Costco Frozen Desserts Ranked Worst To Best
Some may think of frozen desserts as a summertime treat, but we all know that the craving for a sweet, cold dessert can hit any time of year. There is, though, a wide range of frozen desserts that encompass everything from frozen pastry to ice cream to cheesecake, and Costco has them all. Costco is known for offering large quantities of products at low prices. This is great for many things, but it means it can be hard to determine if it is worth it or not to try a new product. Who wants to be saddled with a boatload of frozen food they don't want to eat?
Obviously, sampling the products is the best way to figure out if a dessert is worth trying, but unless Costco happens to be sampling that product, you are out of luck. That is why we have compiled a list of Costco's frozen desserts and ranked them. We went through countless reviews and information on each product to determine which products are worthy of freezer space, and which are best left at the store.
12. Delizza frozen cream puffs
We just have to accept it; frozen choux pastries are just not that great. Choux dough, which is the base dough for cream puffs, should offer a crispy outside that contrasts beautifully with a soft-filled inside, but when frozen, that is not what you get. The Delizza frozen cream puffs are no exception to this. Sure, they are fine. Reviewers on Reddit give them a 7 out of 10, but that came with some caveats. "I liked these when I tried them on sale," said one fan. "Tasty either when lightly thawed while still cold inside or after being slightly heated up." It seems like a bit of a red flag to us, however, when food isn't at its best when prepared correctly.
Now, there are some redeeming qualities, such as the cream puffs being made with cane sugar, as opposed to corn syrup, but that is really not enough to save these; especially when you consider the dubious history. Back in 2021, Delizza issued a voluntary recall, citing a risk of pieces of metal in the cream puffs. Recalls happen, but they also have a tendency to leave a bad taste in consumers' mouths. That, combined with the frozen cream puffs being just okay, leads us to pass on these.
11. Nestlé variety pack
One of the great things about Costco is that in addition to its exceptional Kirkland Signature brand, the super store also offers large quantities of well-known name brands, often at much lower prices than what is available in stores. One such offering is a 40-count variety pack of Nestlé frozen desserts, which contains vanilla sandwiches, drumsticks, and cookie-dipped bars.
We found a few issues with this product. The first is that none of the three items included are technically ice cream. They are "frozen dairy desserts," meaning they do not fit the legal definition of ice cream. And frankly, people just do not find them to be all that great. In addition, there have been numerous complaints about quality control regarding packing. Some online customers on complained about not being able to get the wrappers off, and a commenter on Reddit was missing the packs of ice cream sandwiches altogether. If roughly one-third of the product is poor quality or just not there entirely, the variety pack is no longer a good deal. Additionally, some other customers on Reddit have complained the Costco variety pack packaging specifically is lackluster, as the large box contains smaller packs that sometimes do not contain labels.
10. Healthy Choice organic fudge bars
We appreciate foods that try to offer a healthier option — especially when it comes to dessert. For the Healthy Choice organic fudge bars, that meant offering 110 calories per bar, with 12 grams of sugar, and actually offering some protein and calcium. Not bad, especially when you look at the ingredients, which are pretty much all pronounceable. We love that Healthy Choice offers a cocoa-based fudge bar, but the execution leaves something to be desired.
The problem isn't the bar itself, which reviewers generally seem to like. The fudge bar part is described on Reddit as similar to chocolate soft serve, which sounds pretty good. It's just too bad that they come with an icy layer coating them. Multiple posts on Reddit have noted this icy layer. While some enjoy it, others have come up with creative ways to get rid of it, such as running the bar under warm water. Some commenters even mentioned the ice makes them physically difficult to eat. If you have to do extra preparation just to eat a fudge bar, then there is a problem with this type of product.
9. JonnyPops
Not to leave dairy-free fans out, Costco offers JonnyPops organic watermelon popsicles. The popsicles are vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, kosher, nut-free, and sweetened with cane sugar. Basically, they have most of the major allergens and sensitivities covered. JonnyPops also clearly put thought into this product. The popsicles themselves have three layers of colors, green, white, and red, which resembles the pattern of a watermelon. We appreciate the attention to detail. However, the internet is divided on the taste of these pops. TikTok account Costcobffs mentioned that they were overly sweet, a sentiment supported by a Reddit reviewer who said that the watermelon flavor felt like an afterthought to the sugar. Others agreed, noting the "watered down" taste.
