Trader Joe's Fan Are Divided On Its New Cheesecake Flavor

We're thankful to Trader Joe's for many reasons, but up there has to be its dessert selection, which has saved thousands of us from ever having to turn on an oven in the middle of summertime. Got people coming over for a barbecue? Grab a few packs of Hold the Cone! mini cones and you're good to go (via Instagram). Of course, while ice cream is always a good call, it's nice to have a slightly more elegant dessert to serve every once in a while — perhaps even something you could pass off as homemade. The grocer has you covered there, too. 

According to an Instagram post shared by the account @traderjoeslist, the grocery chain's Strawberry Swirl Cheesecake is back in stock for a limited time. Per the caption, the round-shaped dessert, which serves six, retails for approximately $7.99, making it a solid, bargain-friendly option to serve at a weekend get-together with friends. Trader Joe's website describes the seasonal offering as being nearly identical to the New York Deli Style cheesecake it sells year-round. The dessert consists of a crumbly graham cracker crust and sweet cheesecake base but with a colorful twist. It features vibrant red strawberry jelly swirls for the ultimate combination of tart, sweet, and rich.

While some Instagram commenters were delighted about the return of the Strawberry Swirl Cheesecake, others warned fellow shoppers that the dessert wasn't worth the money. "Terrible chemical aftertaste and sickly sweet. Do NOT recommend. Original cheesecake still the best," remarked one user. For many buyers, it seems the most glaring issue with the dessert was the strawberry jelly swirls. Multiple Instagrammers acknowledged that while the red fruity ribbons were visually appealing, they had a strong artificial taste. One commenter compared it to the flavor of fruity lip gloss, while another said it "tasted like some type of cough syrup." A third revealed they were so put off by it they returned the entire cheesecake to Trader Joe's. Yikes. 

However, despite the criticism, a few Trader Joe's fans had nothing but good things to say about the seasonal sweet. "My family just killed one of these and we did not regret it! Soooo good!" gushed one user. "Brought one to a bbq and it was the talk of the night very good!" added another. All this to say, though some shoppers have mixed feelings about the jelly filling, if you're on the hunt for a rich, pretty-looking dessert and don't mind some extra sugar (who among us doesn't enjoy the taste of Strawberry Pop-Tart filling?) this Strawberry Swirl Cheesecake might berry well leave you satisfied. If you're still craving that fresh flavor, as @traderjoeslist suggests, you could always add chopped strawberries on top.