You only need two ingredients to make this Instant Pot Cheesecake!
I know it sounds too good to be true! A 2-ingredient cheesecake? I promise you, this tastes like the real deal, and it’s so easy to make.
The funny thing is that this is a cheese-less cheesecake! Yup, that’s right. No cheese! No eggs in here either.
Two Ingredients: Condensed Milk + Yogurt
- Condensed milk: Condensed milk is made up of milk and sugar – and it’s very, very thick. I buy organic condensed milk from Whole Foods to make myself feel better about eating something so decadent.
- Yogurt: I love using full-fat Greek yogurt. You can use plain yogurt too, but it must be full-fat. It should say “whole milk” on the container. If you’re concerned about yogurt looking too thin, use a sieve to separate some of the yogurt’s whey before measuring. Again, Greek yogurt is a safe bet because it’s nice and thick.
What About Non-Fat Yogurt? Since first sharing this recipe, I’ve had readers tell me they’ve been able to use non-fat yogurt successfully, but I haven’t tested this out for myself. I’ve also been told that flavored yogurt works too.
Can you really make an eggless cheesecake?
This 2-ingredient cheesecake is my take on a Bengali dessert called bhapa doi, a dessert made with milk, sugar, and yogurt. When I first came up with this instant pot recipe, I was actually trying to develop an egg-free flan (I have yet to do this, lol). Instead, I made a bhapa doi-like dessert that tastes like pudding when warm but just like cheesecake after it’s chilled.
Some of my non-Indian friends tried this dish, and they thought it was cheesecake. If you are Indian or are familiar with Indian desserts, this sweet might remind you a little of milk mithai or ras malai.
So yes, this is a Bengali yogurt cheesecake that tastes just like regular cheesecake. Unlike traditional cheesecake, this recipe is no fuss. Trust me, as long as you use the right ingredients, you can’t screw this up.
How do you make cheesecake?
You can make this cheesecake in a cheesecake pan or you can use ramekins for mini cheesecakes if you prefer. The written recipe below includes details on making this cheesecake using either ramekins OR a cheesecake pan.
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If you want to go crustless, I suggest using ramekins. If you want to add a crust, use a cheesecake pan. Adding a crust also adds some height, which is nice.
Here’s a simple photo breakdown of how to make mini cheesecakes using ramekins! Watch my video in this post to see how to make a cheesecake using a cheesecake pan. 🙂
Make Different Instant Pot Cheesecake Flavors
This dessert is amazing as is but feel free to flavor or garnish this dessert however you’d like. I have made so many variations of this cheesecake! Here are a few adaptations of this original cheesecake:
You can spruce up plain cheesecake by adding some vanilla bean, a pinch of cardamom, or nuts and raisins (really!) to the batter. Or garnish the top by or by drizzling the cake with caramel or chocolate.
Chilling this Condensed Milk Cheesecake?
If you want a creamy yet firm cheesecake, you’ll need to chill this in the fridge.
For this to taste like cheesecake, you will need to eat this dessert chilled, which will, of course, require patience as you’ll need to allow it time to cool down in the fridge.
If you want to serve it warm or at room temperature, it’ll taste more like a pudding. If you go this route, leave it in the ramekin and serve it right away. Throw a little garnish on top, and you’ve got a beautiful dessert! The texture when at room temperature is really neat too – it’s smooth and creamy. When it’s chilled, it’s more firm and dense.
How do you thicken instant pot cheesecake?
To make a thick cheesecake, I suggest using a 6-inch cheesecake pan (a 7-inch cake pan will work too but result in a thinner cake). You can also use four (6 ounce) ramekins to make individual small, yet thick, cheesecakes.
Can I make this dairy-free?
Since first sharing this recipe, a lot of you have asked for a dairy-free option. You guys know I’m all about trying to help those with food allergies, but unfortunately, this recipe is (obviously) dairy-heavy. I’ve tried many times to create a dairy-free version but haven’t been able to – at least not yet. And yes, I’ve tried replacing condensed milk with condensed coconut milk – it does not work.
