This Instant Pot chocolate cheesecake is decadent, dense and creamy, made with an easy homemade oreo crust, a delicious chocolate cheesecake filling, and a luxurious chocolate ganache to top it off! Served along with a dollop of cream, this chocolate cheesecake is one drool-worthy Instant Pot dessert!
This chocolate cheesecake was a result of my last minute, 10 pm baking decision, as is the case with most of my bakes. I had a pack of cream cheese sitting in the refrigerator. And also a couple of chocolate baking bars, so it only seemed right to take the plunge even though it was late and make a small batch chocolate cheesecake.
I’m obsessed with this Instant Pot cheesecake in jars that I shared last month! So I adapted that recipe by adding one of the most delicious things in the world- chocolate!
And with the addition of chocolate, we have here this irresistible Instant Pot chocolate cheesecake! I think these cheesecake jars are like the cutest edible gift ever!
After receiving some great feedback on my New York style cheesecake jars in the pressure cooker, I couldn’t help but experiment with the chocolate version.
Anyway, who doesn’t like chocolate, right? Like seriously! I’m yet to meet someone who can’t stand chocolate.
But if you love chocolate and cheesecake like me, then you are in for a treat with this Instant pot chocolate cheesecake! And trust me guys, this is the best remedy to satisfy your cheesecake cravings, and I’m talking the real deal ‘baked’ cheesecake!
Also, look at these cute jars! Aren’t they adorable? I bet they are calling out to you, begging to be picked up and devoured! And you won’t even feel sorry that you enjoyed this decadent chocolate cheesecake, because it’s the perfect portion-controlled dessert. So it’s a win-win situation!
I have a huge sweet tooth, so curbing my cravings for sweets is something that I really have to put an effort into. But sometimes, I like to indulge. And this Instant Pot chocolate cheesecake does a good job at not making you feel guilty, knowing that you won’t overindulge eating more! You can have your ‘cheesecake’ and eat it too!
Table of Contents
THIS INSTANT POT CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE COMES TOGETHER IN 4 EASY STEPS
- Making the chocolate cheesecake base which is an easy homemade Oreo crust.
- Smooth and luxurious chocolate cheesecake filling made with just 6 ingredients, i.e full-fat cream cheese, sugar, eggs, semi-sweet baking chocolate, sour cream, and vanilla extract. You may also use bitter-sweet chocolate if you prefer.
- Easy chocolate ganache to top the cheesecake
- Some piped whipped cream and chocolate shavings along with a dusting of cocoa powder, to make it look fancy, which of course is totally optional. But the cream also complements and cuts down that rich chocolate taste, so highly recommended!
THINGS TO REMEMBER BEFORE MAKING THIS INSTANT POT CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE
Room temperature ingredients
Make sure all the ingredients are at room temperature. This ensures that you have a smooth and lump-free cheesecake filling without mixing it too much. Overmixing is the last thing one needs for a cheesecake batter. The ideal room temperature of cream cheese should be between 68 to 75 degrees F. You don’t need to check with a thermometer, usually about an hour on the countertop should suffice.
Melting the chocolate
The most preferred way of melting chocolate is using the double boiler, but for a small quantity like this, I find it inconvenient to use 2 things when I can just do it in the microwave. The resultant cheesecake was smooth without the grainy texture. Be careful while melting chocolate, use dry bowls and spoons or else the chocolate will ‘seize’ even if a tiny drop of water gets in.
While melting chocolate in the microwave, do it in intervals until about 90% of the chocolate has melted. The chocolate continues to melt once it is taken out of the microwave. You may risk burning the chocolate if you let it melt completely in the microwave.
Natural pressure release, gradual cooling before refrigerating the cheesecake
Let the cheesecake cool down gradually before refrigerating, the same way you would do for an oven-baked cheesecake. Refrigerating a hot cheesecake will cause it to sweat and it will turn soggy with the condensation.
