This Fan-Favorite Trader Joe’s Frozen Treat Is the Perfect Last-Minute New Year's Dessert

We spent a good part of 2023 scanning the freezer section of Trader Joe's hunting for the latest sweets (Brownie Crisp Coffee Ice-Cream Sandwiches! Italian Tiramisu!) But as much as we like a new Trader Joe's find, it's always good to remember the TJ's classics that are always there for us. Take Trader Joe's New York Deli Style Cheesecake, which has been a shopper's favorite for years and years. It's been getting some social media love lately, which reminded us that it's been a while since we've been reunited with this old friend.

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What Makes Trader Joe's Cheesecake So Good?

A Trader Joe's New York Deli Style Cheesecake is special. For one, it's a little luxury priced at $8 for a generously sized cake. The smooth filling is tangy (from sour cream) and just sweet enough and the graham cracker crust is satisfyingly thick. The cake doesn't come in pre-sliced, which means the treat is less prone to drying out and you can cut also the slices as large or small as you'd like.

A simple cheesecake is a thing of beauty, but it's also a blank canvas for your culinary creativity. And the Internet agrees. "It’s pretty basic. If you do try it, I recommend getting some kind of topping to put on it to give it some flavor." says Redditor PeachCinnamonToast. If you ask other NY Deli Style Cheesecake lovers online, they'll remind you that you can buy tons of fun toppings at TJ's while you're picking up that blue box.

To help get you started, we pulled five of our favorite ways to upgrade a Trader Joe's cheesecake using only TJ's ingredients. In 5 minutes, you can turn the plain sweet into a show-stopping centerpiece dessert for any party.

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5 Great Ways to Dress Up Trader Joe's Cheesecake

1. Speculoos Cookie Butter

Let's call this a meeting of Trader Joe's icons. Spiked with delicious warming spices, Trader Joe's speculoos cookie butter is the perfect complement to the tangy New-York-style cheesecake. Warm the cookie butter in the microwave or in a pan over low heat before you pour it over the cheesecake. Adding crushed speculoos cookies on top of the cookie-butter-drenched cake is optional, but strongly encouraged.

2. Lemon Curd + Whipped Cream

If you like lemon meringue pie and cheesecake, then this easy upgrade is right up your alley. Spoon lemon curd on top of the cheesecake, then gently spread it across the top of the dessert. Whip some heavy cream and dollop it on top of the lemon curd. If you want to make things easier, go for the whipped cream in the can.

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3. Frozen Berries + Preserves

This fruity combo comes from recipe developer and my friend Heyri Han of @dearsaturdays. Her simple 2-ingredient topping tastes like a fancy, slow-cooked fruit compote, but it only takes a fraction of the time. Just mix frozen berries, the juice and zest of one lemon, and berry preserves together, then spoon the mixture over the thawed cheesecake. No pots and pans, no burner to turn on. That's it! Han uses raspberries and raspberry jam, but go with the combination that speaks to you.

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4. Pineapple Spread + Coconut Flakes

For a tropical version, grab a jar of the creamy, pineapple fruit spread, which pairs beautifully with the tangy, rich cheesecake. The spread also has a little coconut, which gives the cheesecake piña colada energy. For a little extra toasty crunch, we suggested toasting some coconut flakes and adding those just before serving. Now where's the beach?

Related: The Easiest Way to Upgrade Store-Bought Chips

5. Organic Midnight Moo Chocolate Syrup + Candied Pecans

You might think Midnight Moo, the chocolate syrup from Trader Joe's, is strictly for chocolate milk-making and drizzling on ice cream, but it also makes the perfect instant glaze for store-bought cheesecake. Roughly chop some candied pecans and sprinkle them over the top for a nice nutty crunch.

6. Joe Joe's

For a cookies and cream vibe, crush a handful of your favorite flavor of Joe Joe's in a plastic bag, then sprinkle them on the top of the cheesecake, leaving a few inches of plain cheesecake around the edge. Add dollops of whipped cream around the edge of the cheesecake (this is definitely a good time to go for canned whipped cream), then insert halved Joe Joes's in some of the whipped cream dollops and pretend that you're at The Cheesecake Factory.

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