The Best Store-Bought Cheesecake Belongs To Costco

Much like revenge, cheesecake is a dish best served cold. It's also a dish that requires some serious labor, or at least time and patience, to make from scratch. You even have to let a no-bake cheesecake set for a while in the fridge before it's ready to eat. For the days when you want to impress your guests with a decadent dessert or just enjoy a slice of creamy indulgence without hassle, your best bet is to head to the grocery store.

With a bevy of prepared grocery store cheesecakes to choose from, Chowhound writer Kyle Grace Mills endeavored to help narrow your search by finding the best — and the worst — store-bought cheesecake on the market. She ranked nine of the most popular options, judging based on taste, texture, appearance, and value. Though many types of cheesecake exist, Mills focused her ranking on classic or New York-style cheesecakes, as they were most common.

In an outcome unsurprising to die-hard Costco fans, the beloved bulk retailer emerged victorious, with Mills deeming Kirkland Signature Cheesecake the ultimate grocery store cheesecake. What Mills found most impressive about this cheesecake was its delicate layering of four different flavorful components: the graham cracker crust, cream cheese filling, sour cream topper, and vanilla frosting. According to Mills, these individual elements "sang in perfect harmony" to keep you coming back for more with each bite. Additionally, it scored well in terms of value; though Costco's was the most expensive cheesecake on the list, it was also the largest by far.

Costco's philosophy is all about saving big by buying big — it's not typically the store you visit when you just need a handful of small-quantity items. That same ethos carries over to its bakery. That's not always a good thing. Some Costco baked goods are underwhelming, due in large part to their overwhelming size. But the Kirkland Signature Cheesecake, while hefty, is still well-balanced and high-quality. Still, weighing in at 4.5 pounds and precut into 16 slices, it's definitely a dessert meant to be shared. At under $20, it's just over $1 per serving — not a bad deal for a large-party dessert.

Though Mills limited her testing to plain cheesecakes, Costco also offers other varieties, with availability varying by season and location. It recently introduced a mixed-berry cheesecake as well as one heaped with both mixed-berry jam and streusel. A cherry-topped cheesecake is also frequently available at many Costco locations, and other cheesecake options it has carried in the past include chocolate, pumpkin spice, and orange Dreamsicle. But if you're looking for the classic New York-style cheesecake taste, plain can't be beat since everyone can add their own favorite topping to complement its rich flavor.