Store-Bought Cheesecakes Ranked From Worst To Best

Whether you call it a pie or a cake, cheesecake is a dessert that doesn't need a clear classification to be loved. A divinely rich cap to any dinner party, home cooks often like to outsource this dessert by shopping at their local grocery store. And then there are the times when you just crave a generous wedge of cheesecake, minus the dishes or elbow grease required to get it done. After all, who has time to soften cream cheese, let alone whip it into a dreamy confection? When time and energy are in short supply, a quick stop at the grocery store can beckon to the busy cheesecake lover.

While the grocery store definitely has plenty of options, that doesn't mean even a quarter are worth your cold hard cash. Luckily, I've tried 9 of the most popular cheesecakes you can find at four different grocery stores, comparing flavor, price, and overall appearance to name a true winner. Let's dive in, shall we?   

Marketside, for the uninitiated, is essentially a Walmart brand. It started as a grocery store chain offshoot in 2008, but went bust by 2011. Now, you can find Marketside brand ready-made meals and desserts near the deli section of your local Walmart. Admittedly, I was initially drawn to this cheesecake because of its sweetly dolloped top appearance. Plus, the French-style cheesecake classification intrigued me. Would this make it lighter, like a mousse? For $6.98, I purchased a 16-ounce round, a moderately cheap bit of cheesecake. 

Appearances proved to be incredibly deceiving with this cheesecake. Though it had a nice, neat exterior, I found slicing it borderline impossible. The crust was merely a loose collection of crumbs at the bottom of a mousse-like pudding top. In this way, it reminded me more of a parfait, with cookie crumbs separating sweet layers of goop. You cannot slice and serve such a dish. Looks aside, it tasted nothing like a cheesecake either, showcasing a soggy crust and a bland filling that aired on the side of whipped cream rather than rich cheesecake. The morale of the story? Don't slap the word cheesecake on your label if your dessert has nothing in common with it. 

Junior's is a famous restaurant chain located in the greater New York City area, slinging quality New York-style (of course) cheesecake from its original Brooklyn location since 1950. While you can still do mail-order versions of the original cheesecake for $55.95 directly from the restaurant, the brand has begun supplying much cheaper cakes at national grocery store chains, including my local Publix. With this kind of pedigree, I had very high hopes for this tasting. I opted to buy Junior's "Little Fella," a diminutive version of the original cheesecake minus the crust ($3.15) that I could try in lieu of the 6-inch full-size cheesecake. 

This was a massive disappointment from the very first bite. As I sliced it in two, I noticed that the interior texture of the cheesecake was mealy and crumbly — not a good sign. The texture definitely had that of crumbled cheese, like a slightly softer version of feta, which made it feel all wrong in my mouth. The flavor of the cheesecake was even worse, leaving an artificial aftertaste that kept me from finishing even a third of the so-called "Little Fella." I have no doubt that Junior's restaurant in Brooklyn serves up a delicious cheesecake, but this grocery store version has to be one pale imitation of the original. 

Cotton Blues Cheesecake Company hails from a 15,000 foot factory in Waynesboro, Mississippi, where it only churns out four signature flavors: original, salted caramel, strawberry, and blueberry. Its slogan touts "Mississippi Made — New York Approved," claiming that even New Yorkers approve of this Southern made dish. The company is also proud that the cheesecakes lack any typical thickeners like cornstarch or flour. A single slice will run about $4.99, while an entire 4.5 pound cake will go up to $32.99. This makes it pricey, but not bank-breaking either. 

As much as I wanted to like this Southern-grown cheesecake brand, it suffered from a fatal flaw: It was just too sweet. The filling by itself was nice, tangy and sweet and boasting a smooth and creamy texture that felt nice on the palette. But things when south (pardon the pun) when I got to the crust. This crunchy base was way too sweet, calling to mind toasted sugar rather than a graham cracker crumbs. Combined with an already sweet filling, the cheesecake became overwhelmed with a saccharine richness. If you don't mind a cheesecake with an extreme sweet side, you may find Cotton Blues to be just fine. Everyone else, keep looking.

Like the Marketside brand that's already featured on this list, the Freshness Guaranteed Variety Cheesecake pack can be found in the Walmart bakery section. For a mere $7.98, you can get two small slices each of regular New York-style, strawberry swirl, chocolate marble, and brownie flavored cheesecakes. I mainly wanted to test the plain New York-style cheesecake in the mix, so most of my review will be in regards to those two slices. It's an affordable deal, exactly what I would expect from Walmart. But even with the attractive price tag and the assorted flavors, was I happy I bought it? 

I think I would have been better served to leave this variety pack on the shelf. The cheesecake has a rather stingy amount of filling to crust ratio, which made the bite seem much more graham cracker heavy than others. It was also a little sweet for my taste, but it wasn't too cloying that I couldn't finish the diminutive piece. The filling was a bit on the stodgy side as well, not offering the creamy lightness I wanted. Overall, this cheesecake suffers from an intense case of mediocrity. It's not terrible, but it's not terrific. For me, that makes it not worth indulging in when the cravings strike.  

You may be more familiar with Sara Lee as a brand for various buns and loaves on the bread aisle, but it also has a nice corner on the frozen dessert business. It offers several cheesecake varieties, including classic, strawberry topped, French-style, and New York-style cheesecake. I went with New York-style cheesecake, as it seemed to have a more generous filling than the plain, sour-cream topped classic cheesecake. For $11.59, I purchased a 6-inch (30-ounce) frozen cake, a generous portion of cheesecake for the asking price.