Make this cheesecake, and then give one of my other recipes a try!
Chocolate Cheesecake with an Oreo Crust:
Creme Brulee Cheesecake with a Graham Cracker Crust:
Lemon cheesecake with a Date and Nut Crust:
Pumpkin Cheesecake with an Oatmeal Cookie Crust:
Have I hyped up this recipe enough for you yet? It’s amazing! It’s incredible! It’s a must-make.
Also, I love seeing your pictures of my cheesecake recipe. Please keep sharing them! You can join my IP INDIAN FB group and tag me over there or on Instagram!
2-ingredient Cheesecake (Instant Pot Indian Cheesecake)
2-ingredient Cheesecake (Instant Pot Indian Cheesecake)
Ingredients
Optional Crust Recipes (use the crust of your choice or go crustless):
Date and Nut Crust:
- 1 cup nuts
- 5 dates roughly chopped
Oatmeal Cookie Crust:
- ½ cup rolled oats I buy gluten free oats from trader joes
- ¼ cup pecans
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
2-ingredient Cheesecake:
- 1 14 ounce can condensed milk (sweetened)
- 1 cup whole milk yogurt full-fat yogurt or full-fat greek yogurt
- Oil or butter for greasing ramekins or cheesecake pan
Instructions
Optional Crust Recipes (use the crust of your choice or go crustless):
- To make the date-nut crust: add the nuts and dates to a blender and blend until it turns into a sticky, crumbly mixture. Add this mixture to the greased cheesecake pan with a removable bottom and press down to smooth it out.
- To make the oatmeal cookie crust: Blend all of the ingredients together in a food processor until well combined. Press the crust onto the bottom of a greased 6-inch (or 7-inch) cheesecake pan with a removable bottom.
To make the cheesecake:
- Add the condensed milk and yogurt to a bowl and mix well. Pour this mixture into 4 (6 ounce) greased ramekins or into a cheesecake pan and cover the pan(s) with foil.
- Add 2 cups water into the steel inner pot, then place the trivet/wire rack that came with your pressure cooker into the pot. Place the ramekins or the cheesecake pan on top of the rack (you may need to place one ramekin on top of another in order to make them all fit. see the photo in the blog post).
- Secure the lid, close the pressure valve and cook for 25 minutes at high pressure if using ramekins or 30 minutes at high pressure if using a cheesecake pan.
- Naturally release pressure for 20 minutes, then release any remaining pressure (do not leave the cheesecake sitting in the pot).
- Allow the cheesecakes to cool down on a wire rack. I find it easiest to unmold the cheesecake while slightly warm. (To unmold the cheesecake from ramekins, use a paring knife to loosen the sides of the cake from the ramekin if needed and then flip it out onto a plate. To unmold the cheesecake from a cheesecake pan, use a paring knife to loosen the sides of the cake from the pan – then I suggest watching this video to get a better idea of how I remove the cake).
- Put the cheesecake in the fridge to chill for 4-6 hours.
Video
Notes
- Have questions about how to make this cheesecake? Read this 2-ingredient Cheesecake FAQ blog post and watch a video to see how I make it.
- I have only tested this recipe using whole milk yogurt (full-fat). I have heard from others that non-fat greek yogurt has worked for them. If you’re concerned about the yogurt looking too thin, just use a sieve to separate some of the whey from the yogurt before measuring.
- Have fun with this cheesecake! You can use flavored yogurt or greek yogurt for more protein! As long as it’s whole milk, it will work! Drizzle it with chocolate sauce or add ground cardamom or vanilla bean to the batter! You can also stir in halved cashews, golden raisins, etc.
- This is best when chilled (in my opinion) as that is when it tastes like cheesecake. If you eat it warm, it will taste more like custard.
- You can freeze leftover cheesecake! It tastes great when thawed but I’ve found it’s a bit more crumbly. Still delicious though!