Some others on Reddit, though, disagreed, finding them to be delicious. One user commented, that while the pops were incredibly sweet, they were still "very tasty." In response, though, someone pointed out you could just eat some watermelon, which would fix the issue. Which, we have to agree, does seem simpler than trying to fix an over-sugared popsicle. Plus, with the sheer number of ways to enjoy watermelon, why not opt for the real deal instead?
8. Kirkland Signature ice cream bars
We love Kirkland Signature's incredibly vast offering of products. Costco has built a reputation for its store brand of both quality and affordability, arguably above that of a typical generic brand. That being said, the Kirkland Signature chocolate almond-dipped ice cream bars, while fine, just do not hold a candle to the name brand. In a way, though, Kirkland brought this on itself because the main comparison for the Kirkland bars are Häagen-Dazs ice cream bars, and reviewers were nearly unanimous in their vote on which is better.
In the Costco subreddit, most reviewers agreed that the Häagen-Dazs won. That is not to say the Kirkland signature ice cream bars are bad — far from it. Many customers enjoyed the Kirkland Signature bars, but just did not find the quality up to par. One reviewer expressed that the vanilla ice cream was less flavorful, and the chocolate was thick and extra sweet. Another commented that they do not live up to the high bar that Kirkland typically sets with its products. Still more said the Kirkland treats are perfectly fine in a pinch when you need a freezer treat.
7. Trü Frü
Sometimes simple is best when it comes to dessert — chocolate and strawberries are a match made in heaven. However, chocolate-covered strawberries do not last very long, which makes them a rare treat. That is, until now. Trü Frü makes frozen chocolate-covered strawberries which are coated in both a layer of white chocolate and milk chocolate. You might be worried that eating frozen chocolate-covered strawberries will be difficult or unpleasant, but that is actually far from the truth. After letting the strawberries sit for the recommended 15 minutes, the blogger found they were easy and enjoyable to eat. That being said, the combination of white and milk chocolate can be overly sweet. This was backed up by some commenters on Reddit, as well.
Still, many people enjoy Trü Frü, with some commenting it is hard to stop at just one serving. Each pack contains 20 ounces of strawberries, which is roughly 20 servings, so in typical Costco fashion, the bag is generous. For comparison, at Target, the bags are a mere 8 ounces. For those who want to enjoy chocolate-covered strawberries regularly, these are a great option.
6. My/Mochi
Mochi ice cream is a delicious hand-held treat consisting of a sticky rice dough outside and a creamy inside. It has grown in popularity here in the United States over the past few years, and we were thrilled when it first started to hit the shelves at Costco. Costco offers My/Mochi in an 18-piece set which comes in a rotating selection. Each box contains six pieces in three flavors. Overall, My/Mochi does a serviceable job with the Costco box. Customers seem to enjoy the flavors, and found the strawberry ice cream, in particular, to be noteworthy. Other users agreed with the strawberry being the best, but noted they did not enjoy the mochi portion of them.
For those that do like mochi, though, the verdict is in. Redditors love My/Mochi, and the only complaint with the Costco assortment is that more flavors weren't offered. Once again, we see love for the strawberry, but considering My/Mochi makes a large selection of flavors, it is sad to see that Costco only carries three at any given time, and you never know what it will have. Additionally, if you do not enjoy one of the flavors, the value of the pack diminishes.
5. Island Way Sorbet
There is just something festive about sorbet served in the shell of a fruit. Not only is it festive and instantly gives us vacation vibes, but it provides an environmentally friendly alternative to plastic cups. Island Way sorbet is both convenient and festive. Each box contains 12 sorbets in four flavors: heavenly coconut, red berry, ruby grapefruit, passionate mango, and zesty pomegranate. Each of these is served in the shell of a fruit or coconut.
You may think the fruit shell is just a gimmick, but rest assured, the sorbet is legitimately delicious. Online reviewers have described it as the best-tasting sorbet it has. You can tell the quality because everybody has a different favorite flavor. Some on Reddit preferred the coconut, while Everyday Fun Finds preferred the passionate mango and ruby berry. There is no loser in this mix pack. Plus, as one commenter on Reddit noted, the price at Costco is a fraction of what it sells for individually. Overall, these are a tasty and easy treat.
