Instant Pot Peppermint Cheesecake

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Peppermint cheesecake is good, but why stop there!  I love a good layered Instant Pot Cheesecake and this Peppermint, Chocolate, and Vanilla Cheesecake is the perfect harmony of all these flavors in one glorious bite!

Keep it simple.  Don't overcomplicate.  Breathe in . . . Breathe out.  Live in the moment.

Someone please come cover my home in these insightful phrases before I create a six-layered cheesecake and then make it 5 times to make sure it's right.

This Triple Layered Peppermint Cheesecake is inspired by this Triple Chocolate Cheesecake (white, milk, and dark) and this Chocolate Mint Layered Cheesecake from my dessert cookbook Instantly Sweet.

I just really love one dessert that is full of so many flavors!

Yes, it's a tiny bit more work, but the payoff is huge.

How does one eat a triple layered cheesecake?  Well, in my home I saw 3 methods:

1. Straight down: whipped cream, peppermint, vanilla, chocolate, oreo, all in one bite, every time
2. One layer at a time: Lick off the cream then carefully fork off each individual layer at a time
3. Proclaim you hate cheesecake, beg for a tootsie roll, eat only the oreo layer then pretend you hate it when you realize, wait, THIS cheesecake is GOOD!

I converted an 8-year-old cheesecake hater, yes I did.

WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS FANCY TRIPLE LAYERED CHEESECAKE

• Peppermint is the taste of the season.  Christmas can't come without a solid peppermint dessert
• Each flavor comes at you with boldness, without overshadowing the other: truly harmonious cheesecake here!
• It's a stunner.  No chance anyone is gonna look at a dessert table without taking a double, no, triple glance at your triple layers
• Hold up, technically this is 5 layers.  The minty crust and silky smooth cream deserve honorable mentions here.  If we want to get crazy and count peppermint candies and chocolate curl garnishes as another layer, then BAM!  I really did create a 6 layer cheesecake!

Heck yes, you are going to rule the dessert table with this beauty!

TIPS FOR MAKING A BEAUTIFUL TRIPLE LAYERED CHEESECAKE

• Don't add super hot melted chocolate to the cheesecake batter, let it cool 3 – 5 minutes.
• Stream melted chocolate into the cheesecake batter while gently whisking.  You want to move quickly but not incorporate a lot of air
• When pouring in the different layers, pour from the outside in.  This helps prevent them from mixing together
• In the end, if your layers aren't perfect, repeat to yourself what Cami said to me with this Triple Chocolate Cheesecake, “There is beauty in imperfection.”  Then serve it proudly whilst using the terms, “Marbled” or “Rustic”

HOW TO MAKE INSTANT POT PEPPERMINT CHEESECAKE IN A FOOD PROCESSOR

1. Make your peppermint flavored Oreo crust and place in the freezer until firm
2. Cream ROOM TEMPERATURE cream cheese and sugar, until it's completely smooth
3. Blend in the yogurt, cornstarch, and vanilla extract
4. Add eggs and pulse 2 -3 times.  Take lid off and finish mixing in the egg by hand
5. Divide batter into 3 bowls
6. Whisk melted semisweet chocolate into one bowl
7. Whisk white chocolate into another
8. Whisk white chocolate, food coloring, and peppermint extract into another
9. Pour the chocolate layer into the Oreo crust
10. Add the white chocolate layer next, pouring from the outside in
11. Finally add the peppermint layer, again, carefully pouring from the outside in
12. Use a tinfoil sling to CAREFULLY transfer it to the pressure cooker pot to cook

SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR DETAILED COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

YOU DID IT!  See!  Easy Peasy!

Whether you want to impress family, friends, co-workers, or your kids that don't think you're a true home chef because you don't make Kraft Mac and Cheese, THIS is the dessert to do it!

I'm so excited for you to try this one!  I've never had people fight over the last slice of cheesecake as they have for this.

Enjoy!  I know you will 🙂

TIPS FOR MAKING INSTANT POT CHEESECAKE 

• Don’t press the crust more than halfway up the pan.  If it gets moisture on it while cooking, it’ll get soggy
• Use room temperature cream cheese and eggs.  It will mix up MUCH smoother than if you use cold
• Don’t use low fat/nonfat ingredients.  Whole fat cream cheese and at least 2% Greek yogurt is a must for texture
• Get the cheesecake mixture smooth and well blended before adding the eggs
• Once you add the eggs, very gently stir them in, just until incorporated.  If you overbeat the eggs, your cheesecake may overflow while cooking.  It will still be tasty, but it’ll look a bit of a mess
• Optional: Use a food processor.  I’ve been so much more consistent with my cheesecake success using this method.  It makes the cheesecake mixture so smooth.  When I add the eggs, I pulse twice to get them going, then use a spatula to finish mixing.  I haven’t had a cheesecake explode on me ever since I started doing it this way
• Unplug the cooker after it beeps so it doesn’t continue to cook the cake, then let it rest at least 10 – 15 minutes.  I’ve found a quick release on cheesecakes increases the chance of the cheesecake rising and falling.  Be patient!
• Let it chill in the fridge completely, at least 4 hours.  The texture is so much creamier and richer tasting, overnight is even better
• Top it with whipped cream or ganache.  Not only will this hide any imperfections, but the contrast in texture is what really makes a cheesecake dreamy, in my opinion

