9 Kroger Bakery Items Worth Buying And 3 To Avoid

If you've ever been in a Kroger grocery store bakery, you know how extensive the chain's collection of breads and baked goods is. Even in the more compact floor plans, the company manages to stuff its displays to the gills with a variety of products that make it feel like a neighborhood bakery more than a corporate grocery department. With plenty of store-brand offerings and a handful of national brands like Cheesecake Factory and La Brea at the ready, Kroger and its various banners also save space for local favorites like the Chompie's breads and bagels at the Kroger-owned Fry's store in my neighborhood. 

There's enough variety to overwhelm an ill-prepared shopper, so guidance is crucial to get your money's worth when shopping at a Kroger bakery. To get a solid idea of the "yays" and "nays" scattered among the general stock, I grabbed a well-considered collection of the outlet's most enticing and serviceable selections for a semi-definitive taste test. All prices shown are specific to Peoria, Arizona, and may vary between regions and the other popular grocery chains Kroger owns. If you've ever wondered how a chain like this stacks up when it comes to loaves, rolls, sweets, and treats, this guide to several of the best buys and surest skip-overs will help light your way.

A single slice of Kroger bakery four-layer fudge cake is a treat you can make last through the week if you can hold back. This is one of those rich affairs where the cake is almost as moist as the frosting. And since there are equal layers of each, the total count of sugary strata is a clean eight segments. A single slice is even enough to share with someone you deem special enough, but there's no requirement. Imagine what a whole cake could cover, and all without having to break out your own classic chocolate cake recipe and getting your kitchen dirty. 

It may be obvious now that the Kroger four-layer fudge cake is a worthy purchase as a single slice or a whole sponge. I stashed mine in the fridge to keep it fresh for the tasting, but that's where it ends up gaining added texture and richness, too. For a single slice around $4 or a whole 16-serving cake for $25 or so, Kroger makes sure this sweet stack-up is worthy of your attention as well as your money.

Usually you can't go wrong with a bakery-level cheesecake, and Kroger's Private Selection brand makes sure all the flavor bases are covered in the refrigerator case. There are also various sizes ranging from slice samplers to full cheesecakes, so no matter what the occasion calls for, there's a cheesecake that works. They're much more budget-friendly than the best Cheesecake Factory flavors, and they're practically as lush.

I've had these silky-sweet slices many times, so I knew what I was in for. Still, it's important to test one of the richer selections in the collection to make sure it's worth buying. I opted for a two-slice sampler for $3.99 that paired a wedge of classic cheesecake with a wedge of chocolate marble swirl. I'm pleased to report it was as enjoyable as ever; texture and flavor are of equally high quality, and the serving size is dialed into the Goldilocks zone of "just right." The chocolate marble was a deluxe morsel, with plenty of creamy chocolate decorating the plain cheesecake filling surrounding it.

There are larger samplers with a wider variety of flavors that let you share the whole cheesecake spectrum with whomever you like. At about the $8 mark for an eight-slice arrangement, you get plenty of high-quality, bakery-level cheesecake to give the whole room a taste of heaven.

There was a time when I could grab a French bread loaf at my Fry's for $1 or so and feast on it for a week or more. It was just crusty enough to assert itself while offering a tender, chewy interior, like a proper French bread ought to. It's been a while since I gave it a try, and I'm kind of gobsmacked to find that not only has the price risen to $2.49, but the texture seems different from what it used to be, too. It's far tougher than French bread should be, which could be an artifact of the batch I happened to get. But if I'm going to spend this much on bread, it should be dependable every time.

Another drawback here is that the loaf seemed to dry out very quickly, becoming unchewable in just a day. I'm a fan of crusty bread, but it should at least stay fresh for a little while, especially at that price. The upside is that there seem to be few preservatives used in the recipe. The downside is ... well, everything else. Save your money or buy cheaper bagged bread instead.

