Last updated on January 12th, 2024 at 08:00 am

Is it cheaper to buy or make cheesecake, how to save 88%


is it cheaper to make cheesecake at home from scratch
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Cheesecake is a refreshing dessert. But is it cheaper to make or buy a cheesecake? I also was wondering the same and wrote about my discoveries.

It is a lot cheaper to make cheesecake at home from scratch. Making cheesecake at home will cost 13.42$ if you make it with recipe and ingredients in the table below. You can serve this cheesecake to 12 people, which will total 1.12$ per piece or serving. Comparing homemade to frozen or store-bought cheesecake mix is very interesting. You can save 40% to 88% if you make it at home from scratch.

Is it cheaper to make or buy a cheesecake?
Weight frozen store bought package Price store-bought per oz. Price store bought (63.8 oz.) – same weight as homemade Price homemade from scratch Difference
Sara Lee Classic Cheesecake 17 oz. 17 oz $0.35 $22.33 $13.42 $8.91
Harry & David The Cheesecake Factory Original Cheesecake (10 Inches) 79 oz $1.08 $68.90 $13.42 $55.48
Gourmet Cheesecake Mix  by Southern Living $1.48 $94.42 $13.42 $81.00
Gevinni New York Style Cheesecake 34 oz $1.70 $108.46 $13.42 $95.04

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In general, cooking at home is cheaper than eating out. Check out how to save from 1720$ to 4303$ with homemade food.

While researching the recipes and prices, I discovered some interesting things, read on to learn more.

How much does a homemade cheesecake cost if you make it from scratch?

The most expensive ingredient in cheesecake is cream cheese. It presents more than half of the cost of the whole cheesecake. If you want to save even more with your cheesecake, pick the cheapest cream cheese in the store. 

Cheesecake ingredient cost is calculated on the following basis:

Measurement to grams: we calculated the measurement of each ingredient into grams to get the sum weight of ingredients for cheesecake.

Average product price: for each ingredient, we checked the latest prices online and calculated the average price of ingredients per ounce, which are included in the cheesecake recipe.

Price per ingredient: the price for each ingredient is calculated to match the amount used in the recipe. 

Sum weight of cheesecake: to get the total weight of cheesecake, we summed the weight of all ingredients in grams. 

Electricity cost: we calculated electricity cost for baking cheesecake in an oven. Ovens use 1000 to 5000 watts, with an average modern oven using around 2400 watts on medium to high heat. The calculation also includes the USA’s average electricity rate, which is 13.19$ per kilowatt-hour (updated April 2020)

Time, utensils, and cookware: I did not include time cost or the purchase of cookware and tools into the calculation. 

I’ve written a complete “is it cheaper” analysis of the most popular foods cooks make at home.

(BREAD, PIZZA, PASTA, FRIES, BEEF JERKY, LASAGNA, CHEESECAKE, GRANOLA BARS, GLUTEN-FREE BREAD, MAYONNAISE, GNOCCHI, GUACAMOLE, GROUND BEEFBROWNIES, HUMMUS)

I outlined the costs and buying guides for the ultimate savings.

The table shows the recipe cost of making cheesecake at home from scratch:

How much does it cost to make homemade cheesecake from scratch? 
Quantities Quantities in grams Cost
Graham Cracker Crust
Graham cracker crumbs 1 1/2 cups 170 g $1.14
Sugar 2 Tablespoons 25 g $0.17
Brown sugar (can substitute white) 1 Tablespoon 12.5 g $0.13
Butter melted 7 Tablespoons 100 g $0.73
Cheesecake
Cream cheese softened to room temperature 32 oz 910 g $7.06
Sugar 1 cup  200 g $1.38
Sour cream ⅔ cups 160 g $0.68
Vanilla extract 1 ½ teaspoons 6.3 g $0.85
Salt ⅛ teaspoon 0.75 g $0.01
Eggs room temperature, lightly beaten 4 large 224 g $0.88
Electricity oven baking 75 min $0.39
Servings/slices 9-inch pan 12 $13.42
Cost of homemade cheesecake per serving $1.12
Price per ounce $0.21
SUM weight cheesecake in grams 1808.55
SUM product weight in ounces 63.8

How much does a whole 9-inch cheesecake cost? 

