Like everyone else out there, we got an Instant Pot on Black Friday from Amazon. I have heard great things about this little gadget and I could resist no longer. I will say it took me a little while to open it. With the holidays, our chocolate shop was swamped, and we just had no time. And I'll also say, it was a wee bit intimidating. There is something scary about a pot that can blow up at any moment! I know I'm not alone in that thought, right?!? But sooner or later, I had to break it in, and what better way than a mouthwatering, delicious triple chocolate cheesecake?
Cheesecake in the Instant Pot?
The day finally came after Christmas. I decided to give it a go. I read the instruction manual about 100 times. I can probably still recite it (it's not that much info). I then went for the water test to make sure it heated up properly and there were no issues. All was good so far. Now, what to cook?
Everyone said how easy cheesecake was, so I figured why not. The first cheesecake I made was a New York-style topped with caramel and pecan brittle bark. I was amazed at how easy it was and how perfectly cooked it was. Hmmm, I thought. What else could I try? Of course, chocolate things are always the goal for me, so I figured why not try an easy chocolate cheesecake recipe in the instant pot. I did some research and saw a recipe in The Great Big Pressure Cooker Book for chocolate cheesecake. I gave it a go. It was good but needed a few modifications, like more chocolate. After some testing, we came up with the instant pot triple chocolate cheesecake.
Ingredients in Instant Pot Triple Chocolate Cheesecake
The ingredients in this are pretty simple. The best advice I can give is to use the best chocolate you have access to. It really does make the flavor so much better. We use Valhrona for almost everything.
- Oreo cookies
- Unsalted butter
- Cream cheese
- Dark brown sugar
- White sugar
- Whole egg
- Egg yolk
- Sour cream
- 53 - 60% chocolate
- Vanilla extract
- Flour
- Cocoa powder
- Chocolate
- Whipping cream
What Does Cocoa Percentage Mean?
This is the weight of the bar that comes from cocoa butter and cocoa liquor. Which combined is cocoa mass. We will call this the cacao content. So if we are using a 65% chocolate, that tells me that 35% of the chocolate comes from non chocolate items. That could be things like cane sugar, milk powder, vanilla.
There is More to it Than Just a Percentage of Chocolate
The difference in percentages doesn't tell you anything about the quality of beans, or how they were processed. Fermentation, drying and roasting are just as important as the percentage of cocoa solids to bring out those beautiful flavor notes!
If you're not sure which chocolate to buy, don't just think of the cocoa content when making your decision. The taste of a bar can vary depending on what kind of palate you have and how high quality the beans are. No matter how high or low the cocoa percentage on a bar of chocolate, your taste buds will do just fine picking out whether it's delicious or not.
How to Make the Triple Chocolate Cheesecake With Oreo Crust
The steps to make this Triple Chocolate Cheesecake are quite simple. We mixed the ingredients in a food processor, but you could easily use a blender.
- Combine crushed Oreos and melted butter to form a crust. Press into the springform pan and freeze for 10 minutes.
- Combine cream cheese with your sugars and cocoa powder. Once combined, add eggs one at a time. Add the melted chocolate and sour cream. Pulse to continue to combine the ingredients.
- Scrape down the bowl and add vanilla and flour. Mix until creamy and then pour into your springform pan on top of your crust.
- Pour two cups of water into the bottom of the instant pot and lower in your springform pan using a tinfoil sling.
- Cover and set to seal and cook at high pressure for 28 minutes. Note: This does not include the time it takes for the Instant Pot to reach full pressure.
- Allow for a 15-minute natural pressure release before opening the instant pot and removing the cheesecake.
- Cool overnight in the fridge before topping with ganache and serving.
FAQ
1. Make a tin foil sling.
2. Get a piece of foil about 21 inches long. Fold it in thirds length wise like you would a letter.
3. It's now ready to use for lifting the cheesecake in and out of the instant pot.
4. If you don't want to make a tin foil sling, you can easily grab a nice silicone one that should last you the life of your instant pot.
1. The middle needs to be set.
2. You are looking for an internal temperature of about 150° Fahrenheit.
3. Use an instant read thermometer for this or go with the jiggle test.
Here is where creativity comes into play. Your cheesecake will be covered in chocolate so you don't really see that much. But if you don't want the ganache topping, you could cover it with whipped cream or even berries.
Yes you can! Most cheesecakes will last about a month in the freezer. You can freeze it whole or cut it in slices for easier access when you are ready.
1. Allow your cheesecake to cool completely.
2. Slice and wrap with plastic wrap. If you are keeping it whole, just wrap with the plastic.
3. Once it's wrapped in plastic, then wrap a second time, but with foil.
4. Most important, when you are ready to eat the cheesecake allow to thaw at room temperature for 2-3 hours, or leave in refrigerator overnight.
