I Tried Every Costco Bakery Item and Ranked Them From Worst to Best
The Costco bakery is a legendary place where you can smell the sugar and the bargains in the air as soon as you enter the warehouse. Whether you're looking for a dessert to bring to a party, or just a snack to keep around the house, you'll find something here.
From cakes to muffins to creative treats that beg to be dunked in a glass of milk, there's sure to be at least one thing you'll want to add to your shopping cart on every trip. But since sometimes desserts can look way better than they taste, we thought it was our duty to try all of the desserts at the Costco bakery for you and report back. That's right, we sampled every single bakery dessert available in our local store, all in the name of making sure you spend your hard-earned dollars on the stuff that's really good (and worth the calories).
Read on to see which sweets you should grab before they fly off the shelves – and which ones to leave behind — ranked from the mushy worst to the #1 best.
Caramel Tres Leches Bar
Sponge cake soaked in three kinds of milk is a tradition that can be yours for $17.99.
The Look: This cake had an unappealing wet, spongy look.
The Taste: Biting in, I got a mouthful of mushy wet custard. The spongy cake was not my favorite, and the caramel tasted like old cooking wine. Even the chocolate shards couldn't save it.
White Chocolate Raspberry Round Cake
This big red and white decorative cake definitely has its fans at Costco. Priced at $22.99, it was the most expensive dessert we tasted.
The Look: This vanilla cake has swirls of raspberry jam and is adorned with decorative white chocolate curls. Slicing in, the cake appeared to be very sponge-like and the raspberry had an unnatural gel-like appearance.
The Taste: Biting into this cake made me feel like I was eating a concoction from the Barbie perfume maker I had as a child. The cake was very spongy, and the raspberry filling had the consistency of toothpaste. Aren't you glad I just saved you over $20 bucks?
Jessica's Zucchini Walnut Bread
A big, pre-sliced zucchini bread for $13.49 could either be delightful or a waste of money.
The Look: This zucchini bread was very dark in color and coated with nuts. I was surprised to see it was already sliced into thick slabs, which was admittedly, convenient.
The Taste: This bread was just too spongy and had way too many nuts. It also needed some chocolate chips to add a bit of sweetness. As is, it was just meh.
Corn Muffin
Cornbread in muffin form can be yours at Costco for $6.99.
The Look: These muffins were bright yellow and had a glossy sheen to them that was pretty appealing!
The Taste: When I bit in, I knew these were a mistake. Mealy with bits of corn, they had a strange texture and were also very gluey. They were a definite no!
All Butter Pound Cake
The classic recipe for pound cake calls for one pound each of butter, sugar, flour and eggs. Pick this one up for an easy $6.99.
The Look: This was one long, tan buttery loaf! It wasn't the most exciting looking dessert, but I was game to give it a try.
The Taste: The one word for this cake was bland. But what really turned me off was the texture – the cake was so gluey, it stuck to the roof of my mouth. This one was a hard pass.
Butter Croissant
A big box of these will run you just $5.99. How could you say non?
The Look: These croissants looked like something you'd put on the table in a conference room for a work event. They were also each the size of a small ferret.
The Taste: With visible layers of dough, these croissants were light, but they were missing that perfect flaky texture. Also, they were too buttery. My advice: pass on these and hold out for the real thing.
Lemon Raspberry Muffin
Lemon raspberry muffins are an uncommon treat. Pick up a box of eight for $6.99.
The Look: These muffins were wrapped in paper. Red dots of raspberry peeked out the top and what looked like sugar lumps dotted each baked good.
The Taste: These muffins had a thick, dense cakey texture. I couldn't detect a lot of raspberry flavor, but the synthetic lemon taste wasn't pleasant.
Cream Cheese Danish
Why decide which variety – you can get two for $11.99.
The Look: These huge Danish had a yellow cheese center and were coated in thick icing.
The Taste: They were overly sticky and messy. While the cheese center was flavorful, the icing was just too overwhelming.
Cherry Danish
At two for $11.99 these can be twice the fun when you're feeding a crowd.
