Pressure Cooker Meyer Lemon Cheesecake is a tartly sweet and dense New York Style Cheesecake.
Pressure Cooker Meyer Lemon Cheesecake
I love lemon everything. I love Cheesecake! I love my new, so turning it into a Pressure Cooker Meyer Lemon Cheesecake is a no brainer.
We are lucky to have dwarf Meyer Lemon trees. They are Native to China, but became popular in California in the 1990’s. They grow well in warm climates. The Meyer lemon fruit is yellow and rounder than a true lemon.
The skin is fragrant and thin, colored a deep yellow with a slight orange tint when ripe. Meyer lemons have a sweeter, less acidic flavor than the more common Lisbon or Eureka supermarket lemon varieties.
Before you get started making this Pressure Cooker Cheesecake, please read my article called Perfect Pressure Cooker Cheesecake Tips & Guide, so that your first cheesecake will be a success.
Cheesecake cooked in a Pressure Cooker is unbelievably smooth and creamy.
Cast of Ingredients for Pressure Cooker Meyer Lemon Cheesecake
I generally use Meyer Lemons when I make my Fool Proof Lemon Curd Recipe, but remember, while the Meyer Lemon is sweeter than a Eureka Lemon, the skin, however, is very thin and not good for zest. Many grocery stores will not stock the Meyer Lemon because of the delicacy of their thin skin, so if you don’t have Meyer Lemons in your area, just use Eureka Lemons, or whatever you can purchase local.
Photo courtesy of Lauren Deschamps
They can be made with or without crust. Just divide the crust (if using), filling and topping equally between each jar.
For a lighter cheesecake, try my Italian Ricotta Cheesecake or Italian Meyer Lemon Ricotta Cheesecake, which are 50% less calories. The Pressure Cooker Three Ingredient Japanese Cotton Cheesecake is a totally different take on a cheesecake.
For fun Holiday Mini 4 oz size Mason Jar Cheesecakes, check out my Red White and Blue Cheesecake Singles.
Add cookies and sugar into the bowl of a food processor. (If you want a Key Lime Cheesecake, use this same recipe, but substitute the Lemon for the Key Lime and add 1 more Tablespoon of sugar.)
If you don’t have a food processor, take a large baggie and put the cookies inside, seal it and take a rolling pin and crush the crackers. Pulse until small crumbs form.
Add melted butter and combine.
I prefer the 6″ Fat Daddio’s Push Pan, because clean up is so very easy, Others people prefer a Spring Form Pan. Grease your Cheesecake Pan and then press crumb mixture into pan using a Fox Run Tart Tamper or your fingers. Form a little border around the edge and slightly up the sides.
A tip for Pressure Cooker cheesecakes is that when pressing the crumbs into the cheesecake pan, don’t push them up too high on the sides.
You don’t want moisture to get into the crust. That will cause a gummy crust. It is helpful to put the pan with the crust into the freezer while preparing the filling.
Mix the cream cheese, sugar, peels, lemon juice together.
Add the eggs, one at a time and barely mix just to combine. You may see a little yellow in the mixture and that is okay. Like a one second pulse, if using a food processor.
See, Perfect Pressure Cooker Cheesecake Tips & Guide, so that your first cheesecake will be a success.
Fold the cream in just to combine.
Remember, use a lemon other than a Meyer Lemon for the zest. I use the zest from the Eureka Lemon, which is most often the ones you see in grocery stores
For grating the lemon, I like the Microplane Stainless Steel Zester, as it is stainless steel and has super sharp blades.
I like to loosely cover my Push Pan with a paper towel and a piece of foil, to eliminate water from landing on the cheesecake. If any moisture gets on the cake, just dab it off with a paper towel.
Pressure Cooker Guide Making & Using Foil Sling
It is cheap to make and you will find yourself using it all your Pot in Pot cooking. If you don’t want to make this Homemade Sling, you might prefer this Silicone Sling/ Vegetable Steamer which is a nice product.
Lower Cheesecake into Pressure Cooker
Use your Homemade Sling to lower your pan into the Pressure Cooker.
The Pressure Cooker Meyer Lemon Cheesecake is done before the center of it is set. It will be a bit jiggly in the center and the sides will be slightly higher. Don’t feel the urge to cook longer or else the top will crack.
The heat that is trapped inside will continue to cook the center while the cheesecake cools. Wait about 10 minutes and then put a thin layer of the sour cream topping.
Let the Pressure Cooker Meyer Lemon Cheesecake sit on the counter for an hour and then loosely cover and place in the refrigerator.
How to remove Cheesecake from Push Pan
A Cheesecake desperately needs at least 12 hours in the refrigerator, so please, please, make your Cheesecake the day before you need it and let it set up properly in the refrigerator overnight.
