The Costco Bakery Items That Aren't Made Fresh

If you have ever been to a Costco, you know that the warehouse truly has everything. From play sets to TVs and $5 rotisserie chickens, there is something for everyone. Whether you are cruising the aisles for samples with the family or marathoning through the store to complete your bulk shopping excursion, the bakery is definitely a sweet place to stop (pun intended). Costco is also known for its delectable baked goods. Their delicious yet affordable sheet cakes are a slam dunk for birthday parties, and the pumpkin pie is a popular choice for those skipping baking for Thanksgiving. Though some people may have opinions on what they find to be the best (or worst) bakery items, you can't argue that Costco has a selection of some high quality items at affordable prices. 

You may be wondering how the grocer is able to execute such large quantities of baked goods daily. Part of the answer appears to be dividing and conquering what to bake from scratch in the store vs. preparing from different steps in the baking process. One baker on Reddit noted that "everything is baked 'fresh,' just from various starting state[s]." Former and current Costco bakers have weighed in online about how processes have changed over time to scale with growth while still trying to maintain quality, noting that most items are baked or prepared in some capacity in stores being packaged for customers. Read on to see what Costco bakery items aren't technically baked from scratch in-store.

Costco's Kirkland brand apple pie is one of the popular holiday pie picks. Customers love the balance of the tangy apples and sweet glaze, complete with a flaky crust. Though it is available around the holidays, you may be hard-pressed to find this pie in your local store year-round. While there is no doubt the apple pie is delicious, the full baking process reportedly doesn't occur right in your neighborhood warehouse. 

Bakery employees have said over the years that the apple pie comes to the store frozen and raw. The pie is then baked in store, with some finishing touches like sugar dusted on top or lattice work, depending on the pie style. This means the pie is fully cooked when you purchase it from the bakery, only requiring a quick stint in the oven if you prefer your pie warmed up. If you want only the pies baked from scratch right before they end up in your cart, there are plenty to choose from depending on the time of year for seasonal offerings. Bakers say the pumpkin pie, pecan, banana cream, peanut butter, lemon meringue, strawberry rhubarb, and peach pies are fully made in-store.

The origin of the bagels at Costco are a bit of a debate depending on your local warehouse. Bakery bagels used to be Einstein Bros. Bagels branded as Kirkland. Over time, it appears that many warehouses have shifted from Einstein Bros. Bagels to Kirkland brand, which has led customers to complain about the quality. There also appears to be a bit of a discrepancy about how the bagels are prepared in-store depending on the location. Bakers said that previously, bagels would be delivered to local warehouses frozen and parbaked, then proofed and baked in the morning. Another source said that the bagels are shaped utilizing frozen dough. One employee said that at their warehouse, the bagels are shipped to store already baked, but frozen, and then heated in the oven to warm up. If you are curious about your bagel preparation, it may be best to ask your local warehouse to get to the bottom of it.

While we're on the topic of freshness, the bagel longevity also seems to be a bit of an issue, as buyers have complained that the large packs of Costco bagels get moldy within a couple of days after purchasing. To remedy that issue, customers have found that slicing and freezing the bagels, then defrosting one at a time when you are ready to eat is a way to battle that freshness issue.

Another delicious Costco bakery bread offering is their buttery croissants. Perfect for sandwiches or a breakfast treat, the croissants come in packs of 12 and are labeled as "baked fresh daily." That is true, but that doesn't mean that the croissants are made from scratch in each warehouse and then baked. Instead, the dough for the croissants comes in frozen and is proofed overnight before baking locally, according to bakers. With the lengthy time it takes to bake croissants from scratch, it makes sense that stores would get their croissant dough pre-chilled to get croissants on the bakery displays more efficiently. 

Shoppers have also raved about their Costco warehouses carrying an almond croissant akin to the almond Danish. Though the baking method hasn't been specified, one could go as far to say the preparation is similar to the plain croissants. No matter what the baking technique is, many can agree that the croissants are a delightful treat for a great price. Your big issue may be trying to eat them before they go stale. Some customers swear by freezing the croissants, but just be sure to skip microwaving and instead slowly warm them in the oven or utilize the air fryer to keep the texture.

The Kirkland Signature Tuxedo Chocolate Mousse Cake has a huge following and is highly sought after — especially when warehouses mark it on sale. This decadent dessert is a layered masterpiece of chocolate cake, white chocolate mousse and chocolate mousse, as well as chunks of brownie and chocolate ganache. What more could you want out of a cake? 

While many of the bakery items on this list have been baked in some shape or form in local Costco warehouses, the tuxedo cake is one that doesn't get much in-store bakery preparation. Bakers say the tuxedo cake arrives to their store frozen, is thawed, and then is cut to the bar sizes that we see packaged in the coolers. The cake being served chilled allows it to be shipped directly to the store without sacrificing quality, while also saving store bakers from having to assemble and chill before selling. Sometimes the "made-from-scratch" factor isn't important when it comes to the finished product.

