Sam’s Club Pumpkin Cheesecake Review
Author’s Note: As always, this is not a paid review. These are my own weird little opinions. I have no affiliation with Sam’s Club.
How does Sam’s Club Pumpkin Cheesecake stack up to Costco’s?
Am I an expert on pumpkin cheesecakes? No. But, I have written several reviews of them in the past couple years. Which suggests some sort of …err, obsession, perhaps? Not sure.
Anyway. I’m a loyal Costco shopper, but I recently visited Sam’s Club during one of their Open House events. And I bought this Pumpkin Cheesecake while I was there. I’ve already reviewed Costco’s seasonal Pumpkin Cheesecake, so let’s see how this one compares.
Well, what is it?
It’s a marbled white “New York Style” cheesecake with soft pumpkin pie filling. Yes, it’s real pumpkin and not just “pumpkin spice.” The pumpkin-stuff really surprised me: it’s spiced richly, and has a sort of sweet caramelly-undertone. There’s a perky brightness, too, which I later learned it from added lemon juice and lemon oil. This really rounds out the flavor profile. It makes it taste fresher and more “alive.” Somehow? Look, I said what I said.
Flavors
I loved the contrast of textures and flavors. The softer pumpkin filling is distributed unevenly throughout the pie — which I actually preferred. Some bites were almost all pumpkin, and some were almost all cheesecake. Each bite was a new discovery. I like this waaay better than pumpkin mixed evenly into the batter, as has been the case with every other pumpkin cheesecake I’ve tried thus far, including Costco’s.
It’s flavored with a combination of real “vanilla bean extractives” and “spice.” Plus, “natural flavor.” The profile tastes mainly of cinnamon and nutmeg, in my humble opinion. But, whatever it is is very yummy.
(It’s no where near as “zesty” as the spices in this Pumpkin Cheesecake from The Fresh Market, however.)
Texture
The cheesecake consistency is simultaneously both soft and firm. It gets very firm towards the outside of the cheesecake, and almost liquid-soft towards the center. It’s fluffy throughout, however. I liked this much better than the “weird pudding” texture of Aldi’s frozen Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake.
Crust
I like this crust. I’m a Chronic Crust Complainer (CCC). This one is pretty near perfect. It’s tender, without being soggy. It’s sweet, but not too sweet. It’s thick, without taking over. There’s a rich graham flavor that complements the pumpkin and spices. It holds together perfectly while serving. If this crust was a man, I’d marry him.
Garnish
The garnishes on top impressed me. I’ve whined many times about “fake whipped stuff” on garnished desserts. Sam’s Club version is some kind of beautiful cream-cheese-and-whipped-cream delight. It’s thicker than whipped cream, but still airy and dissolves on the tongue. It has just a whisper of sweetness, and a gentle tang of the cream cheese. I loved it. I especially loved the sprinkle of nutmeg on top. Nutmeg is one of my dearest friends.
Ingredients in Sam’s Club Pumpkin Cheesecake
Here is my best attempt at typing out the ingredients from the label:
- Cream
- Sugar
- Milk
- Pumpkin
- Eggs
- Wheat Flour
- Water
- Less than 2% of: Palm Oil, Brown Sugar, Honey, Graham Flour, Nonfat Milk, Lemon Juice Concentrate, Lemon Oil, Vanilla Bean Extractives, Whey, Baking Soda, Natural Flavor, Carrageenan, Dextrose, Cheese Cultures, Salt, Carob Bean Gum, Guar Gum, Xanthan Gum, Food Starch-Modified, Spice, Cornstarch, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid, Tara Gum, Citric Acid (Acidulant), Soy Lecithin
Honestly? In the grand scheme of things, these are pretty impressive ingredients. I would prefer the Natural Flavors, Dextrose, and Modified Food Starch were omitted. But, hey. This is a much better list than I expected. Well done, Sam’s Club!
Additional Information from the label:
- Contains Bioengineered Food Ingredients
- NO High Fructose, Corn Syrup, or Artificial Colors
- Kosher Dairy
Nutrition Facts
A serving is 1 slice (146 grams) and contains 430 calories. There are 26 grams total fat (15 grams saturated fat) and 7 grams protein per serving. You’ll be getting 46 grams total carbohydrates, of which 34 grams are sugar (31 grams “added sugars”), and 1 gram is fiber. Fiber! There’s a whopping 45% your daily value cholesterol, and a demure 11% your daily value sodium per serving.
Thawing Instructions
I had a very positive thawing experience. Here are the basic instructions:
- Remove cheesecake from freezer
- Place in refrigerator to thaw for a minimum of 24 hours
- Serve chilled
- Store refrigerated up to 7 days
- Do not refreeze
I left mine inside the box, still wrapped in the plastic shrink wrap, while it was defrosting. And that worked perfectly. Just make sure your box is facing the right direction while it’s thawing, so that gravity doesn’t wreak havoc on the softened dessert!
Shelf Life
The “best by” date on my package allowed approximately 4 months to consume.
The label states that the thawed product should be used within 7 days.
I had some difficulty storing mine, as it is large, and there is no way to easily seal it up. If you have a large cake keeper (or leftover bakery box), that may be your best bet. I put the cardboard collar back on and made a “dome” of aluminum foil to go over that. Not perfect, but it worked.
Leftovers
It took me more than a week to eat mine. Errr, like 10 days. Nothing terrible happened, but the crust started to ooze liquid, and the exposed edges of the cheesecake were less fresh-tasting (a bit drier). The whipped garnishes deflated and shrunk. Everything still tasted good, but not as perfect as the first 4-5 days.
Price and Servings
The 4.5 pound cheesecake cost $18.84 at my local Sam’s Club. Since there are 14 servings, each slice is about $1.35. Per ounce, this dessert costs 26 cents.
Where do you find this in the store?
Well, I found it in the freezer section, but not with the other cheesecakes. This confused me, and I momentarily thought they didn’t have it! It was located on a front-facing end of a row, with some other promotional products. Don’t rely on critical thinking to find it, as it may not be with its “friends.” Ask an employee!
Dramatic Conclusion
This is scrumptious, although unlike any other pumpkin cheesecake I’ve tried. I actually love the fact that it is sold frozen. I can buy it in advance, and keep it until I’m ready to serve it. I prefer this over buying a previously frozen (and thawed) product that I must then re-freeze, and re-thaw. To much freezing and thawing!
I would buy this again. It is delicious. And attractive. And foolproof to thaw and serve. The ingredients are fantastic. On my highly accurate “Awesome-o-Meter,” this scores a rare “Speechless.” Too bad I need a Sam’s Club membership to buy more of these!
The End.
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