Crème Brûlée Cheesecake (Instant Pot )

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The perfect combination of crème brûlée and cheesecake! We’re topping a buttery graham cracker crust with smooth and creamy vanilla bean filling then covering it with a sweet caramelized sugar crust!

creme brulee cheesecake

This eggless, cheese-less cheesecake tastes just like creme brulee AND just like cheesecake. And it’s easier to make than both traditional versions!

A show-stopping dessert

Make this instant pot crème brûlée cheesecake, and your friends and family will think you’re a superstar dessert-maker! The great thing about this show-stopping dessert is that it’s so simple to make.

When I say this dessert is “show-stopping,” – I mean that quite literally. Call your friends and family over to the table, and make a show out of torching cheesecake! Everyone will oooh and ahhh and watch in amazement as you expertly torch sugar, creating a beautifully crackly caramelized crust. 🤩

Listen for the crack as you cut into the crust. Hearing sugar shatter is half the fun of eating creme brulee. When you bite into a slice, you’ll get a bit of crackly sugar crust along with silky smooth vanilla bean flecked filling. The contrast in texture… the flavor… I tell you, this is a cake for all senses.

Creme brulee cheesecake is more than just dessert. It’s an experience. A dessert to remember. A real show-stopper.

An eggless, cheese-less cheesecake!

This cheesecake is an egg-free recipe, perfect for those looking for an eggless dessert! If you’ve been wanting to try an egg-free creme brulee or egg-free creme caramel, this is the recipe to make.

This cheesecake is made with very few ingredients:

  • Graham Crackers: I’ve made this cheesecake with regular graham crackers, gluten-free graham crackers, cookies, and biscuits. Anything will work – I’ve included weight measurements in the recipe card below.
  • Butter
  • Condensed Milk: this is sweetened. No, you cannot substitute it.
  • Yogurt: I suggest using plain full-fat Greek yogurt. Whole milk yogurt will work too.
  • Vanilla Bean: use a whole vanilla bean and scrape out the seeds. Vanilla extract won’t work here; quality matters when making creme brulee.
  • Superfine Sugar: this is important for making the brittle sugar topping. You can find this at your local grocery store, or you can also find it on amazon.
creme brulee cheesecake

How to make Creme Brulee Cheesecake:

Pulse together graham crackers and butter, then press the crumbs into a cheesecake pan to form the crust.

creme brulee cheesecake

Mix together condensed milk, yogurt, and vanilla bean. Pour this on top of the crust.

creme brulee cheesecake

Pressure cook the cheesecake, then let it cool down. Once cool, unmold, and then refrigerate.

creme brulee cheesecake

After you’ve refrigerated the cheesecake, and right before serving, you can make a creme brulee crust!

How to make the torched sugar crust:

How can you improve upon a classic vanilla cheesecake? Top it with a creme brulee crust!

I know the idea of torching sugar seems intimidating but try it once, and you’ll see how easy it is.

Here’s what you need:

Here’s how to make the sugar crust:

Once the cheesecake has chilled, sprinkle the surface with superfine sugar.

Then use a kitchen torch to brulee the top by melting the sugar into a brittle crust.

Do I need to use a torch?

Yes. In order to get a perfect caramelized sugar top, you’ll need to use a kitchen torch.

No, you cannot use a lighter (I’ve tried, and it’s pointless). I did not try using the broiler setting on the oven, but if you experiment, you’ll need to keep a very close eye on it to make sure the sugar doesn’t burn. Again, I highly suggest using a kitchen torch.

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Can the cheesecake be made in advancce?

Yes, you can make this cheesecake a couple of days in advance. It keeps well. You can even freeze it if you’d like.

When you’re ready to eat the cake, sprinkle sugar over top and torch it just prior to serving.

creme brulee cheesecake

I’ve made this cheesecake many times – for special occasions, family events, just because. It’s easy to make and gets rave reviews.

My husband, who claims he doesn’t have a sweet tooth (how dare he, lol), says this creme brulee cheesecake is his favorite dessert. He even asked that I make this cake for his 35th birthday, and trust me, Roby is not one to request desserts often (ever?).

This creme brulee cheesecake was a hit at his party – our parents loved it! Especially the part where we torched the cake. You can see the creme brulee cheesecake pictured below alongside my 4-year-old’s masterpiece – a delicious strawberry cake. I’ll work on getting his recipe for you guys. 😉 In the meantime, enjoy this creme brulee cheesecake!