The lemon pudding cake slice looks to be smothered in tangy glaze, just the way this zesty morsel should be. It also looks as moist as a fresh-baked cake, which may be due in part to the seal created by the glaze. All together, the impression through the plastic clamshell is one of mouthwatering goodness, with a $2.50 price tag that puts sensible enjoyment within reach. But it's only a bargain if you can count on the affordable baked treat beneath the label being a peak experience, a tall order to fill for many grocery store bakeries.

Fortunately, Kroger knows its way around a cake like this, and the tasting experience followed through on the appearance's promise. This cake is moist to a fault, with a delicate crunch to the glaze that makes a perfect contrasting texture. But the taste is the real knockout punch here, delivering so much lemony magic you'd swear you were in the South slicing into something homemade by someone's grandmother. The short story here: If you're a Kroger shopper, get in on this.

There's nothing better in the bakery world than a proper soft-batch pumpkin cookie studded with semi-sweet chocolate chips. The way Kroger conquers this seasonal creation, you might think it's the house specialty — and it's hard to deny that these cookies are exactly that. These rounded, muffin top-like bakes are nothing short of supreme; they're soft and moist, overloaded with pumpkin flavor and just the right number of chocolate chips to keep the surprises coming.

A 10-pack will set you back $6.49 if you shop in my area, which breaks down to 65 cents per cookie. Consider the cost of a single cookie from Crumbl's most popular selection ($4.99 in the closest location to me), and you suddenly see how sweet the math is here. You can have oversized cookies for days at a fraction of the cost, and you're likely to love them even more. And if pumpkin isn't your thing, Kroger offers apple cinnamon and chocolate-chocolate chip among other flavors. I've had them all at some point, and they're all fantastic for the price.

There's nothing noteworthy in Kroger's mini chocolate cupcake collection to endorse the purchase. The sponge may be soft and the frosting creamy, but all in all it's just a box of standard-issue chocolate cake nuggets with too much frosting on top. The sweetness is overkill and drowns out the cocoa-based goodness that should be bountiful, considering both cake and frosting are chocolate-flavored. You know something's gone off the tracks when the fudgy goodness gets lost in a chocolate double-up.

I got plenty for the $5.99 I paid, a full 24-count, which would be amazing if I liked the way they tasted. Maybe the vanilla option would have been a better choice, considering the more subdued expectations of a subtle flavor like that. As for the chocolate mini cupcakes, they're a bakery mistake I won't make a second time. And now that you know, you can avoid making it the first time.

There are nothing but winners in Kroger bakery's mini muffin multi-pack, a collection of cute cake-like treats that have no business being as tasty as they are. Somehow, the company has mastered the art of the muffin, sharing a sweet selection that doesn't overpower you like the mini cupcakes do. In this variety set, I found the blueberry to be subtle but tasty, while the chocolate chip to be a perfect two-bite treat that feels indulgent but not heavy. The lemon poppy seed is the sunshine star of the show, however, bursting with citrusy zing that outsizes its stature. Really, though, you can't go wrong no matter which you prefer.

The greater implication here: If the full-sized Kroger muffins in these flavors are anything close to the mini version, this bakery is muffin royalty. If not, you still get a dozen shrunken versions that won't do you wrong. At $5.99 or so near me for 12 petite muffins, that divides out to 50 cents per treat, a solid deal for sweet sensations that punch well above their weight.

I was ready to veto the four-pack of Kroger apple turnovers based largely on how dry they appeared through the plastic packaging. But boy, was I mistaken. One taste revealed the balanced consistency of the pastry, soft and flaky and not dry at all. The more I pulled at it, the more layers were revealed, a crucial aspect of a convincing pastry crust that Kroger seems to have well in hand. Just as importantly, the filling was apple-heavy without tasting artificial and didn't come across as too gluey, the downfall of many store-bought pastries that rely on more gel-like versions of fruit glazes. 

You get four generously-sized turnovers for around the $5.99 mark in my Phoenix suburb. These are another multi-serving bake you can extend by slicing them in half and stashing some in the freezer for future indulgence. Anyone hoping to nail down the best desserts to eat for breakfast will have no trouble adding these decadent wedges to their morning plans.

