It's hard to resist a heavenly bite of cheesecake when dining at The Cheesecake Factory, especially because this restaurant chain is known for delivering so many mouth-watering flavors of this classic dessert. But while you may think that indulging in a slice of cheesecake may be a bit detrimental to your health goals, you'll love to know that allowing yourself to have some cheesecake every now and then is totally doable when you are trying to keep your calorie intake on the reasonable side.
However, that's not to say that all desserts on this menu are cheat day-friendly, as it's worth mentioning that some cheesecakes available at this restaurant are high in sugar and fat, making it important to order your dessert with caution. To help you make the best choices possible at The Cheesecake Factory, we consulted registered dietitians to properly rank the best and worst cheesecake choices on the menu. From the classic Original, to the Oreo Dream Extreme to Fresh Banana Cream, check out where your go-to cheesecake order falls on this list, in which we listed the cheesecakes from worst to the best option. And if you're really looking to learn all about desserts, check out 15 Classic American Desserts That Deserve a Comeback.
Oreo Dream Extreme Cheesecake
1,600 calories, 98 g fat (56 g saturated fat, 2.5 g trans fat), 790 mg sodium, 178 g carbs (7 g fiber, 133 g sugar), 16 g protein
"A single slice adds up to 1,600 calories and 133 grams of sugar, which is one of the highest calorie and sugar-filled desserts on the entire menu," says registered dietitian Jenn Fillenworth, MS, RD. Enough said.
Reese's Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake Cheesecake
1,510 calories, 95 g fat (44 g saturated fat, 2 g trans fat), 950 mg sodium, 154 g carbs (8 g fiber, 121 g sugar), 23 g protein
"Anytime you add candy to an already decadent dessert, the calories will reflect that," Fillenworth says. One of the most surprising things about this cheesecake is the 980 milligrams of sodium, she said. And considering that 2,300 milligrams are the recommended maximum sodium intake, she suggested that this cheesecake is over 40% of your sodium intake for the day.
Cinnabon Cinnamon Swirl Cheesecake
1,370 calories, 85 g fat (51 g saturated fat, 3 g trans fat), 710 mg sodium, 141 g carbs (2 g fiber, 120 g sugar), 10 g protein
"While the calories are high on this Cinnabon cheesecake, the sugar is what is truly frightening at 120 grams," Fillenworth says. To put it in perspective, this is the same as 10 tablespoons of sugar, or almost 2/4 of a cup in just one slice, she added.
Peppermint Bark Cheesecake
1,490 calories, 109 g fat (72 g saturated fat, 3 g trans fat), 330 mg sodium, 111 g carbs (3 g fiber, 111 g sugar), 13 g protein
"With white chocolate, chocolate peppermint bark, white chocolate mousse, and topped with more peppermint candy, it's no wonder this decadent dessert is extremely unhealthy," says registered dietitian Lorraine Chu, MS, RDN, CDN. And with [nearly] 1,500 calories, 109 grams of fat, and 111 grams of sugar per slice, she added that this dessert is basically a whole day's worth—and more. Yikes.
Ultimate Red Velvet Cake
1,580 calories, 116 g fat (62 g saturated fat, 4 g trans fat), 630 mg sodium, 125 g carbs (1 g fiber, 104 g sugar), 14 g protein
"This is one of the desserts that contains the most trans fat grams (4 grams)," says registered dietitian Shana Spence, MS, RDN, CDN. High saturated and trans fat are not good for your health and can contribute to developing cardiovascular diseases, she explained. There are other desserts that are just as decadent and indulgent, with much less of the stuff you should avoid at all costs.
Toasted Marshmallow S'mores Galore
1,550 calories, 108 g of fat (67 g saturated fat, 3 g trans fat), 570 mg sodium, 141 g carbs (6 g fiber, 102 g sugar), 14 g protein
At 1,550 calories and 970 fat calories, Spence suggests this dessert is definitely one to steer clear of when you're dining out at TCF. In addition, she explains that 102 grams of sugar are equivalent to 25.5 teaspoons of sugar. "That's more sugar than in a whole pint of Ben and Jerry's Strawberry Cheesecake ice cream," she says.
