesecake filling inside.
7. Tap the springform pan against the counter so the air bubbles rise. Use a fork to pop as many air bubbles as you can.
8. Add water to the instant pot. Check notes for quantities.
9. Cover the cheesecake with aluminum foil.
10. Place the cheesecake on the sling or on the trivet if you don’t have one and lower it into the instant pot.
11. Close the lid and cook on high pressure for 35 minutes with a 10 minute natural release.
12. Remove the cheesecake from the instant pot and uncover so any condensation on the surface of the cheesecake can evaporate. Let it cool for at least 45 minutes or until it comes to room temperature.
13. Run a pairing knife around the chocolate cheesecake to loosen the sides from the springform pan. Do not remove it from the springform pan until you’re ready to serve.
14. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight.
15. Top with homemade chocolate ganache, Oreo crumbs and chocolate chips and enjoy!

How To Make Homemade Chocolate Ganache

1. Add chocolate chips and heavy cream to a microwave safe bowl.
2. Microwave in 30 second intervals, mixing in between.
3. Once the chocolate chips have fully melted into the heavy cream, allow the ganache to cool and thicken.
4. Finally, drizzle over your cheesecake. You can also top the cheesecake with chocolate chips and crushed Oreos if you’d like.

Why Make A Chocolate Cheesecake In The Instant Pot?

Honestly, I’ve made so many cheesecakes in my instant pot, it’s hard to go back to using the oven. They come out so creamy and perfect each time. You don’t have to worry about refilling a water bath and it cooks so much faster in the instant pot. In most cases, the oven method takes an hour or more. I really can’t see myself going back to making cheesecakes in my oven. I’ve made several cheesecake recipes in my instant pot like this Instant Pot Mango Margarita Cheesecake and Instant Pot Banana Cream Pie Cheesecake. Sure it may take a little practice in the beginning, but once you master the technique it’s totally worth it.

Making The Perfect Cheesecake

The key to making the perfect cheesecake is minimizing air bubbles. There are a few things you can do to ensure you don’t end up with any cracks on your cheesecake. First, make sure to always use room temperature cream cheese and eggs. This will cut down on the amount of mixing you have to do. Over mixing is what causes cracks most of the time. Using a fork to pop air bubbles will also help tremendously in ensuring you make the perfect chocolate cheesecake.

Tips & Variations

• Use 1 cup of water for a 6 qt instant pot, 1 1/2 for an 8 qt and 2 cups for a 10 qt.
• The instant pot sling is not required to make this recipe but it does help to remove the cheesecake from the instant pot without any hassle.
• Do not over mix the ingredients and use room temperature eggs and cream cheese.
• This is a creamy cheesecake recipe and will jiggle once it is removed from the instant pot. This is completely normal and It will finish setting in the refrigerator.
• Always read your instant pot manual before using it.