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Instant Pot Peppermint Cheesecake with an Oreo cookie crust is an easy holiday dessert recipe that you make in the pressure cooker. Perfect for Christmas!
Looking for a holiday dessert to wow your guests this Christmas? You can’t go wrong with this festive and completely delicious Instant Pot peppermint cheesecake recipe.
The majority of my Instant Pot recipes are for easy dinners and side dishes. But you guys, I am getting addicted to making desserts in the Instant Pot!
After my Instant Pot pumpkin cheesecake and my Instant Pot eggnog cheesecake turned out so well, I decided to try making a peppermint flavored cheesecake for Christmas dessert.
If you like peppermint candy or peppermint mocha coffee, you’re going to love this easy peppermint cheesecake. It’s smooth, creamy, minty and has a hint of chocolate thanks to a secret ingredient.
Okay friends, I won’t hold out on you. The secret ingredient that adds extra flavor to this holiday cheesecake is peppermint mocha coffee creamer!
This is one of those recipes where you decide to add an ingredient at the last minute and it actually works. I was testing this cheesecake recipe, and I thought it needed more flavor — a little something extra.
I thought about adding chocolate, but I had some creamer left over after making my Peppermint Mocha Cookies. So, I added some, and oh, the flavor was so good — a lot like a peppermint mocha!
Tips for Perfect Peppermint Cheesecake
- Be sure to have your cream cheese and eggs at room temperature before you start. This will help your cheesecake have a smooth top without cracks, and it makes the cheesecake easier to blend.
- Don’t over mix the ingredients. Mix until just blended.
- Add your eggs last. This way, you can taste the filling to see if it needs any more flavor.
- Mix in the eggs until just combined. Don’t beat them until they’re fluffy — this will affect the cheesecake texture, and it may be uneven
- Use a clean paper towel to absorb any water on the cheesecake surface after pressure cooking
- Refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight for best flavor and texture
How to Make Peppermint Cheesecake in the Instant Pot
First, you make the cheesecake crust by crushing up Oreo cookies. Be sure to use regular Oreo sandwich cookies and not the Double Stuf. You don’t need the extra filling in the crust.
Mix in some melted butter until the consistency is similar to wet sand. Then, press the crushed cookies into a greased 7-inch push pan or springform pan.
You can find my favorite cheesecake pan for the Instant Pot in the recipe section. It has a handle so it’s easy to remove, and it never leaks! I love it!
Place the crust into your freezer to firm up. Then, you can get started on the peppermint cheesecake filling.
Mix your softened cream cheese and sugar together until creamy. Then, add the remaining ingredients and mix on low until just combined.
Pour the cheesecake filling over the Oreo cookie crust, and smooth the surface with a spatula. Then, add water to the Instant Pot, add the trivet, and carefully lower the cheesecake pan into the Instant Pot.
How Long to Cook Cheesecake in the Instant Pot
The cook time depends upon the type of cheesecake you’re making. Thick pumpkin cheesecake takes about 45 minutes, while the eggnog cheesecake takes 30.
This peppermint cheesecake has sour cream and creamer, so it takes 35 minutes to cook. You also want to allow a 15 minute natural release after pressure cooking.
How to Tell if the Cheesecake is Done
Cheesecakes are done when the center jiggles slightly when moved. You’ll also see the sides start to separate from the pan, and the internal temperature should be at or above 150 degrees.
Allow the cheesecake to cool down for about 30 minutes. Then, cover and refrigerate it for at least 6 hours to overnight.
We tasted this peppermint mocha cheesecake about 6 hours after refrigerating it. It tasted great, but the texture was firmer and the flavors more pronounced the next day.
Patience, young padawan. Patience! Decorate with crushed candy canes, whipped cream, Oreo crumbs or whatever floats your boat!
Instant Pot Peppermint Cheesecake Recipe
Instant Pot Peppermint Cheesecake
Ingredients
The Crust
- 1 cup Oreo cookies regular, not double stuf, crushed about 20 cookies
- 2 tablespoons butter melted
The Filling
- 16 ounces cream cheese 2 – 8 ounce packages, at room temperature
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ½ cup peppermint mocha coffee creamer
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 2 eggs room temperature
- crushed candy canes optional, for topping
Instructions
The Crust:
- Finely crush the cookies using a food processor, or place in large zip top bag, close up, and crush with rolling pin
- Melt the butter and pour over the crushed cookies, and mix until combined and the consistency of wet sand.
- Press the crust into the bottom of a greased 7 inch cheesecake pan, ensuring it is evenly distributed on the bottom and sides of the pan.
- Place the crust in the freezer until the filling is ready.
The Filling:
- Beat the room temperature cream cheese and sugar until just creamy.
- Add the sour cream, coffee creamer and peppermint extract, and beat until just combined.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing in between until just combined. Do not over mix.
- Pour the cheesecake filling onto the crust, smoothing out with a spatula if necessary.
- Pour 1 cup of water into the inner pot of the Instant Pot (6 qt). Place a trivet in the bottom.
- If your pan does not have a handle, create a foil sling, place the pan in the sling, then place the sling in the pot. Skip this step if your pan has a handle.
- Close the lid and place the valve in the SEALING position. Hit PRESSURE COOK for 35 minutes, then do a 15 minute natural release.
- Do a quick release to release the remaining pressure. When pin drops, remove lid, and using oven mitts, carefully remove the cheesecake from the pot by lifting handles .
- The cheesecake is done when only the center jiggles slightly when you shake the pan back and forth and when its internal temperature is 150 degrees Fahrenheit. If it is not done yet, let it cook for another 5 minutes.
- Take the corner of a paper towel and soak up any water on the top of the cheesecake.
- Allow the cheesecake to cool slightly before covering. (about 30 minutes) Store covered in the fridge for 6 hours to overnight (recommended) before serving.
Notes
For best results, use room temperature cream cheese and eggs and mix ingredients until just combined. This helps avoid cracks in the top.
You can crack eggs into a separate bowl to avoid shells getting into the mixture.
I don’t like to cover the cheesecake with foil while cooking, since it can take longer to cook. Blot any water on top of the cheesecake with a paper towel.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hello, when you say pressure cook and add the time does that mean on high pressure?
Yes. It cooks on high pressure.
Made this for a potluck and will be making it for Christmas! It was a huge success!
So glad to hear this, Annie! Thanks! 🙂
Made this for Thanksgiving and what a huge hit it was! Turned out great.
That’s great news, James! Thank you so much!
I love the idea of cooking the cheesecake in the instant pot! The flavor of this one is so good! Love peppermint!
Thank you, Beth! We love peppermint for Christmas!
This cheesecake is absolute perfection! So creamy and delicious. Love how festive that peppermint looks on top!
Thanks, Taylor. I tend to go all out for the holidays!
That is one perfect looking cheesecake! I wish I could dive right into the photo.
Thank you so much, Tiffany! That’s so sweet!
Everyone that has tried this cannot get enough of it. I cant recommend it enough!
Awesome! So glad you liked it — Thank you so much!