Is Cheesecake a Pie, Cake or Tart?

Published on September 23rd, 2024

No Matter What Percentage Cheesecake is of a Pie, Cake, or Tart, it’s Always 100% Delicious

In the second century, professional diviner Artemidorus of Daldis wrote that cheesecake signifies “trickery and ambushes.” Ambushes? Maybe not. But trickery, sure — cheesecake isn’t cheese, and it isn’t cake. Come to think of it, it’s not a pie, either. Whatever dessert it’s masquerading as, though, cheesecake sure is delicious. So let’s put an end to the questions once and for all: Is cheesecake a pie, cake, or tart — or none of them? Here’s what to know.

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What is Cheesecake?

OK, let’s get the actual definition out of the way. A cheesecake is a pastry where a custardy cream cheese filling — or a ricotta filling if it’s an Italian cheesecake — sits on top of (or on top of and surrounded by on the sides) a crust with a fun little crunch to it, because it’s usually made from graham crackers. Now, it’s not a typical custard filling. This one is thicker, holds up to being sliced, and has a velvety mouthfeel that lingers for a bit after your bite. You know what cheesecake isn’t? Cheese. Or cake. Or pie. So what is this mysterious genre-blending dessert?

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Is Cheesecake Actually Cake or Pie?

Before we get into specifics, let’s answer this question right away: No, and no. Cheesecake is a delicious treat all its own. Here’s why.

What is the difference between cheesecake and cake? Cake has layers. Cake has a spongy texture. Cake is frosted or iced or covered in fondant or ganache. Cheesecake has none of those things (unless it’s a super stunning layered cheesecake, which actually sounds amazing). Plus, it has a crust. What cakes do you know that have a crust?

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“Aha!” you say. “Cheesecake must be a pie because it’s a filling inside a shell! It’s a custard pie!” Sorry, you’re still wrong.

Why is cheesecake not a pie? Well, for one, a cheesecake crust is pressed and most often made out of graham crackers or cookies, and a pie crust is a flaky pastry. Plus, pie can have a top crust, which cheesecake doesn’t. And some cheesecakes have a crust only on the bottom, but pie crusts go up the side as well. Cheesecake is also not baked in a pie pan, and it doesn’t have the same type of filling as pie, because it’s more custardy.

Alright then. So what actually is cheesecake?

Is Cheesecake a Tart?

I’ve got news for you, cheesecake fans. If you’ve always considered cheesecake a tart, you’re absolutely correct. Even Oxford, that most prestigious of universities, defines cheesecake as a tart. (They also call it a flan, but let’s not focus on that.) It’s a thick, stable filling in a tart shell, albeit a bigger one than the small fruit tarts you’ll find at the bakery. The more you know. (Although, to be fair, Basque cheesecakes and Japanese cheesecakes don’t really fit this definition. But let’s leave that out with the flan.)

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No matter how you want to classify your sweet dessert, a cheesecake is going to be delicious. So dive in to all the cheesecakes, cakes, pies, mini cheesecakes, and tarts shipping nationwide on Goldbelly.