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Air Fryer Cheesecake is a rich, creamy classic cheesecake that bakes in a 7-inch springform pan in about 22 minutes. Even better, there’s no water bath and no heating up your oven to make it. It does need a good long chill before slicing, so plan to make it the day before you want to serve it.
If you love cheesecake, this chocolate cheesecake in the air fryer is another variation you should definitely try.
Recipe Featured In: The New York Times
The New York Times published their own version of this recipe in 2022 — credited to me (under my former name, Jen West) and my longtime collaborator Becky, and adapted for the Times by Christina Morales.
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I have made this recipe many times; it is my new go-to for cheesecake. It’s easy to remember, too: one sleeve of graham crackers with one stick of butter. 3 cream cheese, 2 eggs, 1 can sweetened condensed milk and vanilla. 300 (3 cream cheese) for 22 (2 eggs) minutes. Thanks, Jen!!
-Cindy
Quick Look At This Recipe
✨ Flavor: Rich and creamy with a subtle tang from the cream cheese, balanced by a sweet, buttery graham cracker crust.
⏱️ Prep time: 10 minutes
🔥 Cook time: 22 minutes + 4-6 hour chill time
⏲️ Total time: 32 minutes to prepare plus chilling time. Best made the day before.
👥 Servings: 8
🥄 Tools: Food processor, mixing bowl, hand or stand mixer, 7″ springform pan
❄️ Freezer-friendly: Yes, up to 3 months, wrapped tightly and thawed overnight in the fridge
👩🏻🍳 Tip: Don’t overmix once the eggs go in — stir just until combined for the smoothest, crack-free filling
SUMMARIZE AND SAVE THIS CONTENT ON
When I was younger, I thought cheesecake was actually made with cheese, and that did not sound appetizing at all. Once I tried a slice, I was hooked. There’s something about that sweetness against a buttery graham cracker crust that is just about perfect.
Making one myself always felt like more production than a dessert should be, though — water baths, foil-wrapped pans, an hour in the oven. The air fryer solved that. It cooks the cheesecake evenly in a fraction of the time.
I also use sweetened condensed milk instead of granulated sugar, so there’s no sugar to dissolve and a lot more room for error. It’s part of why this recipe is so hard to mess up, just like in this pumpkin cheesecake recipe.
I’ve been sharing it for five years now, and it’s become the cheesecake my whole family asks for again and again.
Why This Recipe Works
- No water bath required. The air fryer’s circulating heat bakes the cheesecake evenly on its own, so there’s no wrapping the pan in foil or babysitting a pan of hot water.
- Sweetened condensed milk instead of sugar. There’s no granulated sugar to dissolve into the batter, which means a smoother filling and a lot more forgiveness if you don’t mix it perfectly.
- Bakes more quickly. Air frying cheesecake takes just 22 minutes, while a traditional oven-baked cheesecake takes closer to an hour.
- A taller, richer slice. With a full 24 ounces of cream cheese in a 7-inch pan, you get a thick, restaurant-style slice rather than a thin one.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
With just a few ingredients you’ll have a fabulous dessert for any time.
- Cream cheese: Use full-fat blocks, not the whipped kind in a tub, and let it come to room temperature before mixing. Cold cream cheese is the number one cause of a lumpy filling. I also use it to air fry these blueberry cheesecake wontons.
- Sweetened condensed milk: Not evaporated milk. They look similar on the shelf, but evaporated milk has no sugar and won’t set the same way.
- Graham crackers: All you need is one sleeve, crushed fine. Store-bought graham cracker crumbs work just as well if you want to skip the food processor.
- Eggs: Add these last and mix just until combined. Overmixing after the eggs go in is the most common reason cheesecake cracks.
Equipment Note: This recipe is built around a 7-inch springform pan. Be sure to measure your air fryer basket to make sure it will fit before you buy one, since baskets vary quite a bit between brands.
See the recipe card for the full list of ingredients with measurements.
Air Fryer Cheesecake Variations
- Lighter option: If you want all the flavor with less richness, my air fryer protein cheesecake is a great alternative.
- Different crust: Swap the graham crackers for crushed Oreos or another favorite cookie, similar to the crust in this air fryer Oreo cheesecake.
- Toppings: Strawberry, blueberry, lemon curd, and caramel all work beautifully in place of the cherry topping, or skip the topping altogether.
- Mini or ramekin cheesecakes: This batter also works in ramekins or silicone baking cups for individual servings. They’ll cook faster than the full-size version, so keep a close eye on them and start checking early. One reader used leftover batter to make a few cheesecake bites this way with great results.