Hershey's Chocolate Bar Cheesecake
1,360 calories, 88 g fat (51 g saturated fat, 2.5 g trans fat), 620 mg sodium, 139 g carbs (7 g fiber, 113 g sugar), 15 g protein
"This choice may seem like the perfect weekend treat, but it is very high in calories and contains a lot of sugar, making it something worth avoiding," says registered dietitian Carly Johnston, MS, RDN, LDN, CPT, owner of New England Nutrition Advisors.
30th Anniversary Cheesecake
1,310 calories, 85 g fat (51 g saturated fat, 2.5 g trans fat), 620 mg sodium, 139 g carbs (7 g fiber, 113 g sugar), 15 g protein
While this cheesecake definitely looks like a chocolate lover's dream, Johnston says its high sodium and sugar content alone make it worth splitting with a few friends.
Salted Caramel Cheesecake
1,240 calories, 73 g fat (43 g saturated fat, 2.5 g trans fat), 750 mg sodium, 130 g carbs (2 g fiber, 107 g sugar), 15 g protein
Fillenworth explains that although the salted caramel cheesecake brings a delicious sweet and salty combination, it also contains 107 grams of added sugar and 750 milligrams of salt to your plate. Her advice? It's best to share this one with your bestie.
Caramel Pecan Turtle Cheesecake
1,330 calories, 89 g fat (53 g saturated fat, 3 g trans fat), 500 mg sodium, 126 g carbs (6 g fiber, 105 g sugar), 16 g protein
"With 1,330 calories per slice, the fat and sugar content in this cheesecake is intense," Chu says. And with 500 milligrams of sodium, she explained that this slice accounts for over 20% of your recommended salt intake for the day.
Chocolate Caramelicious Cheesecake Made With Snickers
1,370 calories, 96 g fat (50 g saturated fat, 2.5 g trans fat), 340 mg sodium, 116 g carbs (6 g fiber, 96 g sugar), 19 g protein
Cheesecake Factory took things up a notch with this cheesecake that is swirled with Snickers on a brownie crust with chocolate, caramel, and peanuts. One slice has as much sugar as you would get from four full-sized Snickers bars…
Pineapple Upside-Down Cheesecake
1,260 calories, 83 g fat (47 g saturated fat, 2 g trans fat), 510 mg sodium, 109 g carbs (1 g fiber, 99 g sugar), 10 g protein
Pineapple cheesecake between two layers of buttery pineapple upside-down cake sounds awfully sweet, and well, it is! One slice has nearly 100 grams of sugar.
Celebration Cheesecake
1,380 calories, 98 g fat (58 g saturated fat), 740 mg sodium, 114 g carbs (1 g fiber, 87 g sugar), 15 g protein
"I have a feeling if you're ordering this cheesecake, it's for a fun reason," Fillenworth explains. Therefore, she suggested that the 1,380 calories shouldn't matter too much, but the 98 grams of fat is hard to ignore. That's the equivalent to four orders of large fast-food French fries, she added.
Chocolate Tuxedo Cream Cheesecake
1,250 calories, 90 g fat (55 g saturated fat, 2.5 g trans fat), 400 mg sodium, 109 g carbs (5 g fiber, 87 g sugar), 11 g protein
This decadent dessert may combine delicious fudge cake, chocolate cheesecake, chocolate, and vanilla mascarpone mousse, but Johnson says its high carb and sugar content is hard to ignore when you're watching your waistline.
Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake
1,220 calories, 94 g fat (58 g saturated fat, 3 g trans fat), 480 mg sodium, 85 g carbs (4 g fiber, 69 g sugar), 13 g protein
Although there are clearly worse choices on the cheesecake menu, Johnston advises steering clear from this chocolatey dessert, as it's high in fat, sugar, and sodium.
Godiva Chocolate Cheesecake
1,400 calories, 105 g fat (66 g saturated fat, 3 g trans fat), 260 mg sodium, 110 g carbs (8 g fiber, 96 g sugar), 15 g protein
"1,400 calories can be a whole day's worth of calories for some people," Spence explains. 950 fat calories are way over the daily intake, she added, and the 96 grams of sugar (or 24 teaspoons) is also not helping this slice's case.
