9 Overpriced Costco Bakery Items That Just Aren't Worth It

When shopping somewhere that requires a membership, like Costco, customers expect the highest quality of products, which is understandable. Unfortunately, there are some Costco bakery items that are worth it and some you should skip. For instance, certain products don't exceed or even meet the expectations of shoppers with regard to quality — whether it be flavor, texture, appearance, or everything combined. On the other hand, some baked goods are overpriced for the amount of product in the package.

With so many items to choose from, it can be difficult to know what is and isn't worth it. After all, the Costco bakery sells various pastries and is always introducing new stock. You can purchase traditional treats (like cookies, Danish pastries, or pies) if you have a sweet tooth. Or you can grab savory, cheesy bread to serve alongside dinner. No matter what your preference, it's always good to know that your money is going toward a Costco food item you'll enjoy. Let's take a look at the Costco bakery products that aren't worth your cash. 

The mini chocolate chip cookies are adorable and eye-catching at Costco. It may feel like a steal since the package comes with so many cookies. Yet, it's deceiving since they cost more per ounce than the chocolate chunk cookies that are larger in size.

Moreover, Costco lovers have expressed how the miniatures are inconsistent in quality. One user on Reddit posted asking if the tiny cookies are supposed to be hard or soft. According to the responses, it depends on the batch you receive. A shopper replied on Reddit, "We've had them several times, and either they're soft chewy awesomeness or seem stale and hard to chew. It's so weird." On another post regarding the mini cookies, one Redditor said, "They're not as good as the big ones. I mean, I ate them 'cause they were cookies, but I wouldn't buy them again."

For people who want to get the most bang for their buck (and know what to expect in terms of quality), the classic chocolate chunk cookies are a better option.

Costco used to sell a simple blueberry muffin, but swapped it with a blueberries and cream muffin. Long-time shoppers can't help but compare the products: "I just got a batch of the blueberry muffins this weekend, and they were awful. The old ones were so moist and soooo good. Such a disappointment," said one Reddit user. Customers also pointed out how fast the new blueberry muffins spoil due to the cream cheese part. Another Reddit user mentioned the shelf life and said, "... we ended up having to throw away six of the eight muffins."

If that isn't enough to dissuade consumers from buying the product, the price and size of the muffins have also changed. In a Facebook reel Jeff Rossen pointed out how the new muffins come in packs of eight instead of 12 now, and they're not as big as they used to be. Although the package costs less, the muffins actually cost more per serving. Between the disappointing new formula and the price increase, customers say this is one of Costco's worst bakery items to spend your money on.

Traditional baguettes should have a lightly browned crust that's noticeably thick and crispy, while the inside is nice and chewy. However, Costco's baguettes tend to have a crust that's on the softer side, which isn't the most appetizing when you're looking for a fresh-baked loaf. This wasn't always the case, but at some point, Costco changed the product's recipe. Unsurprisingly, shoppers instantly noticed.

One Redditor posted about it after spotting the change. They noted that the bread doesn't have as much flavor and also doesn't store well in the freezer. Many users replied, stating their disappointment, with one Redditor who said, "They seem denser and drier. No longer a fluffy, crisp baguette, but now really cheap white bread. Like a ciabatta from a store that has no business selling bread, let alone 'artisan' bread."

Additionally, another thing to consider is how Costco's baguettes come in a two-pack, which is quite a lot of bread and can be difficult to consume before it goes bad. This wouldn't be an issue if it froze well, but that's not the case. It's true that Costco's baguettes (two for $5.66) don't seem overpriced at first glance. However, they are when you consider how other grocery stores sell baguettes for comparable prices. For instance, you can purchase single baguettes at Trader Joe's for $1.99 or at Albertsons for $2.49.

Costco reworked its formula for its chocolate muffins, and not necessarily for the better. Many consumers are upset about this, such as one Redditor who made an entire post dedicated to their dislike for the product, with the title: "The new chocolate muffins are just bad." They added, "They're tiny, expensive, overly thick, dry, and have an off-putting taste to them ... it hardly even tastes like real chocolate," with many people in the comments agreeing.

Costco replaced the oil in the recipe with butter, which explains why there's a difference in moisture compared to the old muffins. Commenters also voiced how the chocolate pieces are mostly on top and not throughout the entire muffin. 

On top of the quality issues, the chocolate muffins have gone up in price (per serving) just as the blueberry muffins have, so why pay more for a product that isn't as impressive as it used to be?

With lots of flavors and 40 total pastries, you might think Costco's variety pastry tray is a good deal. Unfortunately, the product costs $28.99, and the pastries are quite miniature in size compared to standard breakfast pastries. Even if you can look past their size, they aren't super impressive in terms of texture and taste.