- If you want to add a fruit puree, then you must use thick yogurt like full-fat greek yogurt or hung yogurt, which is just sieved/strained yogurt. For example, to make mango cheesecake: use 1 cup full fat greek yogurt, 1 can condensed milk and ¼ cup mango puree. Here is my mango cheesecake blog post.
- You cannot replace condensed milk with condensed coconut milk – I tried and it does not work.
- Here are my other recipes: pumpkin cheesecake, lemon cheesecake, mango cheesecake.
Here are a few more pictures to make your mouth water 😉
Patty says
Doesn’t look at ALL like is in the pictures. Yes I used whole milk full fat Greek yogurt and eagles sweetened condensed milk. The cheesecake is about 1 inch high. Knew it was too good to be true 🙁. Wish I could post a picture of it here.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Patty, it is a thin cheesecake without the crust. It also helps to use a smaller pan – I suggest a 6-inch pan for a thicker cheesecake.
Nikita says
Made this 2-ingredient cheese cake yesterday and it was great hit! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe, enjoyed making it!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Nikita, that’s great to hear! Thanks for letting me know how much you liked this 🙂
Sarah says
Have yet to try this without an instant pot – can the recipe be doubled for a larger cake or are 2 smaller cakes the better option – sounds, links divine. thank you. Best wishes
harsh morzaria says
Thanks for Sharing this recipe…!!!
I have seen many recipes but was only able to understand this one.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Thanks, Harsh! I’m glad you liked it 🙂
Kanan says
Hi Ashley,
Every time I make this cheese cake, it’s all eaten up. I have shared with so many people, that I don’t remember. I have a question, have you tried this sugarless?
If you did how did it turn out? Thanks
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Kanan, that’s awesome! So nice to hear 🙂 To answer your question, I haven’t tried a sugar-free or reduced sugar version – I’m not sure that would be possible with this particular recipe as it calls for condensed milk which is sweetened.
Smita says
Hi Ashley
Thanks for this wonderful recipe. Absolutely loved it! My question is can this be made in 5 ounce disposable containers (aluminum muffin boxes) for individual servings at a gathering. Have you tried something like this and if yes what will be the cooking time for these. Thanks
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Smita, I haven’t tried making these in disposable containers – just ramekins. Hopefully another reader can chime in!
Aga Ispahany says
To make mango cheesecake. I have a 6” pan where the bottom can be removed. If I put the mixture in the pan, will it not leak from the pan into the pot? How can I secure that.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Aga, if it’s a cheesecake pan like the one I link to in my post it should be fine, but you can always wrap the bottom in foil to help if needed. Let me know how it goes if you try this!
Sahithi says
Absolutely divine! Although they don’t look smooth like yours Ashley or Instagram worthy, the taste was fabulous and we all enjoyed it! Made the mango one too and it was devoured. Thank you Ashley!
I wonder why the look is not as smooth as yours though Ashley! It looks like set yoghurt a bit uneven?
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Sahithi, I’m so glad you liked this! As for making it smoother, you can try whisking it more so it’s well mixed, or maybe blending it will help? As long as the batter is smooth going in, it should be smooth coming out too. I hope that helps!
rasneet says
After having tried other cheesecake recipes, I came across Ashley’s and it was just so right! It is so simple to make and my family loves it!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Rasneet, that’s so great to hear! Glad that you and your family like this cheesecake so much. 🙂
Sur says
After the cheese cake cools down a bit, the recipe suggests placing in refrigerator for 4hours. How to best put the cake in the refrigerator? Covered? Open? On a plate?
My Heart Beets says
Either way is fine – I usually leave it open on a plate 🙂
My Heart Beets says
Either way is fine – I usually leave it open on a plate 🙂
carla says
Can this cheese cake be cooked in the oven? i don’t have a pressure cooker.
Cora says
I’m curious to know this as well! Did you try using your oven Carla?