Instant Pot Key Lime Cheesecake

If you love the sweet & tart combination, this Instant Pot Key Lime Cheesecake is the perfect dessert for you! This easy dessert is rich, creamy and and oh-so summery and tangy! 

Originally published May 2019, updated May 2024

Cheesecake has been one of my most favorite desserts for as long as I can remember. And I’m not sure when I fell in love with Key Lime Pies, but they’re easily my most favorite pie. So of course if you combine those two desserts and use an Instant Pot… it’s perfection and so easy!

Looking for a perfect key lime pie recipe? Try this recipe given to me by my grandmother-in-law who lived in Florida her whole life. Or this no-bake Key Lime Pie is great if you don’t want to heat up your kitchen.

This Instant Pot Cheesecake recipe is easy and delicious. And it’s the perfect sweet treat for a couple who loves dessert or a very small gathering.

Instant Pot Key Lime Cheesecake

Don’t have an Instant Pot? I have a post here for How to Convert an Instant Pot Cheesecake Recipe to an Oven-Baked Version!

Ingredients:

These simple ingredients are easy to grab at your local grocery store and combined, make a delicious, creamy cheesecake.

• 16 oz cream cheese (2 packages), softened
• ½ cup sour cream (or plain yogurt)
• 6 tbsp granulated sugar
• ½ cup fresh lime juice
• 2 eggs
• 3 tbsp melted butter
• 5 graham crackers crushed
• Pinch of salt
• Cool Whip or Whipping Cream, and Lime slices for topping (optional)

Tools

• large bowl
• electric mixer (hand mixer or stand mixer)
• 6-inch cheesecake pan
• aluminum foil 

Substitutions

Key Limes. Regular limes (also known as Persian Limes) can be used in this recipe in place of Key Limes. They do look different but I can’t really tell a difference in the taste. Some say regular limes are a little more tart, but if you don’t like tart, you’re probably not going to like an Instant Pot Lime Cheesecake.

How to Make an Instant Pot Key Lime Cheesecake

1. In a food processor, combine the melted butter, graham crackers, and salt and pulse until you have fine crumbs. (You can also use a Ziplock bag and crush your crackers that way.)
2. Prepare a 6” springform pan with nonstick spray. Be sure to spray the sides of the pan and the bottom of the pan (unless you’re lining it with parchment paper).
3. Pour your graham cracker crumbs into the cheesecake pan and press down with your hand to form the crust. Place in the freezer while you prepare your filling.
4. For the cheesecake filling, use a hand mixer on low speed to cream the cream cheese until light and fluffy and there are no lumps. This usually takes about 4-5 minutes. You want to make sure to get all of the lumps out at this stage, so you do not overmix later on.
5. Add in the sour cream and sugar and mix until well combined. Add in the key lime juice.
6. Finally add in the eggs one at a time making sure to mix as little as possible. Your mixture should be super creamy:
7. Pour the cheesecake mixture into your prepared graham cracker crust. Gently tap on the counter a few times to get rid of any air bubbles.
8. Cover with aluminum foil and prepare your Instant Pot by placing the trivet inside and adding 1 cup of water. This creates the same environment as a water bath where the texture of the cheesecake comes out super creamy.
9. Place the filled pan on the wire rack and the lid on top and make sure it is in the sealing position.
10. Set your pot on high pressure for 35 minutes. Allow it to sit until the natural release.
11. When you can open the pot, take the cheesecake out and allow to set on the counter until completely cool to room temperature.
12. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours to overnight to set.
13. Top with whipped cream and slices of key limes. Serve and enjoy this Instant Pot Key Lime Cheesecake!! *I used a piping bag to pipe the border on top of the cheesecake to make it prettier. It was vanilla buttercream.

Serving Suggestions

• Use heavy cream to make some fresh whipped cream for topping – SO good!
• Add some key lime zest to the top of the cheesecake.

More Instant Pot Desserts

• Instant Pot Brownie Cake
• Instant Pot Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake in Pressure Cooker
• Pressure Cooker Blueberry Dessert

The printable Instant Pot Key Lime Cheesecake recipe: