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All 34 Cheesecake Factory Cheesecakes, Ranked by a Food Editor
By Taryn Pire,
2024-07-28
Sure, the fried mac and cheese is divine, but The Cheesecake Factory’s real highlight? Well, it’s in the name. If you’re like me, you usually order the same variety each time you hit the cult-favorite ( and celeb-frequented ) restaurant. But after a recent visit to the Cherry Hill, New Jersey location to taste every flavor of cheesecake on the menu, I may just have to switch things up. Before you subconsciously resort to your usual pick, consider my ranking of all 34 Cheesecake Factory cheesecakes, from “you can finish it” to “can I get a second slice to go, please?”
(For reference, here’s the full lineup . Also note that the prices below may vary by region or location.)
I hate to put the healthy-ish one at the bottom…but I had no choice. While the texture was pleasant and the graham cracker-y crust was salty and crisp, the sugar alcohol–sweetened filling didn’t do it for me. I also thoroughly disliked the whipped cream substitute, which I thought tasted like sugar-free coffee creamer or syrup. That said, if you’re on a diet and want to get your dessert on, there are worse options out there.
Description: layers of vanilla cake, cheesecake and strawberry, chocolate and vanilla mousses with cream cheese frosting
Price: $9.95
I didn’t hate it, but there was too much going on IMO. This pick was lighter than expected but the cream cheese frosting was very sweet and not tangy. I found myself wanting more cheesecake and less of the other components. I will say, I loved the cake crumb-sprinkle rim, which was super tender and pleasantly salty.
Description: low-carb, sugar-free, gluten-free cheesecake with fresh strawberries
Price: $9.95
Same base as my bottom pick, but the berries offered a high note that the fruit-free version didn’t. The strawberries imparted freshness to the somewhat plain dessert and made for a nice presentation.
Description: cherry cheesecake on a layer of fudge cake, loaded with cherries and Ghirardelli chocolate
Price: $9.95
I adored how this one looked with the pink marbling on top and the blush-colored layers. But the cherry taste was a bit medicinal. However, I did appreciate the hunks of real fruit studded in the filling, à la Cherry Garcia ice cream, as well as the crispy little balls on the rim.
Description: banana cream cheesecake topped with Bavarian cream and fresh sliced banana
Price: $9.95
Maybe it was a fluke, but the Bavarian cream was bland, and worse, its texture wasn’t smooth. The notable mealiness made me think the egg had curdled a bit when the cream was prepared. The cheesecake itself was nice, although my banana -hating friend who accompanied me confessed it wasn’t for her. (I, on the other hand, wanted it to be more banana-y.) Something caramelly or a nutty brittle would have been tasty, like a nod to bananas Foster.
Description: pineapple cheesecake between two layers of moist, buttery pineapple upside-down cake
Price: $9.95
I enjoyed this one, both in its taste and appearance. But the pineapple’s occasionally stringy texture took away from the fluffy cake and smooth filling. It also tasted vaguely boozy in a one-note way, but the caramelization was nice. Plus, who doesn’t love a maraschino cherry?
Description: layers of red velvet cake and cheesecake covered in cream cheese frosting, finished with white chocolate
Price: $9.95
I was psyched for this one and wasn’t wholly disappointed. The cheesecake and the cream cheese frosting could’ve both been much tangier though—instead, the flavor profile gave white chocolate . Aesthetically speaking, it’s one of the more elegant varieties, and my slice was super thick and photogenic.
Description: Hershey’s cheesecake topped with house-made marshmallow and Honey Maid graham crackers
Price: $9.95
The marshmallow absolutely made this one. I just wished the graham cracker crumble was a bit saltier, because the cheesecake was very rich and sweet, almost to a fault. The toastiness of the mallow helped break it up, though.
Description: Hershey’s cheesecake between moist chocolate cake with creamy chocolate frosting and chocolate chips
Price: $9.95
It was lot , even just visually. I’d say this pick is for true chocolate fans only. The frosting felt excessive to me. It was not bad by any means, but I’d recommend splitting it between multiple people; you may only be able to muster a bite or two, especially after eating a full meal.
Description: caramel cheesecake and creamy caramel mousse on a blonde brownie, topped with salted caramel
Price: $9.95
Texturally, it was a little boring (and I also didn’t love the little chocolate flakes, even though they offered some crunch), and not as salty as I’d hoped. But it was rich and pretty, thanks to the thick, peanut butter-thick topping.
Description: creamy cheesecake swirled with caramel, peanut butter, Butterfingers and Reese’s peanut butter cups
Price: $9.95
Super soft and decadent, this pick’s saltiness really shines. (Chalk it up to the Butterfingers.) I think candy lovers and kids would likely love this one, but I couldn’t imagine attempting to eat it after a full meal.
Description: original cheesecake, swirled with Snickers, on a brownie crust with chocolate, caramel and peanuts
Price: $9.95
If it didn’t say it was Snickers-inspired in the name, you’d know from the taste. The texture was supremely smooth and silky, but the caramel could’ve be more profound. Texturally, I didn’t mind the peanut pieces here as much as I did in the Reese’s cheesecake (more on that later).
Description: coconut cheesecake, vanilla custard and a layer of chocolate on a coconut macaroon crust
Price: $9.95
The crust was the best part, full stop. I felt like the chocolate takes away some from the vanilla- coconut flavor. (If it were called “Coconut Macaroon Cheesecake” instead of Coconut Cream Pie, I’d welcome the chocolate.) If you don’t like shreds of coconut, you’ll be turned off by the texture, but personally, I loved it.
Description: Reese’s peanut butter cups in original cheesecake with layers of fudge cake and caramel
Price: $9.95
I’m guessing this is a top pick for sweet and salty dessert lovers. I loved that signature Reese’s flavor paired with the tangy cheesecake. My biggest bone to pick was with the addition of peanuts to the lush peanut butter filling; they’re the last thing in your mouth once the rest dissipates and spoiled the texture for me.
Description: pecan brownie and caramel-fudge swirl cheesecake, topped with caramel turtle pecans and chocolate
Price: $9.95
I really adored the rich, brown sugar-y caramel here. The chocolate was also super decadent, and the crunchy pecans added texture without taking away from the overall dessert (unlike the halved peanuts did on the Reese’s one).
Description: flourless Godiva chocolate cake, topped with Godiva chocolate cheesecake and chocolate mousse
Price: $9.95
Deeply rich and indulgent, this chocolate bomb is decidedly higher quality than the Hershey’s variety. But again, the biggest downside was that I couldn’t imagine eating a whole slice after a meal. It was so intense that I might suggest getting it to go.
Description: super creamy cheesecake with a delicious and uniquely “burnt” top, covered with fresh berries
Price: $10.50
She’s gorgeous, no? I couldn’t stop smearing the mouth-puckering raspberry sauce onto my fork, and I preferred this fruit to the glazed strawberries on the Fresh Strawberry variety. While the crust was nice, I craved the airy, custardy center that Basque cheesecake is known for; it was stiffer than those I’ve had in the past. The cheesecake also tasted very citrusy in an unexpected way.
Description: layers of original cheesecake, fudge cake and chocolate truffle cream
Price: $9.95
The chewy, brownie-like cake paired beautifully with the tangy filling. It reminded me of those cheesecake-topped, marbled brownies you can get at farmers markets and bakeries. I also loved the crispy chocolate pearl sprinkles on the rim.
Description: layers of Cinnabon cinnamon cheesecake and vanilla crunch cake, topped with cream cheese frosting and caramel
Price: $9.95
This was salty, tangy and very cinnamon-y. The warm-spiced filling left a film on my tongue, like the filling of a cinnamon roll. That said, I think a thin, vanilla-forward Cinnabon-style icing would be tastier and less overwhelming than the thick frosting.
Description: layers of fudge cake, chocolate cheesecake, vanilla mascarpone mousse and chocolate
Price: $9.95
This was one of the smoothest picks on the list. Its flavor was delightfully balanced yet still decadent enough to satisfy a chocolate craving, although a modest flourish of flaky salt would go a long way. The presentation was pretty, too.
Description: the original topped with glazed fresh strawberries
Price: $10.50
This is The Cheesecake Factory’s most popular flavor, and it’s been that way for more than four decades. My hot take? The base is just as tasty as the O.G. (which I’ll get to later) and the strawberries are Instagram-worthy and add sweet-tart brightness, but I didn’t love the candy apple-like glaze. It struck me as sweet with no real purpose…but fans can’t get enough, so don’t let me deter you if you’ve never tried it.
Description: raspberry-vanilla cake, creamy lemon cheesecake, raspberry lady fingers and lemon mousse
Price: $9.95
I have no complaints about this citrusy gem’s sweet-tart flavor profile, or that super sour raspberry sauce. The cake curbed the intensity of the filling’s tartness, so I wouldn’t mind if the cake-to-cheesecake ratio leaned more heavily toward the latter. (Also, why cake and lady fingers?)
