We Crunched the Numbers on Every Costco Bakery Item — Here's What's Worth It

Costco's bakery has a huge following, with items like their Kirkland Signature chocolate chunk cookies and massive 4-pound pies regularly showing up all over TikTok and Instagram. While most shoppers have their go-to favorites, we wanted to figure out which items at the Costco Bakery actually give you the most for your money.

In this guide, we've done the math on all of Costco's bakery items to help you squeeze the most value out of your Costco membership. Whether you're picking up dessert for the family or hosting a party, we'll show you which treats are worth the spend compared to other stores — and which ones you might want to leave on the shelf (like Costco cupcakes, surprisingly).

We have even more Costco price comparisons in our guides to the Costco Food Court and Costco Catering, if you're interested.

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Our Methodology: How We Determined Value

To create this guide, we visited several Costco locations to check current prices and see what was available seasonally versus year-round. For each bakery item we investigated, we calculated the price per serving by looking at the price, number of servings, and the total package size.

We also took these value-boosting factors into consideration:

• How the quality compares to similar items at other stores

• Whether you can freeze it for later

• If the bakery item can be repurposed in different ways

• Whether it's something special you can't easily find elsewhere

This process helped us identify the Costco Bakery items that aren't just cheap, but are truly worth buying.

Costco Bakery Cheat Sheet: Cheapest Items per Serving

Based on the cost per serving, here are some of the cheapest, most popular items at the Costco Bakery and how they stack up:

*Prices quoted are from a Costco in Central Florida, but these may vary depending on your location.

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Top 5 Highest-Value Costco Bakery Items (Ranked by Price per Serving)

1. Butter Croissants, $0.50 per serving

Regular Price: $5.99 for 12

Price per Serving: $0.50 per croissant

Serving Size: Each croissant weighs 2.3 ounces, about 40% larger than typical grocery store croissants.

Costco's buttery croissants are our top value pick due to their versatility — they're fully freezable, and you can use them for breakfast sandwiches, eat them with soup, or turn them into bread pudding.

At $0.50 each, Costco's croissants are an impressive 87% cheaper than Starbucks' croissants ($3.95 each) and 40% cheaper than Walmart bakery croissants ($0.83 each).

To store Costco croissants in the freezer, just wrap them individually in plastic wrap, then reheat in a 350°F oven for 3 - 4 minutes when you're ready to eat.

2. Half-Sheet Cake, $0.56 per serving

Regular Price: $26.99

Price per Serving: $0.56 per slice

Serving Size: 48 slices

When we did our deep-dive into Costco sheet cakes, we discovered that Costco's cakes are up to 52% cheaper than other stores, saving you at least $20 per custom cake. And Costco's half-sheet cake includes two layers of cake, versus the single-layer Sam's Club cakes that go for a cheaper price.

Our team took a cake home to weigh it and found out it's 9.5 pounds — two of those pounds being just the cheesecake mousse filling. If you have leftovers, this cake freezes well for up 3 - 4 months, which is a major boost to its value.

KCL TIP: You'll need to place your Costco cake order at least 24 hours in advance, and there's currently no option for ordering Costco cakes online.

3. Bagels, $0.67 per serving

Regular Price: $7.99 for 12

Price per Serving: $0.67 per bagel

Serving Size: Each bagel weighs 4 ounces, about 33% larger than Walmart’s Bettergoods bagels.

Sold as two 6-packs for $7.99, Costco's water-boiled bagels come out to a price of $0.67 each. That's 67% cheaper than bagels at Dunkin' Donuts ($2.09 each), 77% cheaper than Starbucks ($2.95 each), and about 1% cheaper than Walmart's Bettergoods bagels.

With the Costco deal, you can choose any two 6-packs, which lets you mix and match two different flavors (plain, everything, or sesame).

Costco's bagels freeze really well, which is important since they don't contain preservatives (and will likely start to mold after about a week). Just slice them before freezing, then toast directly from frozen when ready to eat.

KCL TIP: A few times a year — like in December and April — Costco releases seasonal bagel flavors like French Toast for the same price (two 6-packs for $7