- Crustless: Skip the crust but be wure to grease the pan well and add a parchment round. It will cook up with a slightly softer edge
Holidays are a great time to use your air fryer, especially since your oven is likely already full. Explore all the amazing Thanksgiving recipes in the air fryer you can make to save time and oven space!
Pan & Air Fryer Size Guide
- Choosing your pan size: This recipe is built for a 7-inch springform pan, which fits most standard air fryer baskets. If you’d rather use an 8-inch pan, increase the graham crackers to 2 cups and the butter to 1/2 cup for the crust, and reduce the bake time to about 15 minutes, adding 2-minute increments as needed. It will be a slightly thinner cheesecake so it will cook faster.
- Your springform doesn’t fit: Basket sizes vary a lot between brands, so this is common. A 6-inch springform pan is the easiest swap and will fit in most baskets that a 7-inch won’t. You can also skip the springform altogether and bake this recipe in ramekins or silicone baking cups for individual portions. Just watch them closely, since they’ll cook much faster than a full-size cheesecake.
- Using an oven-style air fryer: Use the air fry setting, not bake. The bake setting will need a longer cook time to reach the same result. Place the pan on the middle rack for the most even cooking.
How to Bake a Cheesecake in the Air Fryer
To get started, butter the sides and bottom of your 7-inch springform pan. Make sure to coat it well and then place a piece of parchment paper in the bottom of your pan.
- Finely crush a package of graham crackers with a food processor, add the melted butter to the crushed graham crackers, and mix until they are combined well. Add the graham cracker mixture to the pan and use a spoon to press it to the bottom. Mix the cream cheese in a mixing bowl until it is creamy and there are no remaining lumps. Add the eggs, condensed milk, and vanilla to your bowl and blend for an additional 2 minutes until the mixture is completely creamy.
- Pour the cheesecake batter into the pan and carefully place it into the air fryer basket. Don’t worry if the batter fills nearly to the rim of your 7″ pan. That’s expected; just take care carrying it to the air fryer so it doesn’t spill.
- Cook the cheesecake in the air fryer at 300°F for 20-22 minutes, or until the center is no longer jiggling. (It will still wiggle, but won’t be a wet jiggle.) If needed, continue to add 2-minute increments at the same temperature until the center is perfect. When it’s done cooking, crack the door for a few minutes to allow the heat to slowly release and allow any cracks that are forming to come back together. Then remove the basket from the air fryer and allow the pan to cool in the basket for a few minutes before transferring it to the refrigerator to chill for 6-8 hours
- After chilling, carefully remove the circular sides of the springform pan and transfer the cheesecake on a serving platter.
- Top the chilled cheesecake with the cherry pie filling just before slicing and serving.
Can’t get enough sweet cheesecake desserts? Try these strawberry cheesecake wontons and cheesecake chimichangas.
Expert Tips
- Use room temperature ingredients. Cold cream cheese and eggs are the main cause of a lumpy filling. Set everything out ahead of time so it mixes smoothly.
- Don’t overmix after adding the eggs. Mix just until combined. Overmixing incorporates too much air, which is the most common cause of cracks.
- Chill it fully before slicing. Give it 6–8 hours, or overnight, in the refrigerator. This is a make-ahead dessert, and the chill time is what gives it that classic cheesecake texture, so don’t rush it.
- Top browning too fast. Loosely tent the top with foil partway through cooking.
- Cleaner slices. Dip your knife in hot water and wipe it dry between each cut.
- Adding the topping. Add it just before serving, not before chilling, so it stays fresh and doesn’t make the top soggy.
- Storing leftovers. Store any leftover cheesecake covered or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. It also freezes well, whole or by the slice. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap (add a layer of foil for extra protection) and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
Air Fryer Cheesecake Recipe FAQs
This cheesecake bakes for 20–22 minutes at 300°F. From there, it needs 6–8 hours (or overnight) in the refrigerator to fully chill and set before slicing, so plan to make it a day ahead.
No. The air fryer’s circulating heat cooks the cheesecake evenly on its own, so there’s no need to wrap the pan in foil or fuss with a pan of hot water like you would in a conventional oven.
Gently shake the pan. The center should have a slight wobble, almost like Jell-O, but it shouldn’t look liquid or wet. If it jiggles like liquid, it needs more time. If it doesn’t move at all, it’s likely overbaked.
Cracking usually comes from overmixing the batter after adding the eggs, baking it a little too long, or a sudden change in temperature when it cools. It doesn’t affect the taste at all, and a topping like cherry pie filling will cover it completely.
Keep baking in 2-minute increments at 300°F until the center just wobbles instead of looking wet. Don’t worry if it still seems slightly underset when it comes out — it firms up significantly as it chills in the refrigerator.