MORE VARIATIONS TO TRY WITH THE SIMPLE CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE
Though I highly suggest first trying this recipe as is first, feel free to experiment with these variations,
- White chocolate cheesecake: Swap the semi-sweet chocolate with white chocolate. You can swirl in some raspberry jam on top before baking.
- Espresso cheesecake: A little bit of coffee always elevates the flavor of chocolate. You can add about 1/2 tsp of instant espresso powder to the chocolate cheesecake batter.
- Chocolate mint cheesecake: You can use Oreos with mint filling for the base, and add 1/4 tsp of peppermint extract along with the vanilla extract.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS TO MAKE INSTANT POT CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE IN MASON JARS
1.Grind the oreo cookies in a food processor or blender or crush them in a ziplock bag with a rolling pin. In a bowl, combine the cookie crumbs with melted butter. Mix well.
2.Divide the crumb mixture between 6 (4-oz) Mason jars, press it with the back of a spoon.
3.If using the baking chocolate bar chop it roughly or add in chocolate chips, place in a bowl, microwave for 20-second intervals, stirring after each interval until the chocolate has melted. Stop when most of the chocolate has melted and few pieces remain, they will melt on stirring. Stir well until all the chocolate has melted and is smooth and glossy. You may even melt the chocolate in a bowl using the double boiler method. Make sure the bowl is not touching the water or else the chocolate will seize. Set the melted chocolate aside to cool slightly.
4.Next, in the mixing bowl of your stand mixer beat the cream cheese and sugar on low speed until smooth. You may use a hand blender or just a whisk too.
5.Add the melted chocolate, continue beating medium-low speed.
6.Add the egg and beat on medium-low speed until well incorporated.
7.Add the sour cream and the vanilla extract and beat well to mix.
8.Pour about 3 tbsp of the cheesecake filling in the prepared oreo crust in each jar. Give it a gentle tap on your palms to eliminate any bubbles. Cover the jars with aluminum foil.
9.Add 1.5 cups of water into the inner steel pot of the Instant Pot. Place a trivet and place the jars on the trivet. (Refer notes).
10.Close the lid of the Instant Pot, and set the valve to ‘SEALING’. Pressure cook on ‘HIGH’ for 6 minutes. It will take some time for the pressure to build up after which the timer will start.
11.Let the pot depressurize naturally (about 15 minutes), once the silver pin drops, turn the knob to ‘VENTING’ and open the lid. Transfer the jars to a wire rack with the help of tongs or gloves. Place the second batch and follow the same cooking instructions. Make sure there is at least a cup of water in the inner pot. Let the cheesecake cool completely before pouring the chocolate ganache.
12.For the chocolate ganache: Chop baking chocolate bar roughly, place in a bowl, add the heavy cream, microwave for 20-second intervals, stirring after each interval until the chocolate has melted. Stop when most of the chocolate has melted and few pieces remain, they will melt on stirring. Overheating will turn the chocolate into a thick, lumpy, grainy mass and looks dull. Divide the ganache between 6 jars, cover an refrigerate until ready to serve.
13.Let the chocolate cheesecake jars stand at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving. Serve these chocolate cheesecake jars with some whipped cream, and chocolate shavings. Scoop up some and enjoy!
NOTES:
- Update: Editing this recipe to mention that you can stack the jars offset over the trivet. So you can cook all the 6 jars in one go. You can also skip the aluminum foil, and use the two-part top lids of the Mason jars. Cover the jar with the lid that has the rubber ring, then close the jar using the outer band, but do not tighten the lid all the way, just enough to cover the jar in order to prevent any condensation from dripping in it.
I hope you try this recipe and if you do, I would love to hear from you! I’d appreciate it if you could rate and leave a review below in comments, as it helps others know the recipe better too. You can also share your feedback and suggestions at [email protected]. Thanks so much 🙂
HOW TO MAKE PRESSURE COOKER CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE IN JARS?