Can I Bake In The Oven If I Don't Have An Instant Pot?
Yes, you can. Place cheesecake in a 325° Fahrenheit preheated oven in a water bath. Be sure to wrap your springform pan with foil to prevent any water from seeping in. Cook for about 60 minutes and start checking for doneness. You are looking for an internal temperature of 150° Fahrenheit. It could take up to 70 minutes, depending on your oven.
Special Equipment Needed to Make Triple Chocolate Cheesecake
Obviously this recipe requires an Instant Pot.
We also used a 7-Inch Round Springform Pan
. These are the only special requirements for this recipe.
This is over the top decadent. Super rich and a little goes a long way. But soooooo good! We have now made four chocolate cheesecakes, and everyone I know has broken all New Year resolutions for weight loss.
I hope you enjoy it as much as we did. Happy New Year!
"Wow. This recipe was not at all difficult and it turned out perfectly. Really, really delicious! I’d had mixed success with cheesecakes in the oven before. This was too easy. I should add that the quality of ingredients makes a difference. I used 63% Scharffen Berger chocolate. Do use a quality chocolate as the chocolate flavor really is front and center in the final product. I followed the recipe exactly as written (used Fat Daddio’s 7-inch removable bottom pan) and it was flawless. Keeper for sure." ~Chris
More Cheesecake Recipes You'll Love:
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If you would like something other than ganache on top we made a Raspberry Mousse Chocolate cheesecake, and if chocolate isn't your thing at all, we also have a pumpkin cheesecake in the Instant Pot.
Instant Pot Triple Chocolate Cheesecake
Ingredients
Crust
- 20 whole Oreo cookies
- 4 tablespoon of unsalted butter melted then cooled
Cheesecake
- 1 lb room temperature cream cheese (At least 2 hours at room temp)
- ¼ cup packed dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup white sugar
- 1 whole egg - room temperature
- 2 egg yolks - room temperature
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 8 oz chocolate 53% - 60% Melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
Ganache
- ¾ cup chocolate
- 3 oz heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- Spray the 7" springform pan with cooking spray.
- Add two cups of water to the instant pot and place the rack on the bottom.
- Make a tin foil sling to lift the cheesecake in and out of the instant pot.
Crust
- In a food processor combine the whole Oreo cookies and the butter.
- Pour the crumb butter mixture into the bottom of the pan and pat until even and going up the sides of the pan. Put in freezer for 10 minutes.
Cheesecake
- In a food processor, mix the cream cheese with dark brown and white sugar, and cocoa powder.
- Once combined, add one egg followed by the 2 egg yolks.
- Add the melted chocolate and sour cream.
- Continually scrape the bowl down. Add vanilla flour and mix until creamy.
- Pour mixture into the springform pan and smooth with a spatula.
- Place pan on the tin foil sling and slowly lower into the Instant Pot.
- Set Instant Pot to maximum pressure for 28 minutes.
- Once done, turn machine off and let it return to normal pressure for 15 minutes.
- Unlock lid and use sling to transfer pan to cooling rack for an hour.
- Chill in refrigerator overnight.
Ganache
- Put the ¾ cup of chocolate in a bowl.
- Heat the heavy whipping cream to a simmer. Pour over chocolate.
- Chocolate will melt, stir until incorporated. Once incorporated, use a spatula and spread over the top of the cake.
- Put back in refrigerator to cool.
Notes
Nutrition
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Debbie C says
Hi Serena, Just clarifying-did you use chocolate chips for both the 8 oz of choc and the 3/4 cup for the gnache or do you use bars of chocolate?
Does the % determine the sweetness? The higher the % the less sweet it is?
I saw someone said the % can be the same, it was just labeled as milk choc, bittersweet and unsweetened??
I think everyone would love it if you said 8 oz bittersweet __% -__% chips (or bars-whichever you used).
I have made this once before I just wish I remembered what I used. It was delicious and loved by everyone! Thanks for the recipe and the clarification.
Jerome in Portland says
I like the flavor of orange. What is your experience/suggestion about using a liquor like Grand Marnier or triple sec to flavor? Have you tried using chocolate wafers instead of Oreos for the crust and/or topping? I have to watch my CARBS so any reduction of these is appreciated. I am drooling as I type. Stop making this look and sound so good. :)(: Thanks
serena says
Yes you could easily use some of the liquors to flavor (A little goes a long way). I also believe wafers could easily work for the crust.
Rosalie says
I dont have an instant pot, can i make it i the oven?
