Post updated Feb 2026. First shared 2017.

Before last week, I had made 2, maybe 3, cheesecakes in my life. I had reliable recipes, but the process always seemed a bit overwhelming and I would typically opt for another dessert instead. I have now made many more cheesecakes in my Instant Pot. And I’m here to tell you, it is sooooo much easier!

There are lots of cheesecake recipes out there, but I wanted to put my own twist on the popular Instant Pot cheesecake. How could I make a delicious cheesecake, but use a natural sweetener? How could I make it so that all my gluten-free friends could enjoy it too? (Not to mention the fact that I NEVER have graham crackers on hand and typically avoid recipes that require a special trip to the store).

I also tested the cheesecake with both fat-free and regular cream cheese– I can attest that both versions are very good! All the grueling hard work of eating so many cheesecakes paid off. I did it for you, I promise.

I now have another quick and easy dessert recipe for my Instant Pot which uses whole ingredients and natural sweeteners. Because life is just better with dessert, y’all.

Read this first!

Cheesecakes can be somewhat persnickety, so I’m going to throw a handful of tips at you that you’re going to want to heed. I did a lot of reading up on what makes a successful cheesecake, a lot of testing in the kitchen, and this is what you need to know…

1. Always use room temperature ingredients. This is important. Pull your cream cheese and yogurt and eggs out with plenty of time for them to come to room temperature. This will help your cheesecake to be smoother and prevent you from over mixing the filling. It will also keep your eggs from clumping when you add them to the cheesecake mixture.
2. DON’T OVERMIX.  The process of making the cheesecake filling should take no more than about five minutes. Mixing the filling too long can result in a wonky cheesecake with the potential of having scrambled eggs on top. I used a timer each time I turned on my mixer to make sure I was not mixing anything too long just because I wasn’t paying attention. (Times are in the recipe). A general rule of thumb when it comes to cheesecakes is: Less mixing = denser cheesecake. More mixing = creamier cheesecake. 
3. Release the air bubbles.  Immediately after you pour in the filling, tap the pan gently on the counter to release any air bubbles. Use a toothpick or the point of a knife to pop the bubbles.
4.  Cover the cheesecake before cooking. Use both a paper towel and a piece of foil to cover the top of the springform pan. The paper towel will help to absorb excess moisture that would collect on the top of the cheesecake, and it can be used after the cooking time to gently soak up any additional moisture.
5. You may want to use a fresh sealing ring. Twice before making cheesecake recently I cooked either a roast chicken or barbecue pork in the Instant Pot. Neither is a flavor I want to pass on to my cheesecakes. Invest in extra sealing rings so that you can reserve one or two for desserts. Totally worth it.
6. After the cheesecake cooks… Let the pressure release naturally from the Instant Pot, and then carefully remove the springform pan. Take off the foil and paper towel layer and gently soak up any excess moisture. At this point, you want to let the cheesecake rest for 10-15 minutes before releasing the outer wall of the springform pan. After 10-15 minutes, use a knife to run along the edges of the pan to separate the cheesecake from the pan, and then release the latch on the side wall. Letting the cheesecake cool without the wall can help to prevent cracks in your cheesecake.
7. Don’t rush the next part.  The success of your cheesecake is still up in the air, to a degree. The waiting is a VERY important part and one that shouldn’t be rushed. Let the cheesecake cool completely on the counter before placing it in the refrigerator (one to two hours). Your cheesecake will continue to cook and this time will help the middle of the cheesecake to further set up. After your cheesecake is cooled, you may place it in the refrigerator. But you still must wait! Give the cheesecake at least four hours in the refrigerator, though more time is better for an amazing cheesecake. If possible, it’s best to make the cheesecake a day ahead of time to give it plenty of time to chill.

Supplies you will need:

Must-Have: 

• Instant Pot or other electric pressure cooker
• springform pan (I use a 7″ pan that fits in my 6qt Instant Pot)
• rack to fit inside your Instant Pot

Very Helpful:

• extra sealing rings
• food processor (makes preparing the crust SUPER easy)
• stand mixer 

Watch this recipe being made on Instagram.