For instance, one customer on Reddit explained how the pastries didn't impress them enough to want to purchase them again. They also mentioned how none of the pastries compares to Costco's peaches and cream pastry. Many commenters under the post pointed out the price. "Not for that price," said one Reddit user. On Instagram, a user reviewed the pastries and showed on video how each type looked and tasted. He said, "I was not impressed with the amount of filling. For this price, I'd like a little more in each one of these." He also stated that he won't be purchasing the product again.

If the pastry tray were a little cheaper, it might be worth trying. However, with how expensive it is, it's not worth the risk, especially since you're forced to buy flavors you might not like.

When you think of sourdough, you might imagine a lovely, chewy bread with a noticeable amount of tanginess. However, according to Costco shoppers, its blueberry sourdough bread, sold for $8.99 a loaf, lacks the qualities of a signature sourdough. "It isn't fermented long enough. The sourdough flavor isn't there, the crumb of the bread is too tight ... If they allowed it to ferment, this would improve the flavor and the crumbs," said one Reddit user. This led to a discussion where some commenters voiced how they don't mind a milder sourdough since it has sweet blueberries. However, that doesn't change the fact that the bread's texture isn't airy and chewy.

In addition, the product also contains artificial blueberry pieces. Granted, it does contain mostly real blueberries, but not all of them are, which shoppers aren't happy about. On Instagram, a user posted the bread's ingredient list and warned other customers about the "blueberry flavored bits" and how it contains a ton of other added ingredients. If you prefer bread that has whole ingredients, you're better off buying something similar from a local bakery.

Costco has offered various loaves throughout the years, such as a lemon blueberry loaf, a triple chocolate loaf, and a butter cinnamon sugar loaf. However, there's one loaf that has caused some disappointment among Costco shoppers: cinnamon coffee cake. The baked good runs for $9.99 and is supposed to have a beautiful marbled appearance when you cut into it. Unfortunately, not every loaf meets the standard.

One customer posted in the Costco subreddit, asking how the inside of the loaf should look since theirs wasn't marbled. "That's a bad loaf. But I got a properly made one and was wildly underwhelmed. It's kind of dry and flavorless. It has a vaguely burnt/coffee flavor, which is unappealing," a Reddit commenter replied. Others in the comment section noted how their loaf was overbaked, too sweet, or dense.

Also, Costco posted about the loaf on Instagram, and several shoppers displayed their dissatisfaction in response. One commenter goes on to say, "Not satisfied at all very disappointed in this item, very dry no real flavor tasted old." With feedback like this, you're better off making your own cinnamon coffee cake from scratch instead of spending nearly $10 on a loaf from Costco.

Costco sells its sourdough bread bowls for $7.99. Each pack comes with four rolls, meaning that each bowl is just under $2. They're also big enough to hold more than 1 cup of soup. This price would certainly be a good buy for traditional sourdough. However, the product has added ingredients — so much so that it doesn't qualify as authentic sourdough. This is because, in order to qualify as sourdough, it must contain only a few specific ingredients: flour, salt, water, and starter.

Sadly, Costco's bread bowls have yeast in them, as well as other ingredients like ascorbic acid. On Instagram, many Costco members shared their opinions in the comments section of a video post. For instance, one customer said, "It is FAKE sourdough, read the label, those are not the real ingredients of sourdough," while another user said, "Should never add extra ingredients to make it shelf stable. Shouldn't use enriched flour, either. Or yeast. That's just regular shelf bread."

Costco's bread bowls are dividing shoppers, and for good reason. For some people, the added ingredients might not be a big deal, but for others who value quality over quantity, the bread bowls aren't worth the money.

Costco previously carried pull-apart cinnamon rolls for $6.99 but eventually discontinued them, introducing the gooey cinnamon rolls instead. The problem is, to many Costco shoppers, the new rolls are not nearly as enticing as the past ones. Not only that, but the newer product costs more money per ounce, at $12.99 total.

A Redditor left a mixed opinion on the gooey cinnamon rolls. They noted how the new ones are bigger in size but much too sugary for their preferences, and how they likely wouldn't buy them again for this reason. They said, "The sweetness is on overload." Under the post, the majority of commenters expressed how the new product doesn't measure up to the old one. 

Meanwhile, on Facebook, someone posted a video of the cinnamon rolls in their Costco grocery cart, and commenters had varying opinions about the new product. Although some voiced their approval, many people stated the rolls had too much frosting or additives. "Too many added ingredients for me. I make my own to avoid all that stuff," a shopper replied. Between the price increase and the overbearing flavor, the baked rolls aren't worth it since they aren't quite as satisfying as old-fashioned cinnamon rolls should be.