We had probably the most simple cheesecake: New York. No fancy toppings, not even a crust.
***+.
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Strawberry Margarita. |
"Lime cheesecake with strawberries, Tequila, and Triple Sec and topped with sour cream." -- GourmetXpress, Distributor
"Lime cheesecake flavored with Tequila and Triple Sec, strawberry filling hand swirled throughout and topped with sweetened sour cream topping on a vanilla cookie crust." -- John & Jill's
This cheesecake was missing something. The little puffs of garnish that the other cheesecakes had, and, all the photos of it online have. I think someone actually just forgot a step in finishing the cheesecake.
In this case, I think that is where the "sweetened sour cream topping" was supposed to be.
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Strawberry Margarita: Side View. |
It was still a fine cheesecake.
The crust was fairly standard compressed graham cracker cookie crust, not particularly exciting.
The cheesecake was very smooth, creamy, good quality cheesecake. It had a mild lime flavor, but I didn't taste the promised tequila or triple sec. Calling it "Margarita" was certainly a stretch.
The strawberry swirled in was good, juicy, fruity, and a nice compliment to the mild lime.
Overall, solid, but certainly not amazing, and certainly not margarita. ***+.
Update Review:
We had it again, and again, no whipped cream garnish. So, maybe this one just doesn't have it?
But it was still a good solid cheesecake, smooth and creamy slight lime flavor, although, still no real booze to it. I again really liked the strawberry goo swirl.
***+.
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Caramel Apple Crunch Cheesecake. |
"Rich and creamy caramel apple cheesecake topped with Heath Toffee Chips on a vanilla cookie crust." -- GourmetXpress, Distributor
"Was once a fall favorite, now offered year round. A caramel cheesecake with apples throughout and topped with a toffee almond streusel." -- John & Jill's.
This was one of the better cheesecakes!
The texture seemed softer, fluffier than some others, and I liked the caramel sweetness to the base cheesecake. The apple bits throughout weren't necessarily something I'd go for normally, but, I liked the texture they added too.
The crust was a bit 'meh', mushy, almost stale tasting, not exactly "cookie", but not a standard crumb crust either.
The topping was fabulous. Toffee almond streusel? Yes. Crispy, sweet, flavorful.
Overall, one of my favorites, but in surprising ways. I did expect it to have more actual caramel, it only had a little drizzle on top, but, that was fine, actually.
***+.
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Cherry Almond. |
"Vanilla and Almond cheesecake decorated with cherry filling and whipped cream rosette on each slice." -- GourmetXpress
"Our almond cheesecake with a cherry topping, sits on a chocolate cookie crust." -- John & Jill's
This cheesecake was indeed very almond flavored, the most flavored of any variety I think I've tried. It was creamy, but, a bit too smooth and mushy for me. I wasn't really into the base cheesecake, although I see its merits.
The cherry topping was not as goop-y or sweet as what you get as cherry pie filling in a can, but it also wasn't particularly notable. Certainly not "fresh".
The little whipped cream rosette was actually great - super fluffy, super sweet, flavorful. The highlight, no question.
***+.
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Kahlua Almond. |
"Flavored with real coffee, almond and vanilla extract on a chocolate cookie crust. Topped with almonds and semi-sweet chocolate." -- GourmetXpress, Distributor
"Coffee and almond flavored cheesecake topped with sliced almonds and chocolate, on a chocolate cookie crust." -- John & Jill's
This was a fine cheesecake. But just fine. Not particularly great.
I disliked the crust, a fairly soggy, gritty, chocolate crumble. Throwaway.
The cheesecake itself was a great texture, very smooth. And it clearly had a flavor to it, sweet with some depth, some almond to it, but the flavor certainly didn't scream out coffee nor kahlua nor almond. So, just fine. Not great at all.
***.
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Amaretto. |
"Amaretto flavored cheesecake topped with sliced almonds."
This was a decent cheesecake. The best of the almond varieties.
Again, creamy smooth texture, not as "rich" tasting as most cheesecake, so crazy smooth. Lovely almond flavor. Eh to the sliced almonds on top, but, overall, good.
Seasonal
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Pumpkin Praline Cheesecake. |
"The flavors of the season! Pumpkin spice cheesecake decorated with caramel pecan pieces, Heath Toffee candy and a dollop of whipped cream sits on a vanilla cookie crust."
This was excellent cheesecake. But more like a very rich pumpkin pie, with great toppings.