Description: lemon cream cheesecake topped with layers of lemon mousse and meringue
Price: $9.95
It was as pretty as it was delicious. I really loved the marshmallow-y texture of the chewy meringue. While I did expect the cheesecake’s lemon notes to be a bit more vibrant, the candied lemon zest was such a nice touch both visually and texturally.
Description: creamy cheesecake swirled with white chocolate and raspberry
Price: $9.50
Truthfully, I wish the raspberry swirl came through stronger, but the white chocolate shards and cheesecake were pleasantly rich and sweet—and tough not to love. The filling could’ve been a touch tangier. This variety would probably taste divine with the sour cream topping from the Original.
Description: creamy cheesecake layered with Oreo cookies, topped with Oreo cookie mousse and chocolate icing
Price: $9.95
It’s a fan-favorite for a reason. While it’s super decadent as is, I found myself craving more cookie (specifically the crunchy bits) and less chocolate frosting. This is another pick that some flaky salt would take over the top.
Description: creamy cheesecake layered with vanilla cake, three kinds of berries and a kiss of citrus
Price: TBA
This brand-new variety had a sweet-tart flavor that screamed “summer.” I loved the pink and white chocolate curls on the rim but felt like I could’ve done without the vanilla cake and frosting—give me more berry, please! Some crushed freeze-dried berries on the top or the rim would’ve been a fittingly punchy finishing touch.
Description: creamy cheesecake loaded with chocolate chip pecan cookie dough, topped with cookie dough frosting
Price: $9.95
The crunchy cookie crust was straight-up delicious—think higher-end Chips Ahoy. Each bite was very chocolatey without being overpowering, but the textural contrast was the best part. I think kids would adore this one.
Description: creamy vanilla bean cheesecake, topped with vanilla mousse and whipped cream
Price: $9.50
There was a thick layer of vanilla mousse (half the height of the cheesecake layer) with lots of visible vanilla bean specks and an ice cream-like flavor I really enjoyed. The graham crust seemed crumblier and more delicate than the others, which felt on brand for the fresh, clean vibe of this one. But again, it could’ve been a little tangier for my taste.
Description: caramel cheesecake topped with caramel mousse and almond brickle on a vanilla crust
Price: $9.50
Rich and buttery, this classic pick got the point across without being drenched in caramel sauce. It was equal parts sweet and tangy with a pivotal touch of salt. The crunchy, nutty brittle might’ve been my favorite part, thanks to its shatteringly crisp texture and its brown sugar notes.
Description: silky chocolate cheesecake, topped with a layer of Belgian chocolate mousse
Price: $9.50
This is likely the smoothest, silkiest cheesecake on the menu. I appreciated the hints of intense chocolate that complemented the chocolate milk–like filling without overpowering it. It was simple and no-frills, but undeniably delicious.
Description: mango key lime cheesecake topped with mango mousse on a vanilla coconut macaroon crust
Price: $9.95
I genuinely loved this tropical stunner. It was complex in texture and flavor, going from sweet to tart to a robust, candy-like punch of mango . I can’t rave about the chewy macaroon crust enough; my only critique is that I would’ve loved if it went up the back of the cheesecake too (but that’s me being greedy).
Description: cheesecake and tiramisu combined into “one amazing dessert”
Price: $9.50
This beauty tasted like a perfect 50/50 split of its two namesakes. The ladyfingers seemed to be genuinely soaked in espresso, and this was the first instance where I felt the cake layer contributed something inextricably valuable to the cheesecake instead of wishing it was replaced by more filling. Balance was the name of the game here.
Description: creamy cheesecake with a graham cracker crust and sour cream topping
Price: $8.95
I would have a hard time not ordering this plain-Jane treat on my next visit. It was intensely tangy and super luxurious in texture. The sour cream really elevated its flavor and made it stand out against other classic cheesecakes. It was also aesthetically pleasing, like meringue . My friend and I kept going back for another nibble between varieties. (Sour cream is a palate cleanser, right?)
Description: key lime pie in a cheesecake; deliciously tart and creamy on a vanilla crumb crust
Price: $9.50
While the Original is genuinely flawless, I had to give the crown to this citrusy number. It was ridiculously silky and creamy, reminiscent of real key lime pie filling rather than cheesecake. It was also deliciously sour and tangy, and after so many over-the-top varieties, I really appreciated the simple presentation. We’ll meet again, key lime.
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