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!
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.
How to make Creme Brulee Cheesecake:
Pulse together graham crackers and butter, then press the crumbs into a cheesecake pan to form the crust.
Mix together condensed milk, yogurt, and vanilla bean. Pour this on top of the crust.
Pressure cook the cheesecake, then let it cool down. Once cool, unmold, and then refrigerate.
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:
- Superfine sugar
- Culinary kitchen torch
- $5 Butane Gas Canister from your local hardware store (like Home Depot or Lowes).
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.
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!
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!).
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.
- 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.
- 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.
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
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Julie, I would stick to the ingredients in the recipe for the best flavor!
Patti Cole says
What is the nutritional value? Carb count?
Cyrus says
Hi Ashley,
When do you cut the slices?
Once the bruleed sugar hardens wouldn’t slicing it crack the top?
Thanks
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Cyrus, yes, slicing will crack the top but that’s fine – it’ll still taste great 🙂
Barb Larson says
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?
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Barb, you can definitely make this in ramekins – I share photos and directions on how to do that in this post if you’d like more details: https://myheartbeets.com/2-ingredient-cheesecake-instant-pot-indian-cheesecake/ But basically, just reduce the time to 25 minutes instead of 30. Let me know if you try 🙂
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!!!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Holly, this is almost identical – it’s the same recipe only this calls for vanilla bean and a sugar topping! I’m so glad to hear that your family loves that one so much! 🙂
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