It was perfectly creamy, like all of John & Jill's cheesecakes. The pumpkin flavor was strong, and it wasn't very tangy, so certainly more like a pumpkin pie than a cheesecake, just, much, much richer. Nicely spiced with "pumpkin spices".
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Pumpkin Praline: Side View. |
On top, I liked the bits of pecan for crunch and texture, and the pop of sweetness from the caramel. I didn't find many Heath bar bits though. I'd gladly take more of all of these things.
The whipped cream was good, sweet and fluffy, but I kinda wanted more, more like I have my pumpkin pie rather than cheesecake.
Overall, very good, one of my favorites. John & Jill's also makes a marbled pumpkin cheesecake, with swirled layers of regular cheesecake and pumpkin pie that I have yet to try.
****.
Update Review (2019): I've ordered this several more times, and now, even with high expectations, it still delivers. Just think of it as "even better pumpkin pie" ... richer, creamier, just, better pumpkin pie. Not much cream cheese flavor, but I like it that way. Continues to be a hit with everyone. ****.
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Egg Nog Cheesecake. |
"NY cheesecake with fresh Egg Nog, topped with whipped cream decoration & nutmeg."
Don't mind the smooshed top of this, I wasn't at the event where it was served, but, a co-worker kindly saved me a piece. I have some great co-workers!
But ... I didn't like it.
The cheesecake was smooth, but, the eggnog flavor didn't do it for me, and there was too much nutmeg to it. I also missed having a crust.
The whipped cream topping though was tasty, fluffy and light.
**+.
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Egg Nog Cheesecake (Dec 2019). |
The egg nog cheesecake came back, not when I ordered it, but when my catering team substituted it in place of a dessert that did not come in. I was not pleased, but still gave it a try.
Same result ... meh. In particular, it just really didn't deliver in the egg nog flavor at all. **+.
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White Chocolate Peppermint. |
"White chocolate peppermint cheesecake with a chocolate crumb crust, topped with white chocolate glaze."
This was almost a good cheesecake.
I didn't care for the crust, chocolate, but, mostly just dry and hard.
The cheesecake itself had a good flavor to it, clearly white chocolate and peppermint, but it was too creamy. If that makes any sense. It was creamy in a way that resulted in a really strange mouthfeel. Too smooth. It also didn't actually taste like cream cheese in any way. So, good mint and white chocolate sweetness, but, not actually cheesecake I wanted to eat.
The top was the best part, not a "white chocolate glaze" exactly as described, but, rather, a thick solid white chocolate layer, very sweet. A little nondescript whipped cream and drizzle of something red finished it off.
***+.
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Chocolate Snowflake (Winter Seasonal Special). |
"Chocolate cheesecake with white chocolate chips, topped with chocolate ganache and a white chocolate snowflake decorations."
I don't generally like chocolate cheesecakes (I'm really not sure why), but I was drawn in by the thick layer of chocolate ganache on top.
As I kinda expected, the cheesecake wasn't for me. Sure it was creamy, but chocolate cheesecake just truly isn't my thing. I didn't care for the vaguely chocolately crust either, and the ganache was fairly boring. The chocolate frosting was good though, and I LOVED the white chocolate snowflake. I think I was just in the mood for ... not chocolate?
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9" Tall New York. |
"This N. Y. cheesecake is baked on a shortbread crust & is made to sky-scraper heights." -- GourmetXpress, Distributor
"The classic baked cheesecake with a hint of lemon, orange rind and vanilla on a vanilla cookie crust." -- John & Jill's
I also had a chance to try the tall version of the basic New York. This one does come with a crust. The slices are colossal normally, but, my cafe cut them into thirds. Thirds!
Ok, maybe that was wise. A cheesecake this tall and rich does need some restraint.
It was creamy, mild cheesecake, slight lemon flavor. Basically, the same as the not tall version, except, with a crust. I liked the crust, shortbread-ish, not too dry, good compliment to the cheesecake.
****.
Jewels
Jewels are one of the two choices of "individual" sized cheesecakes, weighing in at 5.5 ounces (vs the 3 ounce crustless "Gems"). They are 3" round, 1 ¾" tall.
These are the most extensive product line, with a whopping 22 options! They follow the same format as full size cheesecakes, with different types of crust, and often toppings.
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Raspberry Almond. |
"One of our signature cakes, our classic almond cheesecake topped with a sweet red raspberry sauce on an almond crust."