Cheryl R Hoover says
I didn't read all the comments but I'm wondering the same thing. You can buy bittersweet chocolate at the percent you are saying but you can also buy unsweeted at that same percent. The question remains is it bittersweet chocolate or unsweetened chocolate at that percentage.
serena says
Go with bittersweet. Unsweetened chocolate will be too bitter due to no sugar or dairy
Mary says
I used to make a chocolate cheesecake (oven baked - before IP!) and I topped it with plain sour cream. It helped to cut the sweetness a bit. (sadly I lost all my recipes when we lost our home in a wildfire)
Darian says
Would I be able to make this without a food processor? I have a blender and hand mixer?
serena says
Yes, a blender will work. Just don't overmix and it will be fine.
Kira says
OMG! This was the best. My sister made this and it turned out absolutely divine! The next few days after our original celebration, I kept asking if I could come over and have another piece. So good. I have never had better! Thanks for sharing. I can't wait for my birthday now as THIS IS MY NEW FAVORITE.
serena says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
Megs says
Oh no. I missed the cocoa powder!! But the cake looks great. Will this effect the taste?
serena says
I'm so sorry just seeing this. How did it turn out?
Michelle Levy says
I made this for my brother-in-law for Hanukkah. He took it with him so I didn't get to taste it, but he is raving about it. He took it to work and everyone devoured it. they all want the recipe. so it seems to have been a great success, and I can't wait to make it again so I can taste it
serena says
HaHa! Thanks for sharing! Definitely make another one you don't want to miss out 🙂
Rebecca says
what is your take on adding some instant coffee/espresso to the chocolate?
serena says
Yes definitely!
Ruthann taylor says
For the Grenache, should I grate the chocolate? I don't know how else to measure 3/4 c of chocolate. Ty for your help
serena says
You can chop it if you need to
Teresa Eckard says
I’m trying this today- second cheesecake I’ve made in the instant pot. I expect this will be a new favorite! I’m going to add some grand marnier with the vanilla, about a Tbls. Hope I don’t make it too wet.
serena says
Can't wait to hear how it turned out! Nice addition
Teresa Eckard says
It wasn’t too wet. The liquor added some depth of flavor. Also added a small amount of espresso powder to the ganache to punch up the choc. Turned out lovely, an irresistible dessert!
jodie manasco says
absolutely wonderful..wish I could post my end results
serena says
Thanks so much
devon says
omg 20 oreos that took me so long to take the white filling out but still worth it! great it came out great
serena says
Next time you can keep the filling in. Works perfectly
Valerie says
For the cheesecake I replaced half of the cocoa with ground up espresso coffee beans in a vanilla Carmel liquor flavour. It was amazing.
Connie Vigen Erbstoesser says
Omg. So good. Didnt have 7 " spring form so used parchment paper and oil in 7 inch Corning wear casserole dish. Then dumped water into my insta pot without insert so drying that out for 3 or more days b4 I try use it again. So instead baked crust for 8 minutes at 350 then added filling and turned oven down to 300. Put dish in a water bath and baked for 1 hr. Turned off oven and let sit in there for 1 hr. Then cooled on rack for 1 hr b4 refrigerated. Turned out amazing.
serena says
So glad that worked out!
Meredith says
In step 13, do you mean do a NPR for 15 minutes? Or do you hit "off" then "pressure" to move to low pressure (without opening lid) and then adjust time down to 15, and then do a NPR after that? I'm making it right now and couldn't figure this step out even after reading all of the comments. I'm doing the second option and hoping for the best. Thanks!
serena says
NPR for 15 minutes. How did it turn out?
Meredith says
It was delicious! We put strawberries cut into the shape of hearts on top. Wish I could post a photo of it here. Thanks for the clarification!
Trish Claussen says
I've had my Instant Pot only for a month (Amazon Prime Day 6 qt Duo for $58!!). I made a different cheesecake shortly after I got it. Then saw this recipe and thought it looked worth a try.
O.M.G.
This is the first time in a LONG time that a recipe has been SO good I've wanted to post a review. How perfectly, decadently chocolaty without being too sweet or too bitter. So rich and creamy but not gooey or cloying.
If I only ever made this cheesecake in my Instant Pot, it would still be 100% worth the price! Thank you for posting this...and thank you for the future extra pounds I can feel coming my way. Delicious. Amazing. Yum.
serena says
That is so wonderful to hear! I'm really glad you enjoyed this 🙂 And thank you for sharing!
Ms t says
This was very expensive to make, and WORTH EVERY DOLLAR!! Thank you for the recipe.
serena says
Ha! So glad you liked it!
Pamela Martin says
I made this on Thursday, following the recipe exactly, and it was divine! Tonight I made it in individual little mason jars. I haven't tried one yet but I'm sure they will be great!
serena says
I'm curious how they turned out. Please share if you get a moment