I Taste-Tested And Ranked All Of Costco's Holiday Bakery Items, And The Winner Was SO Good
Costco tends to get all the attention for their year-round bulk essentials, but don’t sleep on Costco's bakery section — especially during the holidays.
Their oversized treats (read: 4- pound, 12-inch-wide pies) are perfect for big family gatherings — from Hanukkah to Christmas to New Year's — and there’s no shortage of festive options to choose from.
I recently taste-tested my way through Costco's holiday bakery items — by way of hosting some friends and family — and decided to rank and review each item. I'm a recipe developer and avid baker, but I'm not above scooping up store-bought baked goods, especially if they deliver on taste and value.
Before we get into the ranking, a few last things: I have noticed that every Costco location offers a slightly different assortment, so know that your local selection may not look the same as mine. (I was hoping for Nanaimo bars, pumpkin cheesecake, and apple strudel, but alas.)
Also, I only tasted items located in the bakery, but should you want some Italian panettone or a bag of Holiday Mingle Mix (Costco’s response to TJ’s Jingle Jangle, perhaps?), take a look in the surrounding aisles.
Last but not least, according to a bakery employee I spoke with, the seasonal items will be stocked right up until the stores close for Christmas — or until supplies last. So, without further ado, here’s my honest review, from “not impressed” to “I’m obsessed.”
9. Kirkland Signature Tiramisu Bar Cake
I love anything coffee-flavored, so I had high hopes for this tiramisu-flavored cake. It looks gorgeous, with its layers of coffee syrup-soaked ladyfingers and cream cheese mascarpone filling, and it slices like a dream. Plus, its resealable container makes leftovers easy to store.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t get past its artificial flavor, which overpowered the whole thing. I assume the coffee and rum flavors in the syrup are to blame. If you like the sugary seasonal syrups at Starbucks, this cake might be for you. But as a fan of black coffee, it didn't do it for me.
8. Kirkland Signature Pecan Pie
It’s not just its size that makes this pecan pie a showstopper. The top is super glossy, the crust is perfectly crimped, and the filling is impressively thick. But while the flavor was enjoyable, the center of the pie was a little too runny for my taste. Plus, the gooey consistency made it hard to cut clean slices.
Since I still have a few leftover slices, I’m planning on freezing them. And honestly, a frozen slice might just be the secret: more like a candy bar and less like goo.
7. Kirkland Signature Holiday Cookie Tray
This colorful assortment is far more interesting than most store-bought trays. Set it out at a party, share it with the office, or bring ‘em to a cookie swap if you don’t have time to bake. The price has gone up since last year ($13.99 instead of $9.99), but it’s still a good deal for 44 cookies.
Each box contains five varieties: a lemon shortbread topped with green sprinkles, a classic sugar cookie covered in red sprinkles (this one replaced the ginger molasses cookie from last year), a powdered sugar-coated cookie that looks like a snowball cookie but is actually a soft walnut brownie, a holiday candy cookie that tastes underbaked in a good way, and a chewy coconut almond chocolate cookie (my least favorite).
Overall, they were good but didn't wow me — but I like that there's a little something for everyone.
6. Costco Mini Red Velvet Cakes
First things first: Don't be fooled by the word "mini." Sure, these cakes are smaller than 9-inch rounds, but because of the way they’re frosted and decorated, they look more like ginormous cupcakes.
I think their fun presentation will make them a hit with any crowd. Plus, the cream cheese frosting isn’t too sweet, and the cake itself is soft and moist. But I found myself searching for more flavor with every bite, which is why they're not ranked higher.
5. Kirkland Signature Double Crust Apple Pie
This double crust pie tastes homemade in the best way possible. The apples are soft and syrupy and packed with warm cinnamon flavor — like fried or caramelized apples baked into a pie. Out of the three pies I tasted, this crust was also the crispiest, with an impressive golden brown color.
The filling is very sweet, making it hard to eat more than a few bites. Still, a small sliver will certainly hit the spot.
4. Kirkland Signature Pumpkin Pie
I've read the hype about this giant pumpkin pie, and now, I totally get it. It's the best store-bought pumpkin pie I've ever tasted! It's smooth and well-spiced and bursting with pumpkin flavor. It's also very custardy, yet I was still able to cut clean slices. If you’re headed to a party full of pumpkin pie fans, it's bound to be a win.
The best part? It costs just $5.99, which might be less than it would cost you to make your own normal-sized pie. It also has a much shorter ingredient list than most of the other bakery items.
3. Kirkland Signature Peppermint Bark
This bark was smack dab in the center of the bakery section, so I decided it was fair game for my taste test. I like that the shards come in all different sizes, and there's so much of it that you can gift some to friends and still have plenty for yourself.
While I prefer to eat it as-is, one TikTok user brews espresso over hers to make a homemade peppermint mocha. You could also use small pieces to garnish cupcakes or cheesecake.
2. Kirkland Signature Tuxedo Chocolate Mousse Cake
If you, like me, order the chocolate cake at Cheesecake Factory instead of a slice of cheesecake, you need this dessert in your life. Which is to say: This is for serious chocolate-lovers. It consists of two layers of moist chocolate cake with both milk chocolate and white chocolate mousse sandwiched in between. Did I mention the brownie pieces and thick chocolate ganache?
If you need a last-minute dessert to bring to a holiday gathering, this is my #1 pick without question.
1. Kirkland Signature Mini Cranberry Orange Bisconie
Amidst the oversized pies and Christmas-y cakes, I almost missed this treat entirely — but I'm really glad I didn’t. These bisconie are shockingly good: soft and not too sweet, with bright citrus flavor from the orange zest and a bit of crunch from the coating of turbinado sugar. Keep a box on the counter and enjoy them any time of day: for breakfast with coffee, in the afternoon with tea, or as a lighter option in a dessert spread.
Plus, I learned a new term! A bisconie, apparently, is part scone, part biscotti. But whereas both of those treats have the tendency to be dry, these bisconie are super soft, like a muffin top. If you can’t eat them all in a few days, I’m confident they’d freeze and reheat well.
