The Best Bread In The Costco Bakery Hands Down

Costco's bakery can be an underrated element of the mainly volume-oriented warehouse chain. This well-equipped department churns out a variety of cakes, pies, pastries, cookies, rolls, and, of course, bread. Among the over half-dozen bread options, one yeasty delight rises above the crowd. It's the cranberry walnut loaf, which beat out competitors for the top spot in our ranking of the best breads at the Costco bakery.

Described as "by far the most flavorful" of the seven breads our reviewer tested, the cranberry walnut loaf is crafted from a sweetened sourdough rye base and studded with cranberry and walnut pieces throughout, contributing both texture and flavor. The review also praised its "sturdy dough with a lightly crisped shell." This fruit-forward bread also compared favorably to other Costco options due to the blander flavors the competition offered.

This bread leans toward the sweet side, which brought the idea of dessert sandwiches to our reviewer's mind — his suggestions of an almond butter and banana combo or cream cheese mixed with Nutella both sound delicious. Still, the loaf could also work well as a contrast to mild-flavored or savory fillings, like the ones used to make Al Roker's Thanksgiving leftover sandwich.

While ranking Costco's breads, our reviewer even praised the cranberry walnut loaf's appearance as "a picturesque addition to a brunch table or party spread," thanks to the slightly domed, circular shape and attractive rustic cracking. This shape is also responsible for the one note of caution about the loaf, as the central slices can be far larger than the slices near each end.

If you've begun to imagine Costco bakery employees lovingly mixing, kneading, and proofing the dough for your favorite cranberry walnut loaf, the reality may be a bit more complicated. Costco's bakery operates in a hybrid fashion, with some items brought in raw and frozen, some par-baked, and some made from scratch onsite. Accounts from current and former employees differ on whether the cranberry walnut loaf is made from scratch in-house or arrives frozen and par-baked, then gets finished in the store's ovens.

So, whether you're a new Costco member (or longtime cardholder still mourning one of the Costco bakery items that sadly disappeared), the top choice for those looking to try the best breads in the club's bakery is clear. Grab a flavorful, versatile, attractive cranberry walnut loaf and see why other shoppers can't stop talking about them.