Although the original recipe for cheesecake was created in ancient Greece, it had not a trace of cream cheese in it. There’s little doubt this humble pie was elevated to a new level when it found its way into the hands of cooks in the New World. Cheesecake may have been born in ancient Greece, but it came of age in New York and other cities around the United States, where bakers adapted recipes brought over from Europe to include a popular 19th-century invention: cream cheese.

And now, we are taking this incredible flavor profile one step further by putting cheesecake into our cream cheese. That’s right. The newest addition to our reduced-fat cream cheese lineup is New York Style Cheesecake Cream Cheese.

The Cheesecake Inspiration
“Everybody loves cheesecake,” says Tom Gumpel, head baker at Panera Bread^®. “And I’m thrilled that we’ve found such a great way to present it.”

The idea came to Tom from watching bakers in New York City take their unsold cheesecakes and put them into the mixer at the end of each day. “They’d cream everything together and use the filling for Danish. It was delicious!”

Tom describes Panera Bread’s new cream cheese - which features all-natural graham cracker bits - as having a taste of cheesecake in every bite. “This spread is so delicious, it deserves a sweet partner,” he says.

Perfect Pairings
Tom says his favorite pairing for the New York Style Cheesecake Cream Cheese is “our new Pumpkin Pie Bagel. He adds: “The great thing about this spread is that it extends the flavor profile of whatever you pair it with. On a Pumpkin Pie Bagel, it tastes like pumpkin cheesecake.”

Other great Panera Bread taste matches to try:

• Spread it on a Cinnamon Crunch or Cinnamon Swirl & Raisin Bagel 
  
• Add a dollop to warm Cinnamon Raisin Bread
  
• Dip a Cherry Pastry in it for a classic cherry cheesecake taste
  
• Spread it on a Blueberry Bagel or Wild Blueberry Muffin
  
• Pair it with a French Croissant
  

Look for New York Style Cheesecake Cream Cheese on our seasonal menu.