More Air Fryer Dessert Recipes
Desserts
Air Fryer Chocolate Chip Cookies
Desserts
Air Fryer Chocolate Bundt Cake
Desserts
Air Fryer Peanut Butter Blossoms
Desserts
Air Fryer Apple Pie
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Air Fryer Cheesecake
Equipment
- Air Fryer
- 7" Springform pan
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups graham crackers
- 14 oz sweetened condensed milk
- ½ cup salted butter, melted
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 24 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 can cherry pie filling
Instructions
- Take the graham crackers and add them to a food processor. Continue to blend and pulse until they are finely crushed. Place into a small mixing bowl.
- Add the melted butter to the graham crackers and mix until fully combined. Set aside.
- Add butter to the bottom and sides of the 7" Springform pan. Place a piece of parchment paper on the bottom of the pan.
- Press the graham cracker mixture into the bottom of the pan. Use a spoon to press the graham cracker crust down firmly.
- In a medium mixing bowl, use a hand mixer or a stand mixer on medium speed to blend the room temperature cream cheese until creamy and smooth. Add the eggs, condensed milk, and vanilla to the cream cheese and blend on medium speed until the mixture is completely smooth. About 2 minutes.
- Pour the cream cheese mixture over the graham cracker crust. It will fill almost completely up to the rim of the 7" cheesecake pan.
- Carefully place the springform pan into the basket of the Air Fryer. (You do not preheat the Air Fryer for this recipe).
- Bake in the Air Fryer at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-22 minutes, or until the center is no longer jiggling. (It will still wiggle, but won't be a wet jiggle.) If needed, continue to add 2 minutes increments at 300 degrees Fahrenheit until the center is perfect.
- When ready, crack the air fryer basket to release the heat and let the cheesecake sit for a few moments. Then carefully remove the air fryer basket and let it cool a bit longer on the counter. Once cooled, chill it in the refrigerator for 6-8 hours, or overnight.
- Once chilled, carefully remove the circular sides of the springform pan and place the cheesecake on a serving platter. Top with the cherry pie filling just before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Make sure to grease the sides and bottom of the springform pan so the cheesecake doesn’t stick when you remove the sides of the pan.
- If the center still looks wet and jiggly after 20–22 minutes, continue adding 2-minute increments at 300°F until it’s done. It will still have a slight wobble, but it shouldn’t look wet.
- Cool slowly to avoid cracking. Open the basket slightly to let the cheesecake cool in the air fryer and then let it cool at room temperature a bit before placing it in the refrigerator.
- Give the cheesecake 6–8 hours, or overnight, to fully chill and set.
- Add the cherry topping just before slicing and serving.
- If using an 8-inch springform pan, increase the graham crackers to 2 cups and the butter to 1/2 cup for the crust. Bake at 300°F for 15 minutes, then add 2-minute increments as needed.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Very delicious.
Can I make this without the crust and line the springform with parchment paper?
my springform is too big for my airfryer. any ideas?
I have a large oven style Air Fryer. Recipe says to cook at 300 for 22 minutes. Is that on the air fryer setting, or bake setting without the fan on? I don’t want to do it wrong and ruin the ingredients.
I always use the air fryer setting. 🙂 If you choose bake, you will need to cook it longer.
I have made this recipe many times; it is my new go-to for cheesecake. It’s easy to remember, too: one sleeve of graham crackers with one stick of butter. 3 cream cheese, 2 eggs, 1 can sweetened condensed milk and vanilla. 300 (3 cream cheese) for 22 (2 eggs) minutes. Thanks, Jen!!
Thank you! So glad you like it!
Delicious cheesecake and easy to make. Will try later with other toppings. Thanks!
Made this yesterday, ate today, the bomb, as good or better than any store bought. Had a little batter left over, filled 2 silicon cupcake molds, came out great, nice cheese cake bites, Thanks
Thank you! So glad you liked it. And great idea to make cheesecake bites!
Hi I’m wondering about the parchment paper? Is it for an easy take out process or clean up? Btw recipe sounds awesome and I want to try it!
It’s for easy cleanup, so it’s optional 🙂
If you have a oven type air fryer what level do you place it on bottom or Middle
I would place it in the middle of the air fryer for even cooing.
Can’t wait to try these recipes, they all sound so yummy.
This looks great and I’d love to make it, but can you tell me where the condensed milk goes, please? It’s on the ingredients list, but I don’t see it in the instructions. Many thanks.
Oh no!! So sorry, it’s in there now. You add the condensed milk in with the eggs and vanilla and cream cheese. 🙂