The Look: Compared to the Cheese Danish, these were a bit darker, and more visually appealing, though by now I was wise to just how sticky handling one would be.
The Taste: The sticky pastry was a miss but the cherry center was yummy and even a bit tart. I wouldn't get these again but if you love Danish, give them a try.
Cinnamon Chip Bisconie
If a scone and a biscotti met and had a baby – it would be this dessert! A box will run you $8.99.
The Look: Coated with crystalized sugar, these looked like little cookies. I wasn't sure if they'd be hard or soft. The chips didn't look like chocolate – the label says they are cinnamon flavored chips.
The Taste: This treat tasted like a little biscotti bomb – it was less crunchy than biscotti and a bit chewy. The sugar was just too overwhelming though. Maybe they would be better with a cup of tea?
Lemon Blueberry Loaf
This loaf looks like a blueberry muffin on steroids, and at $8.99 it's not a big investment.
The Look: This one looked like a giant muffin in loaf form drizzled with thick, white icing for good measure.
The Taste: A big bite of this loaf revealed a very moist cake with nice big, juicy blueberries – but! The lemon taste overwhelmed this dessert and reminded me more of a lemon furniture polish than a light citrus fruit. The loaf was also just so sugary (the icing was really unnecessary).
White Cake filled with Vanilla Cheesecake Mousse
This cake adorned with pretty flowers costs $16.99 and would make any birthday party sweeter.
The Look: I have to admit, the pink, red and yellow flowers with green leaves around the circumference of this cake immediately drew me to it. This looked like the perfect special occasion cake.
The Taste: This cake was very light and airy and the flowers were sweet and delicious. But the cheesecake filling was at odds with the rest of this cake – it just didn't belong. I did enjoy the crumbly edge to the cake, which added a bit of texture. But the cheesecake filling took away points.
Gooey Cinnamon Roll
Cinnamon rolls are the ultimate comfort dessert. This cinnamon roll cake is just $12.99.
The Look: This dessert appeared to be several big cinnamon rolls squished together in cake form and coated in thick white icing.
The Taste: Sadly, the cinnamon rolls – once I got to them through all the icing – had a tough, stale taste. They were super sugary and the cream cheese-type icing was a miss.
Banana Nut Muffin
Go bananas for these muffins for the low price of $6.99.
The Look: With a nice brown color, these muffins had a lot going on up top – I wasn't sure if it was sugar or nuts.
The Taste: Biting in, I quickly realized these muffins were topped with tons of nuts. In fact, there were too many nuts. If that's your thing, you might like them more than I did. They had a decent texture and a great banana flavor and would pair well with iced coffee.
Gen Bake Churro Donut Bites
The deep-fried pastry is now a donut bite. Get a box for $7.89.
The Look: These donut bites looked like misshapen Munchkins and were coated in cinnamon.
The Taste: If you're just looking for a cinnamon donut bite, these will suffice. But they were missing the special texture of a churro. To me, they were not worth the calories.
Cheesecake
Cheesecake is a classic dessert and Costco's is big and will run you $19.99.
The Look: This cake was honestly a little boring looking. It was a lot of white-on-white and the top of it looked like white icing. There was more white piping around the edges but unfortunately it wasn't enough to get me excited.
The Taste: This cheesecake was surprisingly decent, with a dense and slightly tart taste. The graham cracker bottom provided some contrast and texture, but all the while I was wishing for some sort of topping or at least a little color. I would have rated this cake a lot higher if there were some cherries on top.
Blueberries and Cream Muffin
Eight blueberry muffins for $6.99 seems like a great deal indeed.
The Look: These muffins appeared to be loaded with blueberries, with a serious sugar crumble on top.
The Taste: With a surprisingly great texture, they were thick but not too dense, and I loved that you could really taste blueberries. The sugar on top was actually a nice touch. These were the best of the muffins I sampled.
Raspberry Walnut & Chocolate Rugula with Cream Cheese
Usually called "rugelach" (IYKYK) these cost just $10.99.
