Every Massive Costco Dessert, Ranked by Size
When it comes to Costco's bakery desserts, the motto could be "Go big or go home." These gargantuan desserts are made to feed a crowd for a relatively low price.
Over the years, Costco has introduced many desserts that are more than two pounds—and quite a few hover closer to the four, five, and even six-pound marks. Mind you: this isn't just in the United States, where bigger portions are the norm.
David and Susan Schwartz, authors of "The Joy of Costco: A Treasure Hunt from A to Z," have seen massive desserts at Costcos worldwide.
In Xalapa, Mexico, they sat outside the food court tasting a nearly two-pound container of fresh whipped cream with strawberries and graham cracker crumbs, as well as a chocoflan, "a ginormous, 4-pound traditional Mexican flan atop a caramel-soaked chocolate sponge base," according to the couple.
In Stockholm, they indulged in the Kirkland Signature carrot cake (morot skaka). "It weighed 2,200 grams (almost 5 pounds!) for only 199 kroner (about $19 U.S. dollars)," David Schwartz says. "This magnificent classic American dessert was sized to feed an entire high school football team."
It doesn't seem like Costco is shying away from the big desserts anytime soon. Some of its most recent debuts have been among the retailer's biggest creations yet, and they've received much fanfare.
Here's a rundown of the most massive Costco desserts in recent years, ranked from smallest to biggest.
Tuxedo Cake: 2 lbs. 10 oz.
Calories: 370
Fat: 23 g (Saturated Fat: 11 g)
Sodium: 240 mg
Carbs: 37 g (Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 24 g)
Protein: 4 g
One of the grocer's most beloved desserts, the tuxedo cake is hefty for a bar cake. (Costco's similar tiramisu bar cake runs around the same size.) Given its popularity—"it's fire," according to one fan on Reddit—customers probably wouldn't mind if it were bigger. In a taste test of 11 Costco bakery desserts last summer, I ranked it No. 1.
Strawberries and Cream Cake: 2 lbs. 14 oz.
Calories: 320
This seasonal summer dessert usually hits the warehouse around June. It is filled with whipped cream and strawberry filling between layers of white cake. Many shoppers on Reddit raved about the dessert, but others were less enthused. One Redditor wrote, "I was unimpressed with it." Other commenters agreed.
Pumpkin Pie: 3 lbs. 10 oz.
Calories: 320
Fat: 11 g (Saturated Fat: 3.5 g)
Sodium: 380 mg
Carbs: 48 g (Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 31 g)
Protein: 6 g
This Costco pumpkin pie is arguably one of the most popular bakery items at the warehouse. While it may not be the best grocery store pumpkin pie around, it's still a fantastic Thanksgiving buy at $5.99.
Lemon Meringue Cheesecake: 3 lbs. 14 oz.
Calories: 390
This lemon meringue pie and cheesecake mashup debuted to a lot of fanfare last spring. One Redditor wrote, "I just picked this up today and we LOVED IT! It's sweet, tart, creamy, and delicious." The massive cheesecake is back again this season. Serve it when it can be eaten in one sitting. In a taste test last year, I found it declined in quality the next day.
10-Inch Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Mousse Filling: 3 lbs. 14 oz.
Calories: 390
Fat: 18 g (Saturated Fat: 7 g)
Sodium: 360 mg
Carbs: 57 g (Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 45 g)
Protein: 4 g
The 10-inch round chocolate or vanilla cakes in the bakery may not be huge in diameter, but they are hefty. It's the off-the-shelf cake Costco usually has, sometimes decorated with a simple "Happy Birthday." This is not to be confused with the discontinued chocolate fudge cake that has yet to return after four years, much to the dismay of some customers.
Key Lime Pie: 4 lbs. 4 oz.
This key lime pie is touted by many as the best they've ever had with lots of fanfare when this tart, graham cracker crusted pie returns each summer. At over 4 pounds, it'll feed a crowd. Keep an eye out—it usually hits the warehouse around the beginning of June.
Triple Chocolate Cream Pie: 4 lbs. 4 oz.
Another newbie to the bakery this year, this chocolate cream pie came loaded with chocolate cream, brownies, chocolate shards, and plenty of cream in a graham cracker crust. There was a lot of excitement when first spotted this past January, but some Redditors felt it lacked flavor. Can't please everyone.
Pecan Pie: 4 lbs. 6 oz.
The pecan pie came firmly in last place of the three Thanksgiving pies I tasted last fall, with too much cloying custard. Some fans disagree and would run back for this nearly 4.5-pound pie when it returns this fall.
Cheesecake: 4 lbs. 8 oz.
Calories: 420
Fat: 29 g (Saturated Fat: 18 g, Trans Fat: 1 g)
Sodium: 330 mg
Carbs: 34 g (Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 27 g)
Protein: 6 g
The plain cheesecake isn't even the heaviest of the cheesecake options at Costco, but it's certainly the most classic. This New York-style cheesecake is a fan favorite and seems to yield at least 18 slices, certainly enough to feed a crowd.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie: 4 lbs. 8 oz.
Calories: 540
Fat: 41 g (Saturated Fat: 25 g)
Sodium: 260 mg
Carbs: 42 g (Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 31 g)
Protein: 5 g
When it debuted, people couldn't get enough of one of Costco's newest pies. This almost 5-pound peanut butter chocolate pie sold out quickly—so quickly that some shoppers reported a shortage. When the pie returned for round two, many said the super-rich chocolaty pie was overrated. Go figure.
Apple Pie: 4 lbs. 11 oz.
Calories: 350
Fat: 13 g (Saturated Fat: 4 g)
Sodium: 350 mg
Carbs: 54 g (Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 31 g)
Protein: 3 g
My absolute favorite of all three Thanksgiving pies last fall, the Costco apple pie is filled to the brim with apples. I loved that it was a little tart, filled with cinnamon, and not overly sweet. The apple pie will make its triumphant return in fall.
Pumpkin Cheesecake: 4 lbs. 14 oz.
This pumpkin cheesecake weighs just shy of 5 pounds and is a great pick for a fall dessert that isn't a pie. One fan on Reddit wrote, "The filling is very reminiscent of the Costco pumpkin pie which is a good thing. Lots of pumpkin spice notes. The top is a yogurt-like layer which brings a nice tanginess, overall not too sweet."
Cherry Cheesecake: 5 lbs. 10 oz.
Trade in your dumbbells for the newest cheesecake on the block, a massive cherry-topped version that weighs nearly six pounds. This delicious monstrosity is topped with tart cherries that don't taste like "cough syrup," according to one Redditor. It's also one of the more expensive desserts at $22.99, but that didn't stop it from flying off the shelves this past winter. Will it remain the heaviest dessert? You've got to think that the answer is no.
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