I Tried 10 Costco Winter Bakery Items & the Best Was Delightfully Soft and Sweet
If you're tasked with bringing dessert to a holiday gathering or just having friends and family over to celebrate, you'll want to head to Costco to pick up one or more of the retailer's seasonal bakery items. While it's fun to make cookies or bake a family recipe for dessert, the fact that Costco can take this chore off your plate makes it a no-brainer to stop in for all your sweet needs this season.
From old favorites to newer offerings, Costco's bakery section is bustling right now. So you'll want to plan ahead to figure out which desserts you want on your table–and which ones to leave on the shelf. To save you time and money, we decided to taste-test 10 of the top bakery items at Costco right now to find out which ones are the yummiest. Read on to learn about these Costco bakery items, ranked from my least favorite to the very best, and check this list twice before your next shopping trip.
Caramel Tres Leches Bar Cake
Tres leches cake is a sponge cake soaked in three different types of milk. It's not something I would normally pick up, but I was game to give it a whirl. The long rectangular-shaped cake cost me $17.99.
The look: This cake had a nice bar shape that showed off its layers, but overall, it had a glossy sheen to it that was unappealing.
The taste: This cake tasted wet and spongy and slightly boozy (even though it doesn't contain any alcohol). I could not get past the first bite. While others might have more of a taste for this type of dessert, it was a hard pass for me.
Kirkland Signature White Chocolate Raspberry Round Cake
Layered with raspberry filling and cream, the White Chocolate Raspberry Round Cake has been all the rage on social media, with Costco fans clamoring to try it. I was ready to see if it lived up to the hype. The nine-inch cake cost me $22.99.
The Look: This big cake looked like something a vanilla lover would get excited about. The red raspberry filling had a gel-like appearance that made me a little suspicious of it. The curls of vanilla on top added some festive flair.
The Taste: Before even biting in, I noticed the very strong, almost synthetic raspberry smell coming off this cake. It reminded me of a scent that came out of the Barbie perfume maker I had as a kid in the 1980s. Biting in, the cake was extremely light and spongy—so much so that it tasted less like cake and more like an actual sponge. The gelatinous quality of the raspberry caused me to spit out the cake, which, as a dessert lover, is something I rarely do.
Kirkland Signature Raspberry Morning Bun
Calories: 350
Fat: 13 g (Saturated Fat: 8 g)
Sodium: 300 mg
Carbs: 53 g (Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 25 g)
Protein: 6 g
While these buns are advertised as an item for morning, they are loaded with sugar and definitely qualify as dessert. They are made with croissant pastry, butter, raspberry filling, and granulated sugar. A box of nine cost me $6.99.
The look: These buns looked a lot like cinnamon rolls and were so coated in sugar that my teeth hurt before even biting in. When I pulled one apart, the raspberry filling had a very unnatural-looking red coloring.
The taste: Picking up one of these buns, they were sticky to the touch and sugar came off all over the place. Biting in, they were super thick in texture and more on the stale side than moist. The raspberry filling was too tart, maybe because I was expecting the warmth and sweetness of cinnamon due to the look of the pastry. I would take a pass on these.
Kirkland Signature Maple Butter Pecan Bar Cake
Calories: 350
Fat: 23 g (Saturated Fat: 10 g)
Sodium: 200 mg
Carbs: 33 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 24 g)
Protein: 3 g
The Maple Butter Pecan Bar Cake was another cake that I would never have tried if not for this taste test, but I do like maple syrup, so that was one reason to give it a shot. The bar-shaped cake cost me $18.99.
The look: This cake had an overall very bland, tan look to it. There was nothing exciting about it and the nuts on top were a turn off for me. The cake itself looked spongy and full of air bubbles—again, not the most appealing.
The taste: Surprisingly, this cake tasted much better than it looked! The different layers provided nice nuances in texture, especially one of the bottom layers, which contained nuts and sugar and added a nice, unexpected crunch. The smell of maple was also quite pleasant. With so many better options at Costco, I would probably not buy this cake again, but it was better than I thought it would be.
Chocolate Orange Loaf
This is another Costco offering that has been getting a lot of buzz on social media. Some were skeptical about the combination of chocolate and orange, but they are great flavors to pair, so I was excited to give it a try. The loaf cost me $9.99.
The look: This dessert looks like your typical coffee cake, except with chocolate chunks on the outside and a heavy drizzle of white icing. Cutting in, I could see some chunks that looked like bits of orange, but surprisingly, there was not a lot of chocolate to be found on the inside.