Cheesecake is usually made in a 9-inch springform pan. You can serve approximately 12 people with cheesecake made in a 9-inch pan. If the guests are more hungry, you can serve it to fewer people, but the important part is that you will get 12 pieces out of a 9-inch pan. 

A whole cheesecake costs 13,42$. If you can cut a 9-inch cheesecake to 12 pieces and the entire cheesecake costs 13,42$ than you will end up with a cost of 1.12$ per slice.

How much does a whole cheesecake cost: it costs 13,42$ to make a whole cheesecake

How much does a slice of cheesecake cost: a single slice of homemade cheesecake costs 1,12$

Why are cheesecakes so expensive?

Only store-bought cheesecakes are expensive. Homemade cheesecake is not a very expensive dessert. The most expensive ingredient in the cheesecake recipe is cream cheese. If you add the cost of other ingredients in the recipe and the cost of electricity, you will end up with a cost of 13.42 per cheesecake. 

The expensive part in the store-bought cheesecake is not only the cream cheese but other factors. Cheesecake is made of fresh ingredients with a short shelf life. The distribution of fresh products is much more difficult than dry grocery products. Then there is the labor and storage cost and of course some profit for the company, which also play a substantial part.

homemade cheesecake on a plate

Is it worth making cheesecake at home from scratch and savings?

It is totally worth making cheesecake at home from scratch, especially if you are not buying the cheapest store-bought cheesecake.

The table shows that if you make cheesecake at home twice a month, you could save from 8$-59$ a month. 

There are a variety of brands and cheesecake mixes available. To illustrate the worthiness of making cheesecake at home, I took some well-known brands and compared their cheesecake to homemade cheesecake.

The cheapest is the Sara Lee Classic Cheesecake. But still, if you make cheesecake at home once a month, you could save 106$ a year if you make it at home. 

The most expensive 7 inches Gevinni New York Style Cheesecake that serves around 8-10 people will cost you whopping 60$ if you buy it online. Comparing this to a homemade will save you 1140$ a year.

Is it worth making cheesecake at home from scratch and savings if you make it once a month
Weight frozen store bought package Price store-bought per oz. Price store bought (63.8 oz.) – same weight as homemade Price homemade from scratch Difference Yearly savings making cheesecake once a month Homemade cheaper
Sara Lee Classic Cheesecake 17 oz. 17 oz $0.35 $22.33 $13.42 $8.91 $106.92 40%
Harry & David The Cheesecake Factory Original Cheesecake (10 Inches) 79 oz $1.08 $68.90 $13.42 $55.48 $665.81 81%
Gourmet Cheesecake Mix  by Southern Living $1.48 $94.42 $13.42 $81.00 $972.05 86%
Gevinni New York Style Cheesecake 34 oz $1.70 $108.46 $13.42 $95.04 $1,140.48 88%

I’ve written a complete “is it cheaper” analysis of the most popular foods cooks make at home.

(BREAD, PIZZA, PASTA, FRIES, BEEF JERKY, LASAGNA, CHEESECAKE, GRANOLA BARS, GLUTEN-FREE BREAD, MAYONNAISE, GNOCCHI, GUACAMOLE, GROUND BEEFBROWNIES, HUMMUS)

I outlined the costs and buying guides for the ultimate savings.

* The prices for ingredients and products in our tables are average prices take from various websites. The prices are not taken directly from Amazon.
* Pro family chef utilizes affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of our product links, Pro family chef will receive a small commission at no cost to you. This helps support us, and allows us to keep providing tips, reviews, guides, and content for you.
Sources:
https://www.electricchoice.com/electricity-prices-by-state/
http://energyusecalculator.com/electricity_oven.htm
Is it worth making cheesecake from scratch

Rok

I am a kind of person that would sneak a taste out of grandma’s pot when I was barely tall enough to reach it. I grew up in kitchens full of love and liveliness and have spent my whole live learning, experimenting and succeeding in the art of cooking. At Pro Family Chef, every day is an opportunity for a new meal and a brand new flavor. I created this website to connect people that love to cook, with the products designed to make their cooking easier, hassle-free and rewarding every time.

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