Before I could begin tasting this cheesecake, it needed at least an hour or so of thaw time at room temperature. When I could finally crack into it, I was disappointed to find the top with a golf ball-sized blemish. Mass produced frozen food items definitely take some knocks, but it was still slightly annoying to have it marred before I'd even tasted it. The cheesecake filling itself was superb, with a creaminess that was quite impressive for a flash frozen treat. I also appreciated the golden baked top, which gave a nice caramelized undertone to the overall dish. The main frustration I had with it was the crumbly, dry crust. I had an enormous mound of crumbs leftover on my plate, which wouldn't stay complete in a neat forkful. While it received good marks for the filling, this brand is borderline sunk by the crust.

A first time visit to Aldi can be a bit overwhelming, but if you can get past the quarter-based cart system, you'll be rewarded by some pretty tasty deals. I was curious to see if the Belmont New York-Style Cheesecake was one such deal. Belmont is the dairy brand for Aldi's discount products, and other Belmont labeled treats, like the ice cream, are pretty well loved. For $1.99, I was able to purchase two slices of Belmont cheesecake, easily the best deal on this whole list in terms of final price tag. It was also one of the few desserts that recommended I keep it frozen until I was ready to consume, which helped keep it fresher for longer. 

For me, this was a fairly good deal in terms of quality to price point. The crust to filling ratio was more conservative than some of the other brands, and I found that helped in keeping it from tasting too sweet per bite. There was a nice presence of tanginess, saltiness, and sweetness altogether, but it didn't inspire rapturous praise. While I was satisfied by this cheesecake, as it is perfectly adequate in all the respective categories, I wouldn't crave it later, and I wouldn't necessarily go out of my way to buy it again.

In Florida, my current home state, Publix reigns supreme as the grocery store of choice. The Publix bakery section in particular has a series of cult items that keep me coming back for more, from the iconic Key lime pie to the better-than-they-should-be sugar cookies. With these previous hits in mind, I was excited to try Publix New York-Style Cheesecake ($4.59 for two whole slices). When directly compared to the Belmont twin pack, you'll note that the Publix price tag is more than double the Aldi one. Did the uptick in price also signify better quality? 

For me, that could be answered with a definite yes. Unlike many other cheesecakes on this list, the Publix crust stood apart, tasting more like a sugar cookie crust (which called to mind Publix's stupendous cookies) rather than the typical graham cracker crust. I also appreciated the velvety balance of the filling, feeling creamy while simultaneously maintaining a light quality on the palette. Plus, it had plenty of tang to help mellow out the sweetness of the crust. Though it doesn't have many frills, I found this to be one of the most delicious cheesecakes on the list at a fairly moderate price point.  

Here's a brand that needs very little introduction. As a chain restaurant that has its entire identity tied to the eponymous dessert, The Cheesecake Factory has been serving up wedges of the stuff since 1978 with its flagship restaurant in Beverly Hills. The length of the cheesecake menu is legendary, but it's safe to say that the restaurant's overall reputation was founded on the original plain flavor. Today, you don't even have to wait at the restaurant to get your fix. You can find The Cheesecake Factory 6-inch whole cakes and generous quarter wedges ($10.79) in the refrigerated aisle of your local grocery store. 

I like to think of this brand as representing the platonic ideal of cheesecake. The filling is epically tall and creamy, managing to be decadent without being too heavy. The crust is a particular triumph, thick enough to stand up to the massive filling and packing plenty of iconic graham cracker flavor. I also appreciated the natural appearance of the cheesecake wedge, with its few golden bubbles making it look like it had been freshly baked from the oven. Though this commands a higher price than a generic brand of cheesecake, I found it more than delivered on taste.

I'm an unabashed Costco fangirl. I believe with the right shopping hacks in your back pocket, that membership card will pay for itself. With all this in mind, you better believe I was excited to give the Kirkland Signature Cheesecake a try. Costco has recently dabbled with adding some extra frills to its cheesecake, including a mixed berry topped cheesecake and an even newer mixed berry and streusel topped cheesecake, but the plain cheesecake ($18.99) seemed the best place to start. Though it was the most expensive cheesecake on my list, it was also the most cheesecake I bought — double the size of the Sara Lee cheesecake, which was my second largest — so it actually offered some good value for the quantity you're getting. 

As for quality, this cheesecake knocked it out of the park for me. There a four flavorful features to this cake: a salty, buttery graham cracker crust, a rich cream cheese filling, a thin sour cream topper, and a piped border of vanilla frosting. Each piece sang in perfect harmony, creating a whole that made me crave the next bite. If I ordered this at a restaurant, I would have been equally pleased, and been impressed with the chef's ability to make a simple cheesecake pack such a sophisticated wallop. If you want a cheesecake that will impress and please, get thee to Costco.  

For selection, I tried to stick with cheesecake that was available at local grocery stores, from Walmart to Publix. I did not consider any mail order cheesecakes. There are many types of cheesecake out there, but I tried to focus on classic or New York-style cheesecake, as that is the most common cheesecake to find on the market. I also avoided whipped cheesecakes (a popular item to find in the freezer aisle of your grocery store), as I think its lightness qualifies it as more of a cream pie than traditional cheesecake. I opted not to include cheesecakes with various toppings, like strawberries, chocolate, or streusel, so that I could evaluate the cheesecake itself.  

I evaluated both the crust and the cream cheese interior for taste and texture, exterior for appearance, and overall size of the cheesecake for the value. All cheesecake slices were served directly from the refrigerator or recently thawed from the freezer.