Instant Pot Cheesecake Makeover :: Gluten-Free, Naturally Sweetened, & Less Fat!

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 4 reviews

• Author: Lisa @ This Pilgrim Life
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 50 minutes
• Yield: 6-8 servings
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Pressure Cooker

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Description

Making Instant Pot cheesecake is shockingly simple! This amazingly quick and easy cheesecake is gluten-free, naturally sweetened, and is seriously delicious!

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Ingredients

Crust:

• 2/3 C pecan halves
• 4 pitted dates
• pinch of salt
• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter (if using salted, leave out the additional salt)

Filling:

• 16oz neufchâtel cheese (1/3 less fat cream cheese)
• 1/4 C plain Greek yogurt
• 1/3 C maple syrup
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 eggs

Blueberry topping: 

• 1 C fresh blueberries
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1 Tbsp maple syrup

Citrus Topping:

• 1/4 C plain Greek yogurt
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 1 Tbsp maple syrup

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Instructions

Make the crust:

1. In a the bowl of a food processor, blend the pecans, dates, and salt together for about 30 seconds until the pecans and dates are broken up into very small pieces. Add the butter and pulse 2 to 3 times until the butter is incorporated.
Alternately, if you do not have a food processor, use a blender or knife to finely chop the dates and pecans. Transfer to a bowl and use a fork to mix in the butter. (Your crust may have bigger pieces if you do this method).

2. Transfer the pecan/date mixture to the bottom of a springform pan and use the back of a spatula to gently press out the mixture evenly across the bottom of the pan and out to the sides.

3. Place the springform pan in the freezer until your filling is ready, about 15 minutes.

Make the filling:

1. Add the cream cheese to the bowl of a stand mixer. Set a timer for 1 minute and turn the mixer on low. While the cream cheese is mixing, add the yogurt, syrup, and vanilla to the bowl. Turn off the mixer when the timer goes off and scrape the sides of the bowl.
2. Turn the mixer on medium-low and mix again, this time for thirty seconds.
3. Set the timer for thirty seconds one more time, turn the mixer back on low, and add the eggs one at a time. After about thirty seconds, the eggs should be incorporated in the cream cheese mixture. If there are still any streaks of yellow, simply give the filling a quick stir with your spatula.

Fill and Cook the Cheesecake

1. Take the springform pan out of the freezer and pour the cream cheese filling into the pan. Gently tap the cheesecake on the counter to bring up any air bubbles. Pop the bubbles with the tip of a toothpick or small knife.
2. Cover the springform pan with a paper towel, and then a piece of foil. Press the foil down over the sides of the pan to hold the paper towel in place.
3. Pour a cup of water in the bottom of your Instant Pot, place in a trivet, and then set the springform pan on top of the trivet. Cover the Instant Pot, select MANUAL, and set the cooking time for 30 minutes on high pressure.
4. When the cheesecake has cooked for 30 minutes, let the pressure release naturally. Once the pin has dropped and the pressure is released, you can take off the lid and carefully take out the cheesecake. Set the pan on the counter and remove the foil and paper towel. Use the paper towel to gently soak up any moisture on top of the cheesecake.
5. Let the cheesecake rest on the counter or a cooling rack for 10 minutes. After ten minutes, run a knife around the edges of the cheesecake and then release and remove the wall of the springform pan. Leave the cheesecake cool completely on the counter for 1-2 hours before refrigerating.
6. Refrigerate the cheesecake for at least 4 hours before slicing.

Prepare the topping:

Blueberry Topping:

1. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in 1 cup of blueberries and 1 tablespoon of maple syrup. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and cool completely before topping your cheesecake.

Citrus Topping:

1. Stir together the yogurt, lemon juice and zest, and maple syrup. Pour on top of cheesecake and spread evenly across with a spatula. Optional: sprinkle a little extra zest on top. Tip: make the citrus topping and add to cheesecake before you are ready to serve. Refrigerate the topping for best results.