Looking for more cheesecake recipes? Give these a try!

creme brulee cheesecake

Instant Pot Crème Brûlée Cheesecake

creme brulee cheesecake

Instant Pot Crème Brûlée Cheesecake

5 from 5 reviews
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Course Dessert

Ingredients
 

Graham Cracker Crust:

  • 10 graham cracker sheets (gluten-free works too!) 155 grams/5.45 ounces
  • 4 tablespoons melted butter

Cheesecake Filling

  • 1 (14 ounce) can condensed milk
  • 1 cup (8 ounces) whole milk unsweetened Greek yogurt (full-fat)
  • Seeds from 1 vanilla bean

Topping

  • 1 -2 tablespoons superfine sugar (use as needed to cover the top of the cheesecake)

Instructions
 

Graham Cracker Crust:

  • Process the graham crackers in a food processor to a fine crumb.
  • Add the melted butter and pulse until moist.
  • Press the crumbs into the bottom of a well-greased 6-inch cheesecake pan or 7-inch cheesecake pan with a removable bottom (you can use cooking spray or butter to grease the pan – make sure to get the sides of the pan too!).
    creme brulee cheesecake

Cheesecake Filling:

  • Add the condensed milk, greek yogurt to a bowl. Split the vanilla bean down its length, scrape out the seeds and add that to the bowl. Whisk well and pour the mixture on top of the crust, then cover the pan with foil.
  • Add 2 cups of water into the steel inner pot, then place the trivet/wire rack that came with your pressure cooker into the pot (a tall trivet works too). Place the cheesecake pan on top of the rack.
    creme brulee cheesecake
  • Secure the lid, close the pressure valve, and cook for 30 minutes at high pressure.
  • Naturally release pressure for 20 minutes, then release any remaining pressure (do not leave the cheesecake sitting in the pot). Place the cheesecake on a wire rack, remove foil, and let it cool down for an hour.
    creme brulee cheesecake
  • After an hour, unmold the cheesecake – it’s easiest to unmold while slightly warm (you may need to run a pairing knife along the edges of the cake if it appears to be sticking).
  • Put the cheesecake in the fridge to chill for 4-6 hours or overnight. The cake will set as it cools.

Creme Brulee Topping:

  • Prior to serving, sprinkle the superfine sugar on top of the cheesecake and carefully torch until caramelized.
    creme brulee cheesecake

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Notes

You can use a 6-inch cheesecake pan OR a 7-inch cheesecake pan to make this recipe. Both sizes work. The 6-inch pan will result in a smaller and taller cake, while the 7-inch results in a larger and thinner cake.
Did you make this recipe?Tag @myheartbeets on Instagram and hashtag it #myheartbeets!

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About Ashley

Hi, I’m Ashley. Thanks for being here! I truly believe that food brings us closer together. Gather around a table with good food and good people, and you’ll have the ingredients you need to create some happy memories. My hope is that you find recipes here that you can’t wait to share with family and friends.

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Comments

  1. julie vibert says

    i am trying to make the creme brulle cheese cake. two questions firstly is it yogurt and milk or either or?
    secondly i am struggling to get vannila bean can i use vanilla esscence?

    julie

  2. Cyrus says

    Hi Ashley,

    When do you cut the slices?

    Once the bruleed sugar hardens wouldn’t slicing it crack the top?

    Thanks

  3. Barb Larson says

    5 stars
    Looks devine, but as a single person I’d want to do just a meal’s worth of torched toppings at a time. Any esitimates on how long to pressure cook multiple 4 inch ramekins?

  4. Holly says

    Ashley, is there a difference between this and your Instapot two ingredient cheesecake? I just put this same comment in here but I don’t see it so maybe I did something wrong. Anyways, that is one of my family’s absolute favorite recipes and one of the best recipes on the web!!!

  5. Holly says

    Ashley – what, if anything, makes this different than your Insta-pot two ingredient cheesecake? That is one of my favorite recipes of all time and it’s probably one of the top 20 most brilliant recipes online to this day. Anyone that’s had it I’m sure would say the same! Thanks in advance 💜

    • Ashley - My Heart Beets says

      Thanks, Holly! I just replied to your other comment but the only thing that’s different is the vanilla bean and the sugar crust 🙂 If you like that one, you’ll like this too! I appreciate the kind words 🙂

      • Sharmila says

        Hi Ashley
        Would it be possible to bake this in snd oven?. If so, at what temperature and for how long?
        Thanks in advance

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