This delicious red velvet cheesecake is a wonderful treat for Valentine's Day, or any time of the year! Flavored with cocoa powder with a ginger cookie crust, this pressure cooker cheesecake comes out wonderfully light and fluffy.

A slice of red velvet cheesecake with the end cut off with a fork.

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The full recipe with ingredients/instructions is available on the recipe card at the bottom of the post. Important tips/tricks are also included in the blog post.

Do you have any plans for Valentine's Day? We are pretty low key on the day, but that doesn't mean I won't be enjoying this delicious red dessert!

This red velvet cheesecake is all kinds of delicious. It has a decadent and rich chocolate flavor and the ginger snap crust is to die for.

This cheesecake recipe is cooked in the Instant Pot and is totally foolproof. This method ensures the fluffiest and creamiest cheesecake you'll ever make!

For more cheesecake recipes, be sure to try my Instant Pot Carrot Cake Cheesecake!

How to make a red velvet cheesecake

Gather your ingredients.

Place cookie crumbs, sugar, and unsalted butter in a medium sized bowl and stir until combined.

The ingredinets for the crust mixed together.

Place in the bottom of a greased 7 inch springform pan. Set aside.

The cheesecake crust in a springform pan.

Place cream cheese, granulated sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Using a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese and sugar on medium speed until combined. Add sour cream, egg, vanilla extract, and vinegar and beat on medium speed until well blended. Remove about ¼ cup of the batter mixture and set aside.

Add cocoa powder and food coloring to the bowl and beat until incorporated.

Pour this mixture into the prepared springform pan and smooth the top.
Place the ¼ cup of set aside batter mixture on top of the cheesecake.

Four dollops of white batter on the red cake.

Create a swirl with a chopstick or toothpick.

The white batter swirled into the red cake.

Cover springform pan with foil paper.
Add 1 cup of water to Instant Pot. Add cake to Instant Pot on trivet or bakeware sling.
Cover and cook on high pressure for 35 minutes, allowing for natural release for 10 minutes.

The ccheesecake wrapped with foil in a pressure cooker.

Remove cake and allow to cool on the counter, then transfer to the fridge. Refrigerate 2-24 hours, the longer the better.

Overhead view of the red and white cheesecake.

How do you stop the cheesecake from cracking?

Cheesecakes can crack for two main reasons.

If the cake batter is over mixed, this can cause cracking. If you whip too much air into it, the cake can rise and then collapse, causing the cracks.
Cheesecakes also crack when the cool too quickly, so be sure to naturally release the pressure in your Instant Pot rather than a quick release.

How long does it keep?

Once your cheesecake has cooled in the fridge, cover it loosely with plastic wrap or foil. It's best within the first couple of days, but will keep well for 4 to 5.

Can you freeze it?

Yes, cheesecake freezes well, and you can freeze it in slices or whole. If freezing whole, I like to keep it in the springform pan. Wrap several times in plastic wrap and foil and it will keep for up to a month. For individual slices, it's best to freeze them solid on a baking sheet before wrapping and placing in a container or freezer bag.

Thaw frozen cheesecake in the fridge overnight before enjoying.

Recipe Notes and Tips

Take care not to over mix the batter.
Natural release the pressure for the Instant Pot so that the cheesecake doesn't cool too quickly.

More Pressure Cooker Recipes

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5 from 4 votes

Red Velvet Cheesecake

This delicious red velvet cheesecake is a wonderful treat for Valentine's Day, or any time of the year!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword instant pot cheesecake, pressure cooker cheesecake, velentines day cheesecake

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 35

Natural release 10

Total Time 1

Servings servings

Calories 381kcal

Author Tanya

Ingredients

Crust

¾ cups ginger cookie crumbs crushed in a food processor
1 Tablespoon sugar
3 Tablespoon unsalted butter

Filling

2 8 oz packs cream cheese softened
¾ cup granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup sour cream
1 large egg
1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon distilled vinegar
2 Tablespoon cocoa powder
2 oz red food coloring

Instructions

Prepare the crust

Place cookie crumbs, sugar, and unsalted butter in a medium sized bowl and stir until combined. Place in the bottom of a greased 7 inch springform pan. Set aside.

Prepare the filling

Place cream cheese, granulated sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Using a hand mixer, eat the cream cheese and sugar on medium speed until combined. Add sour cream, egg, vanilla extract, and vinegar and beat on medium speed until well blended. Remove about ¼ cup of the batter mixture and set aside.
Add cocoa powder and food coloring to the bowl and beat until incorporated. Pour this mixture into the prepared springform pan and smooth the top.
Place the ¼ cup of set aside batter mixture on top of the cheesecake and create a swirl with a chopstick or toothpick.
Cover springform pan with foil paper.
Add 1 cup of water to Instant Pot. Add cake to Instant Pot on trivet or bakeware sling.
Cook on high pressure for 35 minutes, allowing for natural release for 10 minutes.
Remove cake and allow to cool on the counter, then transfer to the fridge. Refrigerate 2-24 hours, the longer the better.

Notes

Take care not to over mix the batter.
Natural release the pressure for the Instant Pot so that the cheesecake doesn't cool too quickly.

Nutrition

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Although myforkinglife.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Under no circumstances will myforkinglife.com be responsible for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information.