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Notes

• I use a 7″ springform pan for my cheesecakes. If you want to use a 6″ pan, try adding a few minutes to the cooking time since your cheesecake will be slightly thicker.
• You will know that the cheesecake is done because the center of the cheesecake will be set–not runny. A little jiggle is normal as the cheesecake will continue to set up as it cools.
• This recipe does not need lemon juice. The tartness of the yogurt is sufficient and when I tested it with lemon juice, the cheesecake was too tart.

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More healthy Instant Pot desserts!

The post Instant Pot Cheesecake Makeover :: Gluten-Free & Naturally Sweetened appeared first on This Pilgrim Life.

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About a month ago, I revived my sourdough starter after it had sat dormant in my fridge for over a year! (I think I had tried feeding it once or twice during that time, but I basically took a year off sourdough baking). The time off was necessary– we also took the summer off from gardening– but it’s been a great reminder that it’s more than okay to cut back and do less when you need to. After a period of rest, recovery, or whatever you’ve needed, you’ll have the capacity to pick things back up again if desired.

Now that I have an active and thriving starter again, I’ve resumed my regular sourdough baking rhythm. Most weeks, I batch bake 4-5 loaves at once for us to enjoy during the week. For the longest time, I didn’t think that sourdough baking would fit into my already full schedule, but that’s because I was making my decision based on other people’s rhythms instead of creating my own. Once I realized that I really only needed to commit one evening and the following morning to baking, I was able to make sourdough a regular part of my kitchen routine.

Fresh sourdough baking means a supply of sourdough discard (the “leftover” starter that you don’t feed). I’ve always enjoyed using discard for things like pancakes and waffles, but I want to explore more ways to use discard in other ways too.

Starting with chocolate, chocolate sourdough discard cookies! SO GOOD.

These cookies are like many of my favorite things in this season of life:

They can be made in about thirty minutes.

I don’t have to use a lot of dishes or pull out equipment to make them.

One batch will leave us with leftovers.

I can teach my kids how to make them for me us.

With double the chocolate flavor and a sprinkle of coarse salt on top, chocolate sourdough discard cookies will absolutely be in my regular rotation at home! (Truth be told, most likely made at night to satisfy my late-night sweet tooth).

It doesn’t get much easier than this recipe, but there are a few best practices when it comes to cookie baking.

• Start with the butter at the right temperature. As annoying as this can be, it really is essential for cookies to bake properly. For these cookies, you want butter that has been sitting out long enough to be completely softened without melting.
• Cream your butter and sugar together first, then add your remaining wet ingredients. By starting with these ingredients, you can use more speed to get the ingredients thoroughly incorporated before adding dry ingredients. (In this recipe, you can do this easily just in a bowl with a whisk).
• Use the right sugar(s). Different sugars have different structures and water content, so swapping sugar out in cookie recipes isn’t always advisable. Different sugars can make your cookies more or less chewy, change the overall flavor, or make them spread too much.
• Stir gently (and not too much) after adding your flour. Once it’s time to add the dry ingredients, you want to take care not to overmix your dough or stir longer than necessary, which can lead to excess gluten development and tough baked goods.
• Bake at an accurate oven temperature. If you notice that your baked goods aren’t turning out quite right, or with consistent results, your oven temperature could be off. Consider getting an inexpensive oven thermometer to hang in your oven so you can determine if the temperature is too high or too low.
• Ingredients matter. While it’s not often a deal-breaker, the better quality ingredients you use– especially for key ingredients like butter, flour, and chocolate– will yield noticeably tastier results.

The final tip specific to this recipe is that the consistency of people’s sourdough discard can vary a bit. So, you may need to add a splash of milk or water to thin the batter out a bit if yours tends thicker than mine.

FAVORITE SOURDOUGH RESOURCES/TOOLS:

1. Artisan Sourdough Made Simple
2. Dough Whisk
3. Lame for Scoring
4. Lodge Double Baker
5. Flour Sack Towels
6. Bench Scraper

Chocolate Sourdough Discard Cookies

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star No reviews

• Author: Lisa

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Description

Double the chocolate with these delicious sourdough discard cookies! Super easy to make in just one bowl, you’ll be coming back for them again and again!