Any jar that will fit into the opening of the Push Pan will work. Push down on the pan to reveal the yummy Pressure Cooker Meyer Lemon Cheesecake.
It will taste much, much, much, better. Really, I am not joking. Your Any jar that will fit into the opening of the Push Pan will work. Push down on the pan to reveal the Cheesecake will taste good on the same day, but will taste incredible the next day.
I use this LamsonSharp Chef’s Slotted Turner to remove the cheesecake to a plate. It’s super thin and fits easily between the Cheesecake and the base of the pan. It is not a good idea to cut the cheesecake on top of the Push Pan base, as it will scratch and sticking will become a problem.
The sour cream layer is typical of a true New York Cheesecake.
This Pressure Cooker Meyer Lemon Cheesecake freezes really well. I usually cut the cheesecake into slices and then put a piece of waxed paper between each slice. Then I freeze in a round container.
For gift giving, I use these Round Reditainers upside down, like a cake plate with a cover.
My Fool Proof Lemon Curd recipe is super easy and delicious. If you prefer to use the Pressure Cooker for the Curd, try my Pressure Cooker Easy Lemon Curd recipe. A little goes a long way.
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Kitchen Equipment and Essentials
- Instant Pot DUO 6 Quart
- J.A. Henckels Classic 7-inch Hollow Edge Santoku Knife
- Amco Advanced Performance 18/10 Stainless Steel Measuring Spoons
- Culina Stackable (Dry) Stainless Steel Measuring Cups
- Anchor Hocking Glass (Liquid) Measuring Cups
- My FANTASTIC Teak Cutting & Charcuterie Board & Compartments
- Stainless Steel Trivet
- Cuisinart Large Food Processor
- Microplane Stainless Steel Zester
- 6″ Fat Daddio’s Push Pan
- Grafiti Bands Cross Style
- LamsonSharp Chef’s Slotted Turner
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Here is your handy printable recipe:
Ingredients
Crust
- 1/2 cup Graham Crackers crushed (or Biscoff, Lorna Dune, Nilla Wafers, etc.)
- 2 teaspoons White Sugar
- 2 Tablespoons Butter melted
Filling
- 16 oz Cream Cheese room temperature
- 1/2 cup White Sugar
- 1 teaspoon All Purpose Flour optional
- 1/2 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1 Tablespoon Meyer Lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons Lemon Peel grated (not Meyer lemon)
- 2 Eggs room temperature
- 1 Egg Yoke room temperature
- 2 Tablespoons Heavy Cream Whipping Cream
Topping
- 1/2 cup Sour Cream
- 2 teaspoons White Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Lemon Zest
Recommended Products
Instructions
- Please read my article Perfect Pressure Cooker Cheesecake Tips & Guide, before proceeding.
Crust
- Add cookies and sugar to the bowl of food processor and pulse a couple of times, until small crumbs form.
- Melt butter in microwave or on stove top and add to graham cracker mixture. Pulse until just combined.
- Pour cookie mixture into bottom of greased 6-inch cheesecake pan and press the mixture firmly into the bottom of the pan and one inch up along the sides.
- Place pan with crust into freezer for 15 minutes.
Filling
- Blend together cream cheese, sugar, flour (if using), lemon juice, grated peels and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Add eggs and yolk, one at a time, mixing just enough to combine. Do not over mix the eggs..
- Hand blend in cream thoroughly.
- Pour filling into the pan, on top of the graham cracker crust.
Cook
- Add 1.5 cups of water to the bottom of your pressure cooker and then place a trivet inside the pot.
- Cover the cheesecake first with a paper towel and then with a piece of aluminum foil and secure it around the sides.
- Place cheesecake into pressure cooker using a sling.
- Lock pressure cooker cover into place. Set the pressure to high for 37 minutes. Allow a 15 minute natural release.
- After all pressure has been released, open pressure cooker and gently remove the pan. Remove the foil and paper towel and dab off any liquid that may have accumulated.
- The center will be a bit jiggly, but don't worry. The heat that is trapped inside will continue to cook the center while the cheesecake cools.
Topping
- Mix together the sour cream and sugar and then spread on the hot cheesecake.
- Let cool on wire rack for one hour.
- Lightly cover and place in refrigerator overnight.
- Remove Cheesecake from pan.
Notes
Use the flour if you want a denser filling.
If you use a 7 inch pan, cut the cooking time to 32-35 minutes. I like the height of the cake in a 6 inch pan. The percentage of filling to crust is perfect.
For a Key Lime Cheesecake, substitute the Key Lime in place of the Lemon and add 1 extra Tablespoon of sugar to the filling. For Single Serving Jar Cheesecake
8 oz Wide Mouth Glass Jar - cook 7 minutes
4 oz Wide Mouth Glass Jar - cook 4 minutes
16 oz Glass Jars - DON'T DO IT!
15 minute Natural Pressure Release
Nutrition
PIN this Pressure Cooker Meyer Lemon Cheesecake!
Pressure Cooker Meyer Lemon Cheesecake
Why shouldn’t I try this in a 16 oz mason jar? If I only fill it partway, what would happen? Is it dangerous in some way?
I have told many people about your cheesecake website and tips. The tips are SO helpful. I just made the lemon. Are you not supposed to mix the cream cheese mixture too much? I was very careful when I put the eggs in. But when I took it out of the oven it had grown to the top of the pan, then it sank after cooling. We will eat it tonight. QUESTION: my last cheesecake tasted too eggy. Almost as though I could eat it for breakfast instead of dessert. (That would be fun). But, the egg flavour overpowered the cheesecake. Thoughts ?
OH and a PS…I too have a brimming full Meyer Lemon Tree, just waiting for the picking.
I need to do this gluten free..can I use cornstarch instead of flour for the density (I like that best)?
Yes, no problem. Jill
Have you converted this recipe for regular oven cooking? I don’t own an instant pot.
My very first attempt at cheesecake, ever! I’m making it for my mom’s birthday; she has some dietary restrictions. Here are the substitutions I made: Almond flour, ground walnuts, butter, and 1 tsp. of MonkSweet for the crust (MonkSweet is a blend of erythritol, stevia, and monk fruit). I used SCD Yogurt cheese (homemade whole milk, organic yogurt that’s cultured for a full 24 hours, and then drained until it’s the consistency of cream cheese) instead of cream cheese and sour cream. I used the equivalent amount of MonkSweet, in place of sugar. I didn’t have a Meyer lemon, so I used a regular lemon.
I’m also making lemon curd with the MonkSweet for topping. I’ve made the lemon curd for her before. It turned out great! I use the Totally Foolproof Lemon Curd recipe, with the one substitution.
I’ll let you know how it comes out tomorrow!
Hi Jill, LOVE your recipes, the best. I am making your lemon cheesecake and have an 8 in Fat Dadios pan. My question is, should I double the recipe and if so how long should I cook it for. I could also do some individuals if there is too much batter for the 8 inch. I really want a tall cheesecake.
HI Nancy. Please double the recipe and add an extra 8 minutes. Jill
I have the 3qt instant pot, can I half the recipe and use 4 -4oz cups?? How long would I cook it and at what setting
Hi,
I’m new at this and got lost. Ingredients call for 1 tsp lemon zest but don’t see where you added it and also, what is that big ‘clump’ of yellow on top of the topping?
Got to try this or the key lime before long.
That yellow addition looks to be lemon curd. I believe she topped it after baking. It looks to be delish! I love her recipes but the last one tasted to eggy. I’ll have to ask her about that.
I made this and it was really delicious! Absolutely full of flavor.
Thank you,,,
Jill, a question – I have the IPDuo 6 quart cooker. I found a 7 inch Daddio cheesecake pan.
I did see one post to reduce the cooking time in a 7 inch pan for your original list of ingredients. But if I’d like a cheesecake which is as tall as yours, do I need to increase the quantities of each of the ingredients? what about the cooking time? Thanks!
I also have this question. I made my first one of this recipe (first because there will be many more ?) and wondered if I could do 1.5 times the ingredients and whether the cooking time would be the same..? Or how much different? Thanks!
Would i have to change the lemon amounts if just using regular lemons?
Hi Heather~
No change needed.
Jill
One note, heavy cream is an ingredient but nowhere in the instructions does it say to add it. I forgot that step and was confused as to why I would have.
Hi Regina~
The cream is mentioned after the eggs.
Jill
Hi Jill – I know cheesecakes freeze well – do you think it will be ok to freeze with the sour cream layer on top? Many thanks for your wonderful recipes.
Hi Brenda~
It is fine to freeze with the top layer, no problem.
JIll
This is so GOOD! Just made my first IP pressure cooker cheesecake! It came out just like you said it would!
Good recipe! Thank you so much.
Hi Manee Koo~
Thank you for the kind comments. I am so happy that you liked you cheesecake. It is one of my favorites!
Jill
I just got an Instant Pot and am blessed with a Meyer Lemon tree. We live outside of Sacramento and had over 500 lemons from our tree last Fall. I will certainly make this next Christmas and for other special desserts.
Hi Donna~
Thank you for visiting. 500 lemons sure are a lot. Lemon Curd with Meyer lemons is wonderful.
Jill
Wow..its an amazing recipe. I love eating cakes. Surely going to try this out for my husband.
Hi Nancy~
I hope you will like the cheesecake. It’s so easy in a pressure cooker.
Jill