If cooler-friendly chocolate cakes are your favorite, you likely have tried the Kirkland Signature Tiramisu Bar Cake. If you haven't seen this 2.5 pound dessert in the refrigerated bakery section, you are missing out. This bar cake usually runs around $15.99, making it a steal for a large amount. It also allows you to avoid the preparation of layering the ladyfingers hand-dipped in espresso. Being that it is a bar cake, Costco bakers say the same method is utilized as the Tuxedo Chocolate Mousse Cake. The tiramisu arrives at the warehouse frozen, then is thawed and cut to the bar-size cakes we see packaged in store. 

There may be some decorations added before packaging, but otherwise, local warehouses appear to be largely hands-off on preparing the Tiramisu Bar Cake. Regardless, Costco customers typically don't seem to mind the "not-being-made-from-scratch" component. Some do comment that while the cake is good, it may not be as coffee-flavored as versions at other bakeries.

This newer cake popping up in Costcos around the holiday season had many bakery enthusiasts talking. The Kirkland White Chocolate Raspberry Round Cake is a nine-inch vanilla cake that is layered with raspberry jam, mascarpone mousse, and topped with white chocolate ganache decorated with swirled raspberry. The hefty 4-pound cake also has a heftier price point (over $20) compared to some of its other dessert offerings like the chocolate round cakes for $16. It is unclear if this specialty cake will remain widely available, but it had both sides of the spectrum with big cake fans and some critics who weren't as impressed. 

But is this cake baked fresh in-store? Costco bakers say the White Chocolate Raspberry Cake falls into the same category as some of the other chilled bar cakes. The cake arrives frozen, is thawed, and decorated before being put out for purchase. With the beautiful red and white marbling designs, it definitely is eye-appealing and we applaud whoever is doing the decorating at the warehouse!

The bakery section at Costco is full of cookie selections. Different sizes and flavors like chocolate chunk, white chocolate macadamia nut, and oatmeal raisin are available in larger packages of 24, multi-packs, or mini. While these cookies certainly taste as if they are made from scratch, Costco bakers revealed that the raw dough is sent to the store frozen. Bakers at the local warehouses then form into cookies and bake them fresh in the oven before packaging for the masses. Whatever stage the cookies arrive at your local warehouse in, they typically are a crowd-pleaser. So much so that you can find many Costco cookie copycat recipes trying to replicate the sweet, perfectly chewy texture. 

Stores in Canada also allegedly have the frozen cookie dough for sale. And if you are a stickler for cookies that taste like they came right out of the oven, check out your Costco's food court. Some locations offer a chocolate chunk cookie served warm right out of the oven that is to-die-for, replacing its longstanding churro dessert option.

There is an impressive selection of breads in the bakery section. With a selection that big, it's not a huge surprise that each type of bread is not made from scratch at your local warehouse. Instead, bakers utilize the par-baking technique, popular in many restaurants, where breads are partially baked before being flash-frozen. The frozen bread is then transported to local warehouses to finish the baking process. Bakers report the baguettes and rustic Italian bread, artisan rolls, multigrain bread, cranberry walnut bread, and rosemary Parmesan breads, are parbaked and arrive frozen. So, technically the breads are all baked "fresh" in the store, hence why you may smell the aroma wafting around the bakery. 

The local warehouse bakers at one point had a hand in making the actual bread dough, but have since stopped the full process of proofing, shaping and baking the bread due to inconsistency from store to store. If made-from-scratch bread is a big priority for you, dinner rolls are made in-house, according to bakers, as well as the loaf breads like banana nut and blueberry lemon.

Among the breakfast offerings at the Costco bakery are an assortment of danishes. The exact flavors seem to cycle throughout the year, but almond and cherry danishes seem to be a favorite for members. The delicious danishes are technically baked from raw dough, which is proofed overnight, according to bakers. The filling for the danishes are also prepared in local stores, which may include cheese for cream cheese danishes, as well as fruit mixtures. So it seems the danish on warehouse shelves is a bit of a team effort between the larger Costco supply bakeries and local warehouse baking teams.

Costco allows you to mix and match two flavors of the Kirkland Signature danishes, which usually come in packs of four. However, if you aren't able to eat them all in one sitting, you can individually freeze the danishes and reheat them in the oven to get that crisp texture back into the pastry. Some swear that they enjoy the danishes even more after freezing and reheating, but we'll let you be the judge of that.

One of the newer offerings in the Costco bakery that has members buzzing is the Kirkland Signature brand Onion and Cheese Pinwheels. These pastries started rolling out to warehouses earlier in 2025, so you may not have seen them on your previous Costco trip. If you are one of the lucky warehouses that has the Onion and Cheese Pinwheels, you will want to check the refrigerated compartment of the bakery for the six-pack. These pastries have the buttery, flaky croissant-like dough but are packed with flavor thanks to a caramelized onion and cheese filling, and a sprinkle of everything seasoning on top.

Similar to some of the other pastries in the bakery, bakers say the onion cheese pinwheels are sent over frozen, but raw. The pinwheels are then baked in-store before being packaged and stored in the cooler section. That means you will want to keep these pastries refrigerated at home, too, but don't hesitate to warm them up in the oven or even an air fryer to enjoy the buttery, flaky texture recreated as if they were just baked. If you feel inclined to try to re-create these savory pastries at home, there are copycat recipes floating around social media that may be worth trying.