The taste: Before biting in, I noticed a subtle orange smell which was not unpleasant. But taking a taste, I was put off by the very dense texture of this cake. The whole thing reminded me of a pre-packaged muffin, which is never worth the calories! The ample white icing is clearly there to make up for a lack of flavor.
Cinnamon Rolls
Cinnamon rolls are a seasonal favorite, and this packaged item from the Costco bakery delivers six of them, smothered in icing, for $12.99.
The look: At first glance, this bakery item looks like a cake, but it's really six huge cinnamon rolls coated in white icing. It looks like a sugar lover's dream come true. As I cut a giant slice, I could see all of the cinnamon swirls within.
The taste: These cinnamon rolls were very thick, and a little stale-tasting. Since cinnamon rolls are something I've personally made from scratch, I couldn't help but compare these to them. Costco's version tastes mass-produced, which, of course, it is. Instead of being super-sweet, the icing had a bit of tang to it, which I didn't love. I'll be making these on my own, but if you don't want to go through the process, these are a decent but not amazing alternative to homemade.
Holiday Cookie Tray
This huge tray of cookies contained 12 chocolate chunk, 12 brown butter sugar, 12 chocolate chip, 12 double nut, and 12 candy gem chip cookies. The 60-count tray cost $24.99.
The look: Festive and fun, this cookie tray looks delicious and over-the-top, and anyone would be the hit of the party by showing up with this. I was especially intrigued by the chocolate chunk cookies, which were dusted in powdered sugar, and the ones decorated with little colored balls.
The taste: I've had Costco's chocolate chip cookies before and they are always a solid choice in this category. The chocolate chunk cookies were moist and super chocolaty, but the thick coating of powered detracted from the taste. The sprinkle cookies were pretty, but bland tasting. Still, this tray offers something for everyone, and these cookies would certainly be a welcome addition to any holiday gathering.
Cherry Topped Cheesecake
This cherry topped cheesecake is one of Costco's most eye-catching desserts and is definitely more interesting than the plain version. The nearly six-pound dessert cost $22.99.
The look: The top of this cheesecake is coated in red goo and whole cherries and overall looks red and luscious. The white piping of icing around the circumference makes it look a little fancy—you'd be the star of the evening showing up with this dessert to a friend's house.
The taste: Biting in, this dessert had that classic, dense, cheesecake taste. Costco understood the assignment. The cherries were sweet and delicious, and the extra icing gave it an even sweeter kick. I took points off for the crust, though. I expect cheesecake to have that classic, crumbly graham cracker crust – this one was bland and soggy and definitely not crumbly. If you ate around it, there's still a lot to enjoy here.
Kirkland Signature Tuxedo Chocolate Mousse Cake
Calories: 370
Fat: 32 g (Saturated Fat: 11 g)
Sodium: 240 mg
Carbs: 37 g (Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 24 g)
Protein: 4 g
This classic Costco dessert, made with chocolate cake, white chocolate mousse, chocolate mousse, brownie chunks, chocolate ganache, and chocolate decorations, is available year-round, but usually appears with seasonal adornments such as festive mistletoe for the holidays. The cake cost me $17.99.
The Look: This big bar of chocolate cake gives you a preview of all its yummy, chocolaty layers, each one distinct from the next. It really makes you want to bite in, and the festive mistletoe decoration on top makes it even more appealing than the plain version.
The Taste: This is one dense, chocolaty cake that's not for the faint of heart! Its many layers give you a medley of tastes and textures, which is why it's great. It is really heavy and a bite or two may be all you need to feel satisfied. Word to the wise: when serving to guests, give small slices!
White Mini Cakes with White Buttercream Icing
These mini cakes come in vanilla and chocolate varieties and are adorned with Christmas decorations that make them oh-so festive. A pack of six cost me $8.99.
The look: The first thing I noticed about these "mini" cakes is that they are huge! Each one comes in its own paper wrapper, which makes it seem like a giant cupcakes you'd eat with a fork. The swirl of white icing looked delectable, and the mistletoe decoration was almost too cute to eat. Almost!
The taste: These tasted like birthday cake in the very best way. The vanilla cake was super moist, and the icing was sweet, but not cloying so. The mistletoe decoration is a nice touch and adds a little kick of flavor. These mini cakes would be a hit at any holiday party with kids and adults alike.
If you're shopping at Costco for the holidays, just look for the mistletoe decorations—those are your best bets!
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