Oven-Free Desserts You Can Whip Up in Your Pressure Cooker or Air Fryer
Written by jheelum basu | November 24, 2025
Oven-Free Desserts
Although it is not the ideal instrument for baking, pressure cooking can still do wonders for oven-free desserts that follow a water bath method. While it can’t promise crunchy cookies or brownies with cracks on top, it comes up with great results for cheesecakes, puddings, and custards. Air fryers, on the other hand, are well-suited for cookies, brownies, and donuts. It efficiently creates a contrasting crispy exterior and a soft interior.
For several reasons, these two methods are considered more convenient than oven baking. From saving time and energy to better nutrient retention and keeping the kitchen cooler, the reasons are many. For steamed desserts, pressure cooking is ideal as it creates a moist environment. The short cooking time and sealed environment often ensure better nutrient retention in oven-free desserts.
Air fryers, on the other hand, are useful in terms of energy efficiency and making healthier desserts with less amount of oil.
Raspberry Cheesecake
With its smooth and creamy filling, a no-bake cheesecake can easily turn out to be the star dessert of any party. This pressure-cooker version is even easier and quicker to prepare than the traditional baked cheesecake.
This recipe includes ingredients like heavy cream, sour cream, and cream cheese. The other ingredients include Graham cracker crust, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract, and lemon juice. Some variations also include gelatin for a lighter yet firmer texture.
To prepare the dessert, start by beating the filling ingredients together. Next, take the Graham cracker crust and spread it evenly across the bottom of a springform pan. Now, add the mixture of filling ingredients to the pan. To make the cheesecake in a pressure cooker, add water to the bottom of the cooker and place it on the stove over a medium flame. Now, place the springform pan on a rack inside the cooker. Lock the cooker lid of the cooker and allow it to cook on high pressure for 25 minutes. Once done, let the cooker release pressure naturally and cool the cheesecake before refrigerating it. Before serving, top it with raspberry sauce or fresh raspberries.
Rice Pudding (Kheer)
Rice Pudding or Kheer is a traditional Indian dessert prepared on several occasions. With just a few quick steps, it can be prepared in a pressure cooker. This rich and creamy dessert is typically made from rice and thickened milk. It also includes spices along with the goodness of nuts like almonds, cashews, and pistachios.
To prepare this item in a pressure cooker, start by cooking rice with water. Once the rice is cooked, stir in milk, sugar, and spices, and allow it to cook on high pressure for 10-15 minutes. Once done, let the cooker release pressure naturally. For garnishing, use some chopped nuts on top.
Fudgy Brownies
To prepare a small batch of fudgy chocolate brownies, an air fryer is a great option. With every single bite, these chocolate brownies evoke a moist, fudgy, chocolatey blast of taste, flavor, and texture in the mouth.
These brownies require pantry staples like flour, butter, sugar, eggs, melted chocolate, and cocoa powder. To make them, start by mixing all the ingredients well to form the batter. Now, preheat the air fryer to 170°C. Place the brownie pan in the air fryer and cook for 15-20 minutes. Once done, remove the pan from the fryer and allow them to cool completely before serving.
Caramel Pudding
Caramel pudding, also known as crême caramel, flan, or caramel custard, is a popular baked dessert. However, a pressure cooker is a great alternative to make the preparation even more hassle-free. With its soft, silky texture, this dessert offers an unmatched level of comfort.
This popular dessert is made from a simple mixture of cornstarch, milk, and sugar, topped with a layer of soft caramel sauce. To prepare the dessert in this method, start by caramelizing the sugar in a pudding mold. Now pour the entire pudding mixture into the mold. Place the mold on a stand in a pressure cooker with water, and cook it for around 15-20 minutes with the lid sealed. Once done, let the pressure cooker cool completely. Take out the pudding mold and put it in the refrigerator to chill for several hours before unmolding.
Chocolate Chip Cookies
While oven baking is the conventional method for making chocolate chip cookies, air fryers make the process easy and hassle-free. Made from simple ingredients like flour, butter, eggs, sugar, baking soda, cocoa powder, chocolate chips, and vanilla extract, these cookies are simply delicious. While the unsalted, softened butter makes the dough creamy soft and the chocolate chip cookies lend the quintessential chocolatey essence.
To make the cookie dough, follow any standard recipe from scratch. Place the baking tray with the dough balls in the air fryer, pre-heated to 170°C. Allow them to cook for 5-8 minutes until the edges turn golden brown while the center remains chewy. Once done, allow the cookies to cool for a few minutes and remove them from the fryer.
Conclusion
Whether there is an occasion to celebrate or just a random craving for some quick and easy, no-bake sweet treat, try these desserts at home. With less cooking time and an easy clean-up process, pressure cookers and air fryers often make dessert-making simpler than one can imagine.