This Costco Bakery Hidden Gem Has Shoppers Coming Back For More

Costco's bakery has its die-hard fans for a reason — you walk into the store for a giant package of paper towels and walk out with a six-pack of its flaky, blueberry caramelized cheesecake croissants, one of Costco's fan-favorite bakery items. Now, a hidden treat Costco calls rugula (rugelach) is getting some recognition on Reddit. It's a traditional Jewish pastry, invented in Poland, that many fans are excited to see in stores, while others are questioning its authenticity. It might not be on everyone's list of best bakery items in Costco, but it does have its own fandom.

It's true, there may be many ways to spell rugelach, but there is only one traditional way to make it. The pastry is made from a cream cheese dough, filled with either nuts, fruit preserves, cinnamon and sugar, or chocolate, and then rolled into a crescent shape. Rugelach is considered by many to be the most popular Jewish pastry in America. It's no wonder that many Costco fans were excited to see a version of it appear in the bakery department of their favorite warehouse store. There is one downside, though: Some Redditors are finding that Costco's rugelach may be limited to stores in regions with a larger Jewish demographic. Many on Reddit noted that they find the store's rugelach available regularly, as one commented, "We have that year-round at the Rochester Costco."

Anytime a major retailer or corporation puts its own spin on a culturally specific food item, questions and comments about authenticity tend to follow, and Costco's rugelach is no exception. One fan of the pastry noted that they were impressed it was actually made with butter, when mass-produced versions of the dessert tend to skip out on the real dairy ingredients. This is a major positive, but true rugelach fans would say the cream cheese-based pastry is what really makes it authentic, not just butter. The sentiment from a Reddit user makes this very point: "Those look almost like a donut pastry and a bit too dark. I suspect this is not a true rugelach dough." While there are so many different types of pastry doughs you could use for this dessert, cream cheese pastry is the key to authentic rugelach. Those who've tried the pastry also mention the lack of traditionally generous filling.

It really comes down to the fact that you can't please everyone all the time. Some fans of rugelach are just grateful they can find their favorite Jewish pastry in any form at their local Costco, while others would rather make their own or do without. If you're not a stickler for by-the-book rugelach, it may be worth checking your local Costco's website to see if they're available in your area. Either way, a tasty pastry is never a waste of time.