Air Fryer Cheesecake

Get ready to indulge in the tastiest and easiest cheesecake you’ll ever make! My air fryer never fails to impress- this amazing dessert is another great recipe to add to the list! When you’re craving something sweet, air fryer cheesecake requires minimal effort and time, and is a great way to impress your guests or treat yourself to something special.

I love cheesecake in all its forms. A few fun varieties of this classic dessert to try are: mini cheesecakes, cheesecake cookies, and cheesecake dessert cups! Just like this air fryer cheesecake, these recipes are all easy to make and so indulgent. There’s no wrong time to make them! Give one (or all) of them a try and thank me later.

Cheesecake in the Air Fryer

I’m sure you know by now that air fryers are heaven-sent. They can whip up a hearty dinner in minutes! Another area where they really shine, though, is with desserts! I know it seems unlikely, but air fryers make amazing chocolate chip cookies and hand pies. (You can even make things like fried Oreos!) Cheesecake is another great thing to make in your air fryer. You HAVE to try it out!

I love making cheesecake in the air fryer because there’s no fuss. No water bath, nothing! Just perfect, creamy tangy goodness. It does take almost an hour to cook, but the end result is so worth it! Once you take a bite of it you’ll be wondering why you haven’t tried making cheesecake in the air fryer sooner. Let’s get started!

Ingredients Needed

The great thing about this recipe is it doesn’t use a ton of ingredients. Plus, I’m sure you already have most of them in your pantry! Here is everything you need to make the delicious crust and cheesecake filling. And as always, exact measurements are in the recipe card below!

Crust

Graham Cracker Crumbs: The base of the crust. You can buy these pre-crushed or crush your own in a food processor or with a rolling pin.
Granulated Sugar: Makes the crust nice and sweet!
Melted Butter: Melted butter is used as a binder to hold the crust together. It also adds a rich, buttery flavor to the crust. Yum!
Salt: Just a pinch to keep your crust from tasting bland.

Cheesecake Filling

Cream Cheese: Gives the cheesecake its signature smooth texture. Just make sure to let it soften at room temperature before using it so it mixes together smoothly with the other ingredients.
Sour Cream: Sour cream adds a little bit of tanginess to the cheesecake, and it also helps to make it extra creamy.
Granulated Sugar: An essential ingredient in any dessert recipe, sugar is used to sweeten up the cheesecake.
Large Eggs: Help to bind everything together and give the cheesecake its structure.
Lemon Zest: Lemon zest adds a bright, citrusy flavor to the air fryer cheesecake and helps to balance out the sweetness. Don’t skip it!
Vanilla Extract: Vanilla extract adds a delicious, warm, and comforting flavor to the cheesecake. It pairs perfectly with the tanginess of the cream cheese and sour cream. Use prepackaged pure vanilla extract or make your own blend at home!

How to Make Cheesecake in an Air Fryer

This air fryer cheesecake recipe is foolproof. Just grab a little springform pan and let your air fryer work its magic!

Crust

Prepare Pan: Grease a 6 or 7-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Then place a parchment round in the bottom.
Add Crust to Pan: Combine the graham cracker crumbs with the melted butter and salt until it resembles wet sand. Press into the bottom of the pan, use your fingers or a flat-bottomed glass or measuring cup to press it in. If you’re using a 6-inch pan you may omit a tablespoon or two of the crust if desired.
Air Fry: Place in air fryer basket and cook at 275 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes. Then let cool completely.

Cheesecake Filling

Combine Cream Cheese and Sour Cream: Use a stand mixer or hand mixer to beat the softened cream cheese and sour cream until smooth. Add the sugar and beat again until combined, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
Add Eggs: Add the eggs one at a time, mixing each one just until incorporated. Add the lemon zest and vanilla and beat until combined and smooth.
Add Cheesecake Batter to Crust, Air Fry: Pour the mixture over the cooled crust and then bake at 285 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, bake at 250 degrees Fahrenheit for 15-20 minutes more, until the cheesecake is set but still has a little wobble to it.
Cool: Crack open the air fryer and leave the cheesecake inside for 30-60 minutes, until the air fryer has cooled.
Refrigerate: Chill the cheesecake in the fridge for 4 hours or overnight before removing from the pan and serving.

2-photo collage of crust and filling being prepared.

Tips and Tricks

It’s hard to mess up this air fryer cheesecake recipe, but here are a few extra tips to keep in mind so yours turns out perfectly.

Graham Cracker Crumbs: If you don’t have graham cracker crumbs, you can make some by either crushing 6-7 graham crackers in a ziplock bag with a rolling pin or blend them in a blender or food processor.
Use Room Temperature Ingredients: Having all your filling ingredients at room temperature will help ensure that you don’t have any lumps in your batter.
How Do I Know if My Cheesecake is Done? The cheesecake should have a slight wobble to it, but it should not appear liquid in the center. If it is liquid, it is underbaked. If it has no wobble or movement, it is overbaked.
Cool in the Air Fryer: Leaving the cheesecake in the air fryer as it cools will help prevent cracks from forming as it cools down. It is more likely to crack if it changes temperature too quickly.
For Uniform Slices: Run a large knife under very hot water, dry with a clean towel, and slice the cheesecake to get nice, clean slices. Run under water and dry between each cut made with the knife.
Toppings: Air fryer cheesecake is great on its own, but you can also add things like fresh berries, cherry pie filling, whipped cream, caramel sauce, chocolate sauce, white chocolate sauce, crushed Oreos, etc. The options are endless!

A cooked cheesecake in the bottom of an air fryer basket.

Storing Leftover Cheesecake

I doubt you’ll have any leftovers to store, but just in case, here’s how to keep your air fryer cheesecake fresh and delicious!

In the Refrigerator: Refrigerate in an airtight container for 5-7 days.
In the Freezer: After chilling, the cheesecake can be removed from the pan and placed uncovered in the freezer for 4-6 hours until completely frozen. Then it can be wrapped in 2-3 layers of plastic wrap and frozen for up the 3 months. Unwrap and place in the refrigerator to thaw.