Dulce De Leche Caramel Cheesecake
1,390 calories, 110 g of fat (61 g saturated fat, 3 g trans fat), 600 mg sodium, 107 g carbs (2 g fiber, 83 g sugar), 14 g protein
"Caramel is delicious and made of sugar, butter, and cream, [and here] you are mixing [it] into a cheesecake with even more sugar, butter, and cream," Spence explains. Calorie-wise, this is in the middle range, she said, but as far as the calories that are coming from fat (920!), this is one of the worst choices on the menu.
Caramel Apple Cheesecake
1,110 calories, 70 g fat (42 g saturated fat, 2 g trans fat), 640 mg sodium, 110 g carbs (2 g fiber, 84 g sugar), 12 g protein
A slice of this cheesecake is loaded with Caramel Apples and topped with more caramel, all on a graham crust.
Chocolate Hazelnut Crunch Cheesecake
1,390 calories, 97 g fat (52 g saturated fat, 2.5 g trans fat), 510 mg sodium, 118 g carbs (3 g fiber, 92 g sugar), 15 g protein
"This flavor is in the middle of the pack as far as nutrition quality goes," Fillenworth says. The fat content is higher than other flavors because of the hazelnuts, she said, but the sugar is far less than the flavors that feature candy and cookies as an addition.
Pumpkin Pecan Cheesecake
1,270 calories, 90 g fat (46 g saturated fat, 2.5 g trans fat), 450 mg sodium, 105 g carbs (4 g fiber, 74 g sugar), 14 g protein
"This option takes the pumpkin cheesecake up a notch with the addition of a sugary pecan pie layer," Chu explains. And while this dessert may taste delicious, she also noted that it packs on more calories, fat, and sugar in the process.
Pumpkin Cheesecake
1,040 calories, 79 g fat (49 g saturated fat, 2.5 g trans fat), 500 mg sodium, 76 g carbs (2 g fiber, 60 g sugar), 10 g protein
The addition of pumpkin in this cheesecake may not sound like much, but Chu suggests that as the pumpkin is likely super sweetened, you're definitely looking at a big increase in calories, fat, and sugar.
Key Lime Cheesecake
1,160 calories, 86 g fat (53 g saturated fat, 3 g trans fat), 430 mg sodium, 92 g carbs (1 g fiber, 74 g sugar), 13 g protein
If you can't resist some key lime flavor, Johnston says this cheesecake can definitely satisfy your craving. And while it may be high in calories and sugar, it contains a lower amount of sodium.
The easy guide to cutting back on sugar is finally here.
Vanilla Bean Cheesecake
1,170 calories, 88 g fat (57 g saturated fat, 2.5 g trans fat), 480 mg sodium, 84 g carbs (1 g fiber, 68 g sugar), 11 g protein
Although this option contains a high amount of carbs and fat, Johnston says it's not that terrible of a choice, as it contains a reasonable amount of sugar compared to other cheesecakes in the category.
Lemon Raspberry Cream Cheesecake
1,050 calories, 73 g fat (42 g saturated fat, 2.5 g trans fat), 400 mg sodium, 90 g carbs (2 g fiber, 74 g sugar), 10 g protein
Even with offering up a delicious lemony raspberry flavor and a sugary syrup sauce, Johnston says this cheesecake option is still worth ordering, as she pointed out it contains a lower amount of trans fats compared to other flavors.
Tiramisu Cheesecake
960 calories, 68 g of fat (41 g saturated fat, 2 g trans fat), 440 mg sodium, 76 g carbs (1 g fiber, 61 g sugar), 11 g protein
"This cheesecake option has slightly fewer calories than its counterparts," Johnston says.With it comes the lower amount of saturated and trans fat, she added.
White Chocolate Raspberry Truffle
1,220 calories, 89 g of fat (57 g saturated fat, 3 g trans fat), 550 mg sodium, 92 g carbs (1 g fiber, 78 g sugar), 13 g protein
"Many people think that white chocolate is healthier than its brown counterpart, but this simply isn't true," Spence says. White chocolate is actually not chocolate at all but cocoa butter, she explained, so you're not even getting the antioxidants that chocolate (especially dark) contains. However, this is also one of the better choices when looking at calories and sugar, she suggested. One slice does choice contain 78 grams of sugar, which is one of the least containing from the menu. For reference, it equals about 19.5 teaspoons.
