Instant Pot Cranberry Orange Cheesecake

This festive Instant Pot Cranberry Orange Cheesecake is the perfect dessert for fall and the upcoming holidays! This creamy cheesecake is filled with tangy cranberries and citrus orange flavors on top of a sweet and salty crust.

Could this cheesecake be more beautiful!? I cannot wait to make it for Thanksgiving and Christmas! The flavors and colors are just so beautiful and rich.

Instant Pot Cheesecake Tips:

1. Make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature before beginning. This seems like something so minimal that it couldn’t make that big of a difference but it does, just trust me on this one. This includes your cream cheese, eggs, sour cream, butter, etc.
2. DO NOT OVER MIX! When you first begin with this recipe you mix the cream cheese well, like for 5-10 minutes. You do not want any lumps or bumps in your cream cheese or that will cause a lumpy and bumpy cheesecake. You want to get the cheese as smooth as possible in the beginning so you do not have to over mix the batter at the end. But beyond that, do not overmix when you get to the end - especially with the eggs!!
3. I’ll say it again for the people in the back. Do not over mix! When you add the eggs into the batter, only mix just enough to combine the egg, that is it, no more.
4. Cover the springform pan completely with aluminum foil so that you don't get a soggy crust! This includes bottom, top and all around ?.
5. For more tips, click here!

So, let me tell you how to make it!

Start by preparing your cheesecake pan: grease the sides of a 6-inch pan and line with a round piece of parchment. For Instant Pot cheesecakes, I use push pans and springform pans - so whichever you prefer will work!

How to make the cheesecake crust:

For the crust, combine cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter and pulse in a food processor to mix the ingredients.

Then, press crust out on the bottom of the pan and ½ way up the sides. You can use the bottom of a glass to press down the crust. Place the pan in the freezer while making the filling. Freezing will help hold the crust together.

How to make the cheesecake filling:

In a mixing bowl, mix the cream cheese and granulated sugar until nice and smooth, and then add in one egg at a time while mixing in between adding the eggs.

Add in the orange juice and orange zest and mix.

And last, add in the flour, sour cream and extracts and mix to incorporate.

Then gently stir in the cranberries.

When incorporated, pour the filling into the push pan and tap the pan several times on the counter to remove air bubbles. You can also run a fork or knife through the cheesecake filling to remove air bubbles.

"Baking" cheesecake in an Instant Pot:

Cover the cheesecake with aluminum foil and/or a paper towel to prevent condensation from accumulating on the top of the cheesecake.

Add 1 ½ cups of water to the inner pot of the Instant Pot.

Using a sling (you can buy a sling for the Instant Pot or make one out of foil), lower the pan into the inner pot.

Close lid and set for a manual high-pressure cooking time of 30 minutes. Allow for a natural pressure release when the cooking time has finished.

Remove the cheesecake from the Instant Pot. Take the foil off of the top and gently soak up any condensation that has formed on the top of the cheesecake with a paper towel or flour sack towel.

Let the cheesecake cool on a wire rack for at least an hour before refrigerating for 12 hours or overnight.

After 12 hours, remove the cheesecake from the refrigerator and set the pan on top of a large can. Push the sides of the cake pan down, slowly.

Remove the cheesecake from the pan bottom, and set on a cake plate or serving tray. Garnish with cream cheese frosting, cranberries and/or orange peel!

Are you ready for the recipe?

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