Pressure Cooker Peanut Butter Cheesecake

IMPORTANT NOTE:  Start with all ingredients at room temperature

Ingredients

Crust

1 1/2 cups Oreo cookie crumbs
2 tablespoons butter
        
      OR

1 1/2 cups finely crushed graham crackers  
1/3 cup butter, melted
3 Tablespoons sugar

Filling

12-ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
2 eggs, room temperature
1 egg yolk, room temperature
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 bag of Reese's mini non-wrapped peanut butter cups.
  Cooled in fridge so they cut easier.

Directions


These instructions are for an Instant Pot 6 qt Duo pressure cooker.  If you use a different brand or size of Pressure Cooker, make adjustments as necessary. 

First, decide whether you want the Oreo cookie crust or the Graham cracker crust.  In a blender or food processor, prepare the Oreo cookies OR Graham crackers. Pulse until finely chopped.  In a bowl, mix Oreo cookie crumbs and melted butter until well combined, OR mix the Graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter until well combined.  I find that a Fat Daddios 7 X 3 inch cheesecake pan with removable bottom available at Amazon, works much better than a spring form pan and fits perfectly in the 6 qt Instant Pot. 

Press crumbs firmly into the bottom and slightly up the sides of the 7 inch pan.  Put the pan in the freezer until ready to use.

In a large mixing bowl, mix the cream cheese and sugar at medium speed until smooth.  Add peanut butter, heavy cream, vanilla extract, and flour then mix well.  Add in eggs one at a time and mix on low speed just until blended.  Do not over mix the batter. Add the extra egg yolk and mix on low speed just until blended.  Do not over mix the batter.  Stir in the choclate chips.

Pour the batter into the 7 X 3 inch cheesecake pan on top of the crust.

Pour 1 1/2 cups of water into the Instant pot pressure cooker pot.  Place the trivet (wire rack) into the pot, and check that the water is below the wire rack.   Take the trivet back out and place on table or counter top.  Center the cheesecake pan on the trivet with the handles spread open.  Pick up the handles and lower the cheesecake pan into the pressure cooker pot.

If you don’t have the trivet with the handles (such as the Instant Pot Duo 6 qt) then prepare a aluminum foil sling for lowering and removing the cheesecake pan.  Take a 18 inch long strip of foil and fold it twice lengthwise. Place the cheesecake pan on the foil strip and lower the pan onto the wire rack in the pot.  Fold the ends down so as to not interfere with closing the lid.

Some prefer to leave the cheesecake pan as is.  Others prefer to cover the cheesecake pan with aluminum foil.  Place the empty cheesecake pan upside down on a sheet of aluminum foil and cut a circular piece of foil around the pan leaving about a 1/4 inch extra foil all around the pan.  Center the circular foil on top of the cheesecake pan with an equal amount of excess hanging over the pan.   Instead of foil, I use a round 7 inch glass cutting board that I found at Dollar Tree.  It fits perfectly on the pan with a little hanging over to prevent condensation from the pressure cooker lid from dripping on the cheesecake.

Place and lock the pressure cooker lid in place.  Select “Manual” mode High pressure and set the time for 45 to 50 minutes.  The original recipe called for 45 minutes.  I live at an elevation of 5800 feet so I needed to add 5 mins.  Trial and error will determine your perfect cooking time.

When the pressure cooker beeps, turn off pressure cooker and use a natural pressure release for 10 minutes, then do a quick pressure release until the valve drops.

Remove the presure cooker lid and check the cheesecake.  If the middle isn’t set, replace lid and cook for a few more minutes.  When cooked,  use either the trivet handles or the foil strip to remove the cheesecake and place it on a wire rack to cool.  If used, remove the circular aluminum foil cover or other cover from the cheesecake.  If there is a little water on top of the cheesecake, use a paper towel to gently blot off the excess water.

When the cheesecake is almost completely cooled, cut the cooled mini peanut butter cups into halves, then fourths and place in a single layer on top of the cheesecake.  Refrigerate covered with plastic wrap for at least 4 hours or overnight.


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