4. The Cheesecake Factory assortment
Costco is known for a good deal, and we have to say, the mega chain definitely delivered on this one. The Cheesecake Factory assortment contains 12 slices of cheesecake, four each. Now the assortment does change. Online it includes white chocolate raspberry truffle, vanilla bean, dulce de leche, and double chocolate cheesecake, which features Godiva chocolate. In stores, people have found key lime, white chocolate raspberry truffle, banana cream, and strawberry-topped originals. When Costco enthusiast Costcoaisles found it, the price for all 12 pieces was $22.49. This makes the cost per slice less than two dollars, far lower than the over $10 per slice The Cheesecake Factory charges at its restaurants.
Let's also remember that all Cheesecake Factory cheesecake is reportedly made at a central location and shipped frozen to stores. Now that being said, some reviewers on Reddit noted that those bought at The Cheesecake Factory were noticeably lighter. Additionally, as with any assortment, you run the risk of having at least one flavor you do not enjoy. But for the price, we wouldn't even be mad about giving away a few slices.
3. Kirkland Signature super premium vanilla ice cream
Premium ice cream is a designation of ice cream that denotes a higher fat content and typically higher quality than standard ice cream. It is not surprising to us that Costco chose to go with a premium vanilla ice cream instead of a regular one or even just a "frozen dessert." Costco loves to offer high-quality products at a reasonable price. Kirkland Signature super premium vanilla ice cream is reportedly made by Humboldt Creamery, and comes in two half-gallon packs of vanilla, for a total of one gallon. The ingredients are fairly simple: fresh cream, skim milk, sugar, egg yolks, vanilla extract, carob bean gum, and guar gum.
For the most part, people really enjoy the signature ice cream, and even those who aren't typically fans of vanilla have noted the high quality of Kirkland Signature's vanilla offering. Many Redditors agree that the Kirkland Signature ice cream really is delicious, with multiple posts raving about the quality. That being said, some noted that even at Costco prices, this ice cream is more expensive than brands such as Turkey Hill. The difference, though, is that Kirkland Signature is a premium ice cream. Still, not everyone is impressed; some Redditors are annoyed that there are thickeners such as guar gum and carob bean gum in the mix, which they argue turns the quality from creamy to downright gummy, which keeps it from ranking higher on this list.
2. Imei brown sugar boba milk bar
Boba is having a moment, and we are very here for it. We are not going to lie, though, we were a smidge hesitant about the brown sugar boba milk bars because we were not sure how the boba would freeze, but reviews have pushed all reservations aside. Redditors loved that the boba remained chewy despite being frozen and raved about the flavor. "If you're really into brown sugar milk tea it's highly recommended," said one fan.Each box comes with 12 bars of brown sugar milk tea and boba goodness.
Let's be very clear on one thing, though. These are not ice cream bars. They are not pretending to be ice cream bars. They are very clearly ice milk bars, which resemble milk tea more closely than ice cream. The only complaint we have found on Reddit for these bars is from people who went in expecting an ice cream bar and who didn't like boba. Why should you buy them? If you enjoy boba and milk tea, however, you will not be disappointed by these bars.
1. Häagen-Dazs vanilla milk chocolate almond ice cream bars
You knew we had to come back to them after discussing the Kirkland Signature ice cream bars. While sometimes the knockoff is just as good as the original, in this case, it is name-brand all the way. The Häagen-Dazs vanilla milk chocolate almond ice cream bars are a thing of beauty. They are not just the best ice cream bar at Costco. They are the best frozen dessert, period.
First, looking at the ingredients— the ice cream bar contains the same five-ingredient quality ice cream we know and love from Häagen-Dazs. There are no fillers or thickeners: just quality, delicious ice cream. We may love the Kirkland Signature premium ice cream, but this is better.
Next, they are coated in a milk chocolate that, as users on Reddit pointed out, is not overly sweet and not too thick. All this makes for a delicious ice cream bar that is worth the splurge. Redditors who profess to be cheap even recommend splurging the extra money for the Häagen-Dazs bars, which come in a pack of 15. For context, a regular pack from Target is three bars. These bars are the best of both frozen desserts and the perfect showcase of what makes Costco great. They are high quality, come in large quantities, and save consumers ample money over other stores. There is no downside to picking these bars for your next dessert.