I'm a big fan of ciabatta rolls, mostly for their substantial consistency; they can hold up to spreads and condiments without getting too soggy, and they have a fun tooth to boot. But Kroger ciabatta rolls turned out to be bland and tough, which may seem like prerequisites for a bake as dense as this. I expect crusty and chewy from this kind of bread, which is an enjoyable — and palatable — blend. Instead, I got crumbly, tough, and difficult to choke down without a ton of schmear applied.

Kroger ciabatta rolls come four to a bag for $2.50 in my area, which may not seem like too much of a budget pinch. The fact that you'll end up with rolls that should be softer and more accommodating for your sandwich needs will make you wish you'd gone with an entirely different choice. If you're set on a hard roll of some sort, you can grab a bag of four bolillo rolls for $2, and you'll be happier and richer for the swap.

A buttery, flaky find that comes with four croissants in a box for $5, these French classics are given the royal treatment by Kroger and the elves who help out behind the bakery counter. They rival the quality of Costco's croissants, but with fewer to buy, you don't have to feel pressured to rush through the box or find space in the freezer for the extras. It strikes a sound balance between price and quantity while ensuring quality and enjoyment, making them an all-around find.

The varied uses for a croissant mean you can get a breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner roll all in a single purchase, ready to hold whatever you favor as toppings or fillings. If you're at a loss for the best ways to use your remaining rolls, try this crispy croissant hack that lets you switch up your breakfast toast deliciously and easily.

Football-shaped bolillo rolls from Kroger's bakery have been my go-to sandwich rolls for years. The golden finish and chewy texture make them a more interesting choice than a regular hoagie roll, no matter what sort of sandwich you turn them into. They even make fantastic mini garlic toast loaves for Italian dinners when sliced in half lengthwise. And at 50 cents a piece and sold piecemeal in my neighborhood, they're an affordable roll that always comes through. You can also find multiple-quantity bags among the packaged bread if your single-serve station is empty, or if your location doesn't have one at all.

The bolillos in my taste test were as delicious as ever. I tried one plain to see what the fundamental flavor and consistency were like; think of them as the less-flaky cousin of the croissant without all the buttery flavor. They're my favorite roll in the bakery, and they're always worth adding a dollar to my grocery bill. For the price and the quality, they're an excellent buy for switching up your usual hoagie or sub roll.

Blueberry scones from Kroger's Private Selection premium bakery line are a surprising success. They're much softer and tastier than they look, with plenty of blueberry flavor and a vanilla essence that mixes beautifully. They're supersized, too, slightly larger than what I'm used to for a scone, which means there's plenty to enjoy for the price. You may consider slicing them in halves or even thirds to make them go further if you serve them for a brunch or coffee get-together. I was impressed by the lack of crumble; there was no mess when I broke into one, a green flag that the texture would hold up when dipped in coffee. It handled the dunk like a champ.

You get four perfect scones for $6.99 at my Fry's in Peoria, Arizona, which may sound like a high price. But each scone comes out to about $1.75, which is not much more than the Kroger single-serve bakery donuts, and the quality of these bakes is much more appealing. You can also find blueberry lemon and vanilla bean flavors to make your pastry tray a full-blown tea party platter.

Being familiar with Kroger baked goods, I had some idea of what I thought would be worth including in this roundup. Some of these previous purchases were still of similar quality, though others like the French bread and mini chocolate cupcakes felt inferior to how I remembered them. I also thought it would be wise to try some new items to get a better sense of what I'd been missing and how it all measured up. I also aimed for an even mix of sweet and savory products to make sure several of each type were represented.

I gave every item a two-bite test, rating the ones that came through as freshest, most flavorful, and with the most pleasing texture as the ones to buy. Anything that seemed subpar for the type of baked goods it represented was deemed avoidable. I also factored price into both categories, since a great bake can sometimes justify a higher spend, while a disappointing one can be skippable even if it's a bargain.