The Ultimate Ranking Of Costco's Bakery Items

Costco has won the hearts of millions. The warehouse giant has turned grocery store preference into art with its low prices and impressive sales tactics (via CNBC). But all the gimmicks and tricks in the world would be nothing if the store did not deliver on quality. Costco's own brand, Kirkland, is well known for its quality, which often leaves visitors wondering how they can provide excellent items at such low prices. The bakery is no exception to this. According to surveys conducted by Mashed, Costco not only offers the best grocery store cookies but it was also voted consumers' favorite grocery store bakery. Those are some pretty impressive titles to hold up.

Since Costco's bakery is so beloved, we thought it would be a good idea to find out which products from the bakery are really worth it and which ones are a pass. This is not a definitive guide to every individual item in the Costco bakery, but this ranking will help guide you through the sweet aisles of the Costco bakery and find the best treats.

Who does not love a morning pastry? Sadly, you will not find the Costco danishes on our breakfast table. Costco's mix-and-match danishes are also among the lower-ranked baked goods on our list. Each danish is a circle of pastry with some type of sweet filling in the middle. Currently, the store offers cheese, cherry, apple, and almond. 

Each package comes with four generously-sized danishes. Now four does not sound like very much, especially for Costco, but that is because the sale price listed for the danishes is actually for two packages, not one. This is a double-edged sword, though. On the plus side, it means you can pick two different flavors of danish to enjoy. The negative side, though, is that you will pay the same price whether you purchase one or two packages. 

The flavor taste is also hit and miss; while the almond-flavored danish seems universally loved, the lemon cream cheese version is not. According to one reviewer, the cheese filling, in particular, makes for a soggy pastry. Additionally, like the apple strudel, the danishes are not baked in-house, but arrive frozen (via Reddit). For a store that prides itself on bang-for-your-buck, this selection merely fizzles.

Costco butter pound cake — the name says it all! Seriously. There is not a lot to this one, but simple can be effective. The Costco butter pound cake is a classic dense butter cake. Each package comes with three loaves of cake, and each, as the name appropriately implies, weighs one pound. 

The nice thing about these cakes is that due to their relatively plain base they're easy to dress up. Commenters on Instagram recommend serving it with berries or as part of the base for a trifle. Although it is nice to have something you can make fancy, the problem is that on its own, this butter pound cake is not much. Many commenters were sad that it was not comparable to more flavorful loaves, such as cinnamon sugar. Reviewers on Reddit commented similarly, with one saying they should offer a variety pack of flavors. Still, if you are in the market for a pound cake, the Costco bakery version is a simple and uncomplicated delight.

Since not every area has a craft bagel shop pumping out quality baked goods, many people turn to grocery store bagels as a substitute. It just so happens that there is a lot to like about Costco bagels. First, they come in five flavors: sesame, cinnamon raisin, everything, plain, and parmesan — although every Costco may not offer every flavor (via Costco Food Database). Additionally, this is another mix-and-match product, where you can choose two different flavors of bagel and pay the same price.  Second, Costco bagels are water boiled, which helps give the bagels that distinctive tough outside and chewy inside. 

In a taste test conducted by The Sun, they found that Costco bagels came in second place behind Einstein Bros., a company that specializes in making bagels. That is pretty impressive for a grocery store brand. Additionally, the price cannot be beaten, considering you get a dozen bagels in each package. 

While the price and flavor are right, there is one downside: They go bad pretty quickly. Commenters on Reddit have noticed that after just a few days on the counter, their bagels became moldy. Some have suggested a lack of preservatives, as well as additional trapped moisture in the bag as some possibilities for the decay. So unless there is a brunch party in the future, make sure to store bagels correctly in the fridge or freezer.

What doesn't this cake have, really? The tuxedo chocolate mousse cake from Costco is every dessert rolled into one. It starts with chocolate cake, which is then layered with white chocolate mousse, chocolate mousse, brownie chunks, and chocolate ganache, and finally topped with even more chocolate decorations. The cake arrives frozen, but we will forgive them because it is so luscious and delicious.

While this cake is a chocolate explosion, it somehow avoids being too chocolatey by incorporating white chocolate into the filling. Unlike the brownie, which is dense and fudgy, the mousse and cake in this dessert help keep it light while being no less rich. A Costco reviewer at Costcuisine referred to it as her favorite bakery item and said she would rather have it than a cake from a fancy bakery. 

This cake is also large but easily cuttable, given its rectangular shape. This makes it ideal for serving at a party or freezing if you bought it just for yourself. And if that is the case, we have absolutely no judgment; this cake is sublime.

Pie is such a versatile dessert as it can be filled with just about anything. Costco pie is a fan-favorite, making the top five in a Mashed survey on consumers' favorite bakery items. It is no wonder, either. Costco pies come in a variety of flavors according to Costcuisine, such as apple, strawberry rhubarb, and blueberry. Meanwhile, people on Reddit, enjoy the key lime, classic apple, and signature pumpkin. The real problem is choosing a favorite.

The quality of the pies varies, though. Employees' comments on Reddit note that some of the pies, such as their apple variety, come frozen, while others are made from scratch in the stores. But this does not mean they are bad; Costco pies are both tasty and generous, measuring in at a whopping 1-foot in diameter, according to People. That is a lot of pie. 

Additionally, flavors such as pumpkin pie hold a special place in consumers' hearts. According to Business Insider, the pie first appeared in 1987 and has used the same classic recipe without any preservatives ever since. Even though it is only available from September to December, Costco sells millions each year.

Cookies may be one of the best desserts around. They can be eaten with your hands, they don't require plates or cutlery (which means minimal clean-up), and there are so many tasty options. 

Costco offers the classic chocolate chip cookie in two ways: a 60-count box of mini cookies and a 24-pack of cookies in the standard size. Additionally, a mixed pack of 24 cookies is available, which includes chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, and white chocolate macadamia. If you're not into chocolate, no worries, Costco also offers a raspberry crumble cookie, which is basically the delicious offspring of a pie and a cookie.

Costco cookies are not just good, they are exceptional. In fact, these baked goods were voted the best grocery store cookies, according to Mashed. The cookies are undoubtedly a good deal, especially in the quantities in which they come. The only faults we can find are that the cookies are shipped frozen (via Reddit), and if you opt for fancier ones, such as the raspberry crumble, they may cost a little more (via Costcuisine).

As grocery store cakes go, Costco cakes are pretty darn delicious, as evidenced in a survey of best bakery items conducted by Mashed. Costco cakes come in two flavors: white cake with a vanilla cheesecake mousse, and chocolate cake with a chocolate mousse filling (via Costco Menu). The mousse fillings are equally smooth and delicious, and the cakes contain just enough filling so you are not overwhelmed by their presence. Cakes can be purchased in-store or special ordered, and are available in 10-inch rounds and half-sheets.

The Costco cakes are affordable and delicious. Like the cheesecakes, they are nearly perfect, but not quite. The problem is that although they are affordable and of good quality, they do not come in enough varieties. Even with a special order, there are still only two options and you cannot mix and match. Additionally, there are only two sizes available: a 10-inch round that serves 16 and a half-sheet that serves 48, per Frugal Hotspot. That is a big spread in serving sizes. Ultimately the quality is fantastic, and the cakes are made in the store (via Reddit), but the options are too limited.

With so many good choices, it can be hard to choose the best, but here it is: The overall best Costco bakery items are mini cakes. And do not confuse these with cupcakes, as they are far bigger. The size is somewhere between a cupcake and a layer cake, with one being either a large single-serving or enough to split between two people. 

Costco mini cakes come in a whole host of regular and seasonal flavors. One flavor that long-time Costco fanatics will be happy to see on the shelf is the All-American Chocolate Mini Cake. According to Aisle of Shame, this cake started as a larger cake but disappeared during the 2020 pandemic. The flavor was so beloved that Costco brought it back as a mini and reviewers loved it. One Redditor stated, "[expletive] THESE ARE AMAZING!" 

Costco doesn't stop there, as it offers other flavors on a rotating basis. The raspberry cake, which features white cake, raspberry frosting, and a dollop of jam, has some Redditors saying it may be their new favorite. Commenters on Instagram describe the carrot cake as "so good," while others rave about the snickerdoodle and lemon. 

Each container offers six mini cakes. Not only is that plenty of cake, but they're all made fresh in-store, too (via Reddit).