This was a good cheesecake. Creamy and rich. I loved the subtle almond flavor to it.
The raspberry sauce on top was sweet and a nice compliment to the almond. The crust didn't seem particularly almond-forward, but was more interesting texture, more crunchy, than a standard graham cracker crust.
Easily the best John & Jill's cheesecake I've had.
****.
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Mocha Hazelnut. |
"Coffee cheesecake topped with hazelnuts and chocolate chips on a chocolate cookie crust."
Eh. This was fine. But not actually good. I think I just don't really like John & Jill's cheesecake nearly as much as other vendors (I'm looking at you Eli's!). It was sorta coffee flavored, and I liked the crunch from nuts on top and the little chips. Chocolate cookie crust was dry.
And still too large to really be an "individual" portion.
***.
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Rocky Road. |
"Chocolate cheesecake topped with marshmallows, chocolate fudge and walnuts on a chocolate cookie crust."
These were great looking cheesecakes. Seriously, that topping!
But, I didn't actually care for it at all. The crust was just a boring chocolate base, like many of their others. The cheesecake was chocolate flavored, but I really just don't care for the chocolate and cream cheese combo. Personal preference, I know. It was a good texture though.
The chocolate fudge on top was my favorite part, thick, rich. The nuts were nice for a bit of crunch, and I always find basic mini marshmallows forgettable.
Clearly not the cheesecake for me. **+.
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Chocolate Raspberry. |
"A chocolate cheesecake with raspberry flavoring throughout and finished with a smooth chocolate glaze on a chocolate cookie crust."
I'm not normally one for chocolate cheesecakes, but, this really was a decent cheesecake.
The cheesecake itself was smooth, rich, creamy, classic John & Jill's texture. The raspberry was a lovely compliment to the chocolate.
The chocolate cookie crust was rather eh, I wanted more grit or something, like Carvel crunchies, and it had a strange taste to it. But who needs crust, really?
And on top, thick, rich, chocolately ganache. Another winning element.
Overall, quite tasty, and one I'd gladly have again, when in the mood for a chocolate dessert. ***.
Update: I had another, and this time, REALLY didn't like it. I didn't like the raspberry. I didn't like the chocolate. Yes, it was creamy, but the combination didn't do it for me at all, and I didn't even want a second bite. Why ... why do my tastes change so dramatically sometimes?! **.
Gems
Gems are what I'd consider the actual individual size cheesecakes. These are 2 ¾” x 2 ½”, 3 oz, so certainly as large as, or slightly larger than, one really needs (but not as big as the 5.5 ounce Jewels which seem far too big for one, but the 3/4 ounce Johnnys are really just a single bite).
However, they are crustless, and don't have toppings, and come in only 5 flavors besides classic New York, so, they are far less successful options.
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Mango Raspberry Gem. |
"Mango flavored cheesecake with raspberry puree swirled in." -- John & Jill's
"Raspberry puree swirled atop a Mango cheesecake." -- GourmetXpress, Distributor
This was again a decent cheesecake. The texture was great, firm, creamy.
The mango flavor was pretty subtle, although the cake had a lovely orange hue. I also didn't really taste the raspberry very clearly, although again, you could see it.
Crustless as well, so, no crust to evaluate.
Overall, it was fine, they have nailed the consistency of the cheesecake in particular, but I didn't find the flavors very compelling. ***.
Update: I had it again. I again didn't really care for it. The mango was kinda nice, the texture creamy, but, eh. Nothing spectacular. **+.
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Matcha Green Tea. |
"Imported Green Tea powder is blended with our cheesecake."
This was the same format as the other Gems, a crustless cheesecake.
This one I didn't like. The texture was chalky, likely from the matcha powder. It was not smooth and creamy. It didn't taste like cream cheese. It was slightly bitter, which I expect from matcha, but it was like a burnt green tea flavor.
Not a hit, and I saw many people throw these out. *+.
Update: We had these again, so I tried one, again. The verdict? No different. These just aren't good cheesecakes. *+.
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Chocolate Swirl. |
"A classic New York cheesecake swirled with Chocolate." -- GourmetXpress, Distributor
"Our vanilla cheesecake marbled with our rich chocolate cheesecake." -- John & Jill's
Technically, there was a chocolate swirl. But, I think it barely counts.
This was mostly just a regular plain cheesecake, with a hint of chocolate.
Standard John & Jill's, good texture, decent but not special, and I felt it over promised on the "chocolate" front. ***.
Johnny's