Cheesecake used to mean one thing: dense, tangy and packed into a graham cracker crust. Order it anywhere in the country and you knew exactly what would land on your plate. That’s not true anymore. Walk into a bakery case today and you might find a caramelized, crustless slab next to something so light it barely holds its shape.
For decades, Junior’s in Brooklyn set the standard. Founder Harry Rosen opened the restaurant in 1950 and spent months perfecting the rich, cream cheese-heavy recipe that made “New York cheesecake” a household phrase. That version still ships nationwide and sits on grocery shelves, but it’s no longer the only name in the game.
Basque cheesecake is the one climbing fastest. It’s up 357% on U.S. dessert menus over the past four years, with another 98% growth predicted over the next four, numbers that put it among the fastest-growing dessert styles in the country right now.
Three cheesecakes, one crowded case
- New York-style is still the classic: dense, tangy and cradled in a crust, built into a national name by Junior’s.
- Basque cheesecake skips the crust entirely. Chef Santiago Rivera developed it around 1990 at his pintxo bar in San Sebastián, Spain, baking it hot and fast for a deep caramelized top and a loose, custardy middle.
- Japanese cotton cheesecake goes the opposite direction. Chef Tomotaro Kuzuno created it in 1969 after a trip to Berlin, using whipped egg whites for a souffle-like bounce closer to sponge cake than cream cheese custard.
Consumers are clearly on board. Sixty-three percent say they’re interested in trying Basque cheesecake, and another 13% already have.
So heading into National Cheesecake Day on July 30, skip the usual slice and try something different. Ask your favorite bakery if they’ve got a Basque version tucked in the case, or track down a Japanese cotton cheesecake if you want something lighter. Your go-to New York slice will still be there next time.
Jennifer Allen is a retired professional chef and long-time writer. Her work appears in dozens of publications, including MSN, Yahoo, The Washington Post and The Seattle Times. These days, she’s busy in the kitchen developing recipes and traveling the world, and you can find all her best creations at Cook What You Love.