We Tasted and Rated 10 of the Cheesecake Factory’s Most Popular Cheesecakes

The Cheesecake Factory is a wonderful place, but its vast and varied menu can be a little overwhelming. Case in point: Cheesecake Factory's cheesecake selection. With more than 30 flavors from which to choose, it can be difficult to make the right dessert choice. Luckily, Parade editors are here to help.

We spent a recent Tuesday afternoon at the Cheesecake Factory in Jersey City, New Jersey trying 10 Cheesecake Factory cheesecakes in a blind taste test. We were tasked with guessing the flavor of each slice. As we made our way through the sweet selection, we also judged the treats on flavor and consistency.

While we didn't try each and every flavor that's available at the Cheesecake Factory, the 10 cheesecakes we were served are a representative sampling of what the restaurant offers: fruity, decadent, seasonal and signature. You should be able to find all 10 of these flavors at your local Cheesecake Factory.

After three hours of tasting, lots of water, and so much Lactaid, we are ready to report our thoughts. Read on for 10 Cheesecake Factory cheesecakes ranked, from worst to best.

10 Best Cheesecake Factory Cheesecakes, Ranked

10. Celebration Cheesecake

This cheesecake looks like a festive party we would go to at a drop of a hat, but remember that we were blindfolded, so we couldn't see it. According to the Cheesecake Factory, the Celebration Cheesecake is made of layers of vanilla cake, cheesecake, strawberry, chocolate and vanilla mousse and a cream cheese frosting. When we tried it, we got strong notes of creamy caramel and the texture wasn't what we were expecting (probably because we weren't expecting cake). Because this isn't a classic cheesecake, it landed on the bottom of the ranking for us.

9. Hershey's Chocolate Bar Cheesecake

This one was chocolatey, smooth, and had a beautifully moist layer of chocolate cake base anchoring the entire cake. To add to the chocolate drama, there's a pave of chocolate chips around the outside of the dessert. After tasting it blindfolded, all we could say was that the Hershey's Chocolate Bar Cheesecake was like a chocolate dream to the extreme. It was tasty, but a bit too rich for us.

8. Mango Key Lime Cheesecake

If you love desserts that taste like a tropical vacation, this option is for you. The combination of juicy mango, toasty coconut and a kiss of lime is transporting. Bonus points for the crispy-yet-chewy Vanilla Coconut Macaroon Crust.

7. Pumpkin Cheesecake

Fall vibes came through loud and clear in Cheesecake Factory's Pumpkin Cheesecake, but not so much that we feel like we became The Great Pumpkin. It's pumpkin and has the warming spices, like cinnamon and nutmeg, that you expect from a pumpkin dessert. I'm not a pie person, so I think this would be a great addition to the Thanksgiving dessert table.

6. Classic Basque Cheesecake

During the blind taste test, we all agreed that this cake was the classic cheesecake with a fruity compote topping. Devon, Parade's Social Director, thought the compote was mango-based. I thought it could be made of strawberry after I bit into a giant chunk of the berry. The actual cake turned out to be the Classic Basque Cheesecake, a super creamy, crustless cheesecake with a delectable burnt top, adorned with jammy blueberries and strawberries. While we loved a good spin on a classic, the Basque Cheesecake couldn't top the original.

Related: 15 Insanely Good Cheesecake Factory Copycat Recipes You Can Make Right at Home

5. Original Cheesecake

Next up: the OG! There's a reason why Cheesecake Factory's signature cheesecake is the gold standard for a chain restaurant dessert. It is the platonic ideal of a good cheesecake: a classic crispy-crumbly graham cracker crust, a tangy sweet cheesecake, a fluffy, perfectly airy filling, and a lovely thin layer of whipped cream on top.

4. Reese's Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake Cheesecake

This is candy in cheesecake form, which made us very happy indeed. With layers of chocolate fudge cake, caramel, and generous pieces of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, this dessert is a chocolate-and-peanut-butter aficionado's dream come true. You're going to want to eat the whole thing (we sure did!).

3. Oreo Dream Extreme Cheesecake

"I don't know fruit, but I know Oreos," said Devon after trying this cake slice. To her point, the cheesecake screams Oreo from the rooftops, and is even garnished with a giant Oreo cookie to drive home the point. True to its name, this one is an Oreo dream indeed.

2. Cookie Dough Lover's Cheesecake with Pecans

Coming in second is the newest addition to the Cheesecake Factory dessert menu. The cheesecake filling is loaded with chocolate chips and its juxtaposition with the top layer of cookie dough will be a true gift to your senses. And pecans in the crust? Surprising but we loved it!

1. Salted Caramel Cheesecake

All you need to know about our top pick is that we loved how it was caramel-forward, crunchy, delicious, delightful and was basically a frozen salted caramel macchiato in cheesecake form. You have to try this.

Up next: Barbara Streisand's Easy Homemade Ice Cream Has a Genius Secret Ingredient