Lemon Meringue Cheesecake
1,170 calories, 73 g fat (48 g saturated fat, 2 g trans fat), 510 mg sodium, 117 g carbs (1 g fiber, 95 g sugar), 13 g protein
"This is one of the more tame options, so I would recommend leaning toward this one (but still sharing!)," Spence says. However, she made it clear that this order is still high in calories, and is a little more than half your daily allotment (if you are going off a 2,000 calorie diet). Plus, she advises being mindful of the fat calories, which are just 40 fat calories less than what you should consume for the whole day.
Adam's Peanut Butter Cup Fudge Ripple Cheesecake
1,250 calories, 82 g fat (43 g saturated fat, 2 g trans fat), 750 mg sodium, 118 g carbs (5 g fiber, 94 g sugar), 18 g protein
"This choice ranks in the middle spectrum when compared to the whole menu," Spence explains. 1,280 calories are 64% of your calories for the day (based on a 2,000 calorie diet), and 740 fat calories are more than a day's worth, she says.
Mango Key Lime Cheesecake
1,280 calories, 83 g fat (55 g saturated fat, 2.5 g trans fat), 510 mg sodium, 128 g carbs (1 g fiber, 98 g sugar), 13 g protein
This is one of the lower calorie- and lower fat-containing desserts on the menu, Spence says, making it a better choice to order when dining at this restaurant.
Fresh Banana Cream Cheesecake
1,250 calories, 90 g fat (56 g saturated fat, 3 g trans fat), 510 mg sodium, 99 g carbs (3 g fiber, 79 g sugar), 14 g protein
"This might be another assumption that because a dessert has fruit, that makes it healthy," says Spence. This is unfortunately not true, she explained, because the fruit for these desserts is usually the corn syrup-based version, not fresh. However, calorie- and sugar-wise, she noted that this cheesecake would be a better option than many others.
Very Cherry Ghirardelli Chocolate Cheesecake
1,150 calories, 84 g fat (52 g saturated fat, 2.5 g trans fat), 280 mg sodium, 96 g carbs (4 g fiber, 81 g sugar), 11 g protein
Although this cheesecake brings sweet cherries and savory chocolate to your taste buds, Fillenworth explains that as the calories start to trend up with each new flavor, so does the added sugar. "This cherry chocolate combo brings the sweetness with 81 grams of added sugar, which is the same amount as two 12-ounce cans of cola," she says.
Fresh Strawberry Cheesecake
1,000 calories, 69 g fat (43 g saturated fat, 2.5 g trans fat), 82 g carbs (2 g fiber, 66 g sugar), 12 g protein
"If you're looking to take a step slightly beyond the original cheesecake flavor, fresh strawberry is a great choice," Fillenworth says. However, she noted that this is also where our cheesecake calories jump to 1,000 calories, so sharing this with a friend is a great idea here.
Original Cheesecake
830 calories, 59 g fat (37 g saturated fat, 2 g trans fat), 510 mg sodium, 63 g carbs (1 g fiber, 51 g sugar), 12 g protein
"While the original cheesecake may not be the most exciting flavor, it's cheesecake in its purest form," says Fillenworth. This also means it does not have the added sugar from extra candy, syrups, and caramels that you'll find in other flavors. So when it comes to calorie count, the classic version is a solid choice.
Low-Licious Cheesecake with Strawberries
580 calories, 44 g fat (26 g saturated fat, 1 g trans fat), 460 mg sodium, 39 g carbs (8 g fiber, 7 g sugar), 10 g protein
"This low carb option is your best bet, as it is lower in calories and is not hitting four digits per slice like the other options on the menu," says Chu. It's pretty straightforward, she suggested, as it contains no crazy toppings or sugary sauces like fudge or caramel, which can really add a lot more calories and sugar.
Low-Licious Cheesecake
570 calories, 44 g fat (26 g saturated fat, 9 g trans fat), 460 mg sodium, 37 g carbs (7 g fiber, 5 g sugar), 10 g protein
"This option is the lowest calorie option with the lowest amount of sugar," Johnston explains. This dessert option would be most appropriate for diabetics, she suggested.