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Ingredients

• 8 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup sourdough discard*
• 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup cocoa or cacao powder
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• kosher or flaky salt for finishing

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Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or grease).

2. Whisk together the butter and sugar, adding in the egg and vanilla after the butter and sugar are just incorporated. When this mixture is smooth and consistent, gently stir in the sourdough discard.

3. Add the dry ingredients (flour, cacao/cocoa, salt, and baking soda) and continue to stir gently, folding and mixing until few dry streaks remain. Add the chocolate morsels and mix until the cookie batter is uniform.

4. Drop rounded balls of cookie batter onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 11-13 minutes in preheated oven. After the baking time is complete, transfer the cookies to a cooling rack or serving board and sprinkle lightly with finishing salt.

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Notes

*depending on how thick/thin your discard is, you may need to add a tablespoon of milk or water to get the right cookie batter consistency

MORE LIKE THIS ::

The post Chocolate Sourdough Discard Cookies appeared first on This Pilgrim Life.

When I first got married, my husband converted me to the deliciousness of Duke mayonnaise. This might just be a southern thing, but Duke mayo is very good.

A lot has changed since my early married days, though. Well, come to think of it, just about everything has changed. I mean, five kids, as many moves, and almost as many jobs later, here we are approaching our 17th anniversary this summer.

Back to the point at hand, we now buy much less processed foods. I have learned to make many, MANY things from scratch. Once you get over the initial learning curve that comes with trying something new, it becomes routine and easy to make your own jam, ranch dressing, sandwich bread, mayonnaise, and more. 

The trade-off is better tasting food, more saving on your grocery bill, and fewer special trips to the store for that one ingredient you’re missing.

Three Minute Homemade Mayonnaise

(Recipes in the picture above– fancy grilled cheese sandwiches, hiker’s salad with citrus poppyseed dressing, and chip dip– can all be found in my newest cookbook, Cooking From Scratch for Teens). 

Homemade mayonnaise really can be made in just three minutes (or less). I make mine with non-GMO canola oil, but you could substitute a different oil of your choice. Sometimes I use freshly squeezed lemon juice, but most often I just pull some lemon juice out of the refrigerator.

For years, I used my Vitamix to make mayo and still appreciate that method (its in the video below). But recently, I’ve started using my immersion blender instead because its the same process, but I can mix the mayo directly in the jar I will store it in in the fridge. It’s just so easy!

More “From Scratch” Recipes to Check Out ::

• Whole Wheat Sandwich Loaves
• Best Ever Ranch Dressing
• Chia Seed Jam
• 5 Minute Super Greens Pesto
• Simple Thin Crust Pizza Dough

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Three Minute Homemade Mayonnaise

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.5 from 2 reviews

• Author: Lisa @ This Pilgrim Life
• Prep Time: 3 minutes
• Total Time: 3 minutes
• Yield: 1 heaping pint
• Method: blender

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Description

Homemade mayonnaise is so easy to make and uses common kitchen ingredients– you’ll never have to buy it again!

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Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 1/4 C lemon juice
• 1  tsp dry mustard
• 1 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1 3/4 C non-GMO canola oil

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Instructions

1. Combine the eggs through the salt in a high-powered blender*. Pour the oil into a liquid measuring cup.
2. Place the lid on the blender and turn it on, then immediately to high. Immediately pour in the oil in a slow and steady stream while the mixture runs on high. You should hear the change in the blending as the mixture emulsifies and thickens. Turn the blender off as soon as you finish pouring in the oil.
3. Transfer the mayonnaise into a pint jar* and store in the refrigerator.

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Notes

*Alternately, combine the eggs, dry mustard, salt, and lemon juice in a quart sized jar. Use an immersion blender to emulsify the mixture while gradually pouring in the oil until the mayonnaise comes together and is smooth and thick.

The post Three Minute Homemade Mayonnaise appeared first on This Pilgrim Life.