The Look: With beautiful swirls of chocolate and raspberry running through them, these looked irresistible (though the crystalized sugar on top did look a bit too intense).
The Taste: The dough on these had a good texture but the cream cheese gave them a weird tang that I wasn't expecting. The sugar was just too heavy, but otherwise I was not mad at having to try them.
Carrot Bar Cake
Pick up this cake for $18.99 if there are any carrot lovers in your life.
The Look: This carrot cake bar had lots of layers and different textures. The icing appeared to be quite thick, and I could even see some visible carrot shreds.
The Taste: While there was a good medley of flavors here, the cake to icing ratio was way off – this one needed less icing and a denser cake. In the end, it was just too crumbly. Still, if you brought this one to an Easter celebration, it would be a hit.
Chocolate Cake Filled with Chocolate Mousse
This 10" cake looks like a chocolate lover's dream come true. Priced at $16.99 it won't break your budget.
The Look: This cake is coated in thick, chocolate icing and has an enticing swirling pattern on top. Slicing in, we saw a thick later of decadent chocolate mousse.
The Taste: This cake reminded me of one you'd make at home from a mix – it was super sweet, and the mousse was quite fluffy. This cake isn't bad, but it definitely looks better than it tastes.
Butter Sugar Cookies with Spring Sprinkles
These pretty, colorful cookies cost $9.99 and just scream spring.
The Look: These hockey puck shaped cookies were pretty thick, but their main selling point is the spring sprinkles. They are so cheerful, I dare you not to smile biting in.
The Taste: These cookies had a very buttery, light sugar taste. While it was a good cookie, I couldn't really taste the sprinkles, which were only on top. I would have liked these more if the sprinkles were in the batter.
Apple Berry Pie
A giant pie for $15.99 is the reason you have a Costco membership. (Well, that and tires.)
The Look: This seriously huge pie had intricate lattice work on top which was sealed together with a coat of sugar. The red berries oozing out were enticing.
The Taste: This pie was surprisingly good! It definitely had more of a berry than apple taste and the crust was very pastry-like. This would be a great dessert to bring to a spring party or a summer barbecue.
Tuxedo Chocolate Mousse Cake
A Costco classic, this one costs $17.99.
The Look: This bar-shaped cake is visually appealing with lots of layers of different chocolate. The and curly q's on top add even more flair.
The Taste: Even though this isn't a cake you could eat more than a few bites of (it's intense!) it has a nice medley of flavors. Chocoholics will be happy with this treat.
Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies
Little cookies can offer a big sugar rush. These cost $9.99.
The Look: Immediately I thought these small cookies looked just like the Entenmann's ones I loved as a kid. Though they did have a sort of sooty/dusty appearance.
The Taste: Biting in, these chewy little cookies were indeed just like the ones I remembered. They were sweet, but not overly sugary. They earned high marks on both nostalgia and taste.
Joey's Black and Whites
Black and white cookies, also known has half-moon cookies, are a NYC staple. These are $6.99 for a 24oz box.
The Look: These cookies are smaller in size but just the right size for a snack. The glossy dark chocolate and vanilla icing looked very enticing.
The Taste: The cake-cookie was moist but still dense enough to hold its shape. The was thick and sweet, but not overly so. The hardest part was deciding which side to save for last.
Double Nut, Oatmeal Raisin, & Chocolate Chunk Cookies – 3pk
A variety pack of 24 cookies for $9.99 is a deal you just can't beat.
The Look: These BIG cookies are always a go-to for Costco shoppers. The nut ones look like they have white chips in them and there's a nice dark color on oatmeal raisin ones. The chocolate chunk cookies have tons of nice dark chocolate on display.
The Taste: Wow! All of these cookies were winners in their own right. My least favorite, the double nut, has just the right amount of sweetness to the cookie. Same thing for oatmeal raisin, which was not too sugar and had a great lumpy texture. But the real star here is the chocolate chunk. With a great cookie base and plentiful dark chocolate, you can't go wrong.
The Verdict: When it comes to Costco desserts, the cookies take the cake!