HOW TO MAKE BEAUTIFUL CHOCOLATE CURLS AND GARNISHES

I would really like to be the pro on this, but since I'm not, I'll link you up to how I learned:

• I love this WikiHow article showing Three Ways to Make Chocolate Curls
• I attempted this method of making pretty Chocolate Garnishes with Acetate Paper.  I had about 30% success with this, but it was fun nonetheless and the video is mesmerizing to watch

MORE INSTANT POT CHEESECAKES 

• Triple Chocolate Cheesecake
• Caramel Apple Cheesecake
• White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake
• German Chocolate Cheesecake
• Vanilla Funfetti Cheesecake

Instant Pot Peppermint Cheesecake

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 2 reviews

Peppermint, Chocolate, and Vanilla come together to create this unique, pretty cheesecake.  The combination of flavors is incredible!

• Author: Marci
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 35 minutes
• Total Time: 70 minutes
• Yield: 8 servings 1x
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Pressure Cooker
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the Crust

• 1 cup Oreo cookie crumbs (about 12 cookies)
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract

For the Cheesecake Filling

• 16 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup 2% greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 2 ounces semisweet chocolate
• 4 ounces white chocolate (divided)
• 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 3 drops red food coloring

For the Whipped Cream Topping

• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

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Instructions

1. Prepare a 7 inch springform pan by coating it with a non-stick spray.
2. In a small bowl, combine the cookie crumbs, butter, and peppermint extract.
3. Press evenly in the bottom of the pan. Place in the freezer for at least 10 minutes.
4. In a mixing bowl mix cream cheese and sugar at medium speed until smooth.
5. Blend in yogurt, cornstarch, and vanilla.  
6. Mix in eggs one at a time just until blended; don’t over mix. (for food processor directions, see notes)
7. Divide batter into 3 small bowls (about 1 cup of batter in each).  
8. Melt the semisweet chocolate in the microwave for 30 seconds, stir.  Return the chocolate to the microwave for another 15-30 seconds and stir until it is completely melted and smooth.  
9. Whisk melted chocolate into one of the bowls of cheesecake batter until completely combined then pour into crust. Smooth the top.
10. Melt 2 ounces of white chocolate in the same manner and whisk into another bowl of cheesecake batter.  
11. Pour over the chocolate layer, starting at the exterior of the pan then moving towards the center. Smooth the layer with the back of a spoon.
12. Finally, melt the last 2 ounces of white chocolate as above and whisk into the last bowl of batter.  Add peppermint extract and food coloring and continue to stir until all the ingredients are completely incorporated.
13. Pour over the white chocolate layer, again pouring from the exterior then towards the middle.  Smooth the top.
14. Pour 1 cup of water into the pressure cooking pot, and place the trivet in the bottom.
15. Carefully center the filled pan on a foil sling and lower it into the pressure cooking pot. Fold the foil sling down so that it doesn’t interfere with closing the lid.
16. Lock the lid in place. Select High Pressure and set the timer for 35 minutes.
17. When beep sounds, turn off the pressure cooker. Use a natural pressure release for 10 minutes, and then do a quick pressure release to release any remaining pressure. When valve drops carefully remove lid.
18. Remove cheesecake and check the cheesecake to see if the middle is set. If not, cook the cheesecake an additional 5 minutes. Use the corner of a paper towel to soak up any water on top of the cheesecake.
19. Remove the springform pan, place on a wire rack to cool. When cheesecake is cooled, refrigerate covered with plastic wrap for at least 4 hours or overnight.
20. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
21. Top with Vanilla Whipped Cream and garnish with crushed peppermint candies and chocolate curls, if desired.

For the Vanilla Whipped Cream

• To a high-speed blender add cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract.  Blend on high speed until thickened
• Alternatively, use a hand mixer to beat to desired thickness.

Notes

• I like making cheesecake batter in a food processor.  It makes it ultra smooth without incorporating a lot of air into the batter.  Mix the batter in the proccessor the same as instructed above (see picture collage in post).  After adding the eggs, only pulse 2 – 3 times, then mix the rest of the way by hand
• Always use room temperature cream cheese and eggs.  This results in a much smoother cheesecake
• Stir in eggs just until incorporated.  Overbeating the eggs can result in the cheesecake overflowing while cooking
• Top with peppermint candies right before serving.  They tend to melt and run into the whipped cream once they sit for awhile

Keywords: instant pot cheesecake, peppermint dessert, pressure cooker

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