Instant Pot Chocolate Cheesecake {In Jars}
Ingredients
Oreo cookie crust
- 6 Oreo cookies
- 3/4 tbsp unsalted butter
Chocolate cheesecake filling
- 8 oz full-fat cream cheese
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 3 oz semi-sweet chocolate baking bar or chocolate chips you may use bitter-sweet chocolate if you like
Chocolate ganache
- 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate baking bar/chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Grind the oreo cookies in a food processor or blender or crush them in a ziplock bag with a rolling pin. In a bowl, combine the cookie crumbs with melted butter. Mix well.
- Divide the crumb mixture between 6 (4-oz) Mason jars, press it with the back of a spoon.
- If using the baking chocolate bar chop it roughly or add in chocolate chips, place in a bowl, microwave for 20-second intervals, stirring after each interval until the chocolate has melted. Stop when most of the chocolate has melted and few pieces remain, they will melt on stirring. Stir well until all the chocolate has melted and is smooth and glossy. You may even melt the chocolate in a bowl using the double boiler method. Make sure the bowl is not touching the water or else the chocolate will seize. Set the melted chocolate aside to cool slightly.
- Next, in the mixing bowl of your stand mixer beat the cream cheese and sugar on low speed until smooth. You may use a hand blender or just a whisk too.
- Add the melted chocolate, continue beating low medium-low speed.
- Add the egg and beat on medium-low speed until well incorporated.
- Add the sour cream and the vanilla extract and beat well to mix.
- Pour about 3 tbsp of the cheesecake filling in the prepared oreo crust in each jar. Give it a gentle tap on your palms to eliminate any bubbles. Cover the jars with the lid that has the rubber ring, then close the jar using the outer band, but do not tighten the lid all the way, just enough to cover the jar in order to prevent any condensation from dripping in it.
- Add 1.5 cups of water into the inner steel pot of the Instant Pot. Place a trivet and stack the jars offset over the trivet.
- Close the lid of the Instant Pot, and set the valve to 'SEALING'. Pressure cook on 'HIGH' for 6 minutes. It will take some time for the pressure to build up after which the timer will start.
- Let the pot depressurize naturally (about 15 minutes), once the silver pin drops, turn the knob to 'VENTING' and open the lid. Transfer the jars to a wire rack with the help of tongs or gloves. Let the cheesecake cool completely before pouring the chocolate ganache.
- For the chocolate ganache: Chop baking chocolate bar roughly, place in a bowl, add the heavy cream, microwave for 20-second intervals, stirring after each interval until the chocolate has melted. Stop when most of the chocolate has melted and few pieces remain, they will melt on stirring. Overheating will turn the chocolate into a thick, lumpy, grainy mass and looks dull. Divide the ganache between 6 jars, cover an refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Let the chocolate cheesecake jars stand at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving. Serve these chocolate cheesecake jars with some whipped cream, and chocolate shavings. Scoop up some and enjoy!
Notes
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Regards,
Freda
Irina says
Excellent recipe. Thank you! I have Instant pot Ultra, which is 6 quarts. Using a silicon trivet allows to fit all 6 4-oz jars in fro cook at once. Also, I really like to use one piece reusable canning lids. They do come a a variety of colors. My partner LOVES cheesecake, so for his birthday this week, I am making a cheesecake bar with 4 cheesecake flavors ( chocolate – yours!), vanilla, lemon and pumpkin swirl. All in 4 oz jars: some IP, some sous vide – 24 servings. Toppings: mixed berry sauce, whipped cream, mini Oreos (for chocolate, obviously), candied pecans for sure. Thinking about other options!
Freda Dias says
Wow! That’s going to be super awesome! Love all the cheesecake flavors and the toppings! So delicious! I’m glad you enjoyed this one. Thanks so much for taking the time to share your feedback with us. I truly appreciate it, Irina! Birthday wishes to your partner! Hope you guys have a fabulous time 😊
Tania says
This recipe was beautiful. The only change i made was adding some Cacao Butter to the filling which allowed the cheesecake to set in the fridge. Eaten straight from the fridge it had a mousse-like consistency.
Freda Dias says
Thanks, Tania! The addition of cacao butter sounds wonderful, love the mousse-like consistency! 🙂