Costco's Pumpkin Pie: Is It Worth It?

Costco's pumpkin pie is an iconic seasonal favorite that shows up in stores for only a few months out of the year, and when it does, it always causes a stir. Shoppers have been flocking to Costco's beloved bakery section to pick up millions of these pies during the fall and winter since 1987, when it was first introduced. Its recipe has remained unchanged, while its popularity has grown — as has its size, which increased by 2 inches in 2016. Astoundingly, even with the diameter increase, the pie's price has remained basically the same, at an incredibly low $5.99 (it can be a dollar higher in certain markets, and there's an organic version for a dollar or two more).

Sure, it's popular, but how does Costco's pumpkin pie really stack up? Is it worth making the trip to your local members-only warehouse to get your hands on one? Despite my history as a food reviewer, my Costco membership, and my love of seasonal desserts, I had never actually tried this decades-old sensation. When I heard the legendary pumpkin pie was available earlier than usual this year, I decided to head to my local store and grab one to see what all the fuss is about.

As far as flavor and texture go, Costco's pumpkin pie is very standard, very traditional. There's no reinventing the wheel here. It's a classic pumpkin pie in every sense. That gives it a pleasant nostalgia — as soon as I took my first bite, I was mentally transported to childhood Thanksgivings at my grandmother's house. The pumpkin filling is soft and creamy with a melt-in-your-mouth quality, yet it stands together solidly. The spices are subtle, which I like because it lets you enjoy the pure pumpkin flavor. Costco pies use only Dickinson pumpkins, which are specifically bred and grown to create canned pumpkin filling. I also appreciate the fact that the filling is not overly sweet. It's not too rich, either. There's a pillowy lightness to the filling that keeps you going back in for another bite.

The only thing that I found slightly problematic was the bottom crust. While the sides of the crust were beautifully buttery, flaky, and golden brown, the bottom was less so. In fact, the first few slices I tried to cut were disastrous, as the bottom crust fell apart when I tried to lift them out of the tin. I had better luck on the opposite side of the pie, so it seems like there may have been some unevenness in the way the bottom crust was baked through. When I got a good slice, though, the crust was delicious and actually held together well. It's just thick enough to provide stability without taking over each bite with too much starchiness. After all, it's the filling that's the real star of the show.

Now let's dive into the nitty-gritty of the Costco pumpkin pie's makeup. This pie's first ingredient is, unsurprisingly, pumpkin. Other main ingredients are sugar, eggs, flour, shortening, and non-fat milk. One of the minor ingredients listed is simply "spices," as Costco is protective of its proprietary spice blend. Folks with allergies should be aware that it is made using equipment that's also used for nuts (both peanuts and tree nuts), dairy, and sesame.

One slice of this pie, which is one-twelfth of the whole thing, clocks in at just about 320 calories. The entire 12-inch pie weighs 58 ounces, which means a slice is just under five ounces. In that five ounces, there's nothing too glaringly worrisome on the nutrition front, with all of the major nutrition calories coming in at 20% or less of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's recommended daily values. It's also high in vitamin A, providing 91% of your recommended daily intake, and provides small amounts of calcium and iron.

Costco's pumpkin pie is only available at Costco warehouse stores. The price for one pie is $5.99 to $7.99 depending on the market and whether or not you're getting an organic pie.

To shop at Costco, you must be a member and show your membership card to enter and make your purchase — if you don't already have a membership, you should probably be aware that Costco raised their membership prices in 2024. In some areas, you can get same-day delivery from Costco through Instacart, but keep in mind the prices will be a bit higher through this service.

As far as I'm concerned, Costco's pumpkin pie is all it's cracked up to be. The fact that you can get a pie of this size and quality at such an inexpensive price is, frankly, miraculous. The holidays can be stressful, especially if you do a lot of hosting of family and friends, and keeping everyone fed and happy can seem like a full-time job. If this is your situation and you want to take one thing off your plate, Costco's pumpkin pie is an inexpensive way to simplify serving dessert to a crowd. I can't imagine any fan of pumpkin pie not enjoying this crowd-pleasing treat.

Of course, you don't have to be throwing huge holiday parties to take advantage of this fantastic deal. According to the employees I spoke with at my local Costco, the pie freezes very well — as well as any other pumpkin pie. You can buy one now, enjoy a few slices, and freeze the rest for another time — or, if you have enough freezer space, you can stock up on whole pies for future gatherings. A double layer of plastic wrap and aluminum foil should be sufficient to keep the pie airtight for about a month or two, and it can be defrosted in the refrigerator. Unfortunately, the pie won't maintain its quality in the freezer for the entire year, so there will always be a few sad months without it. After tasting it, I can say that I'll definitely be one of the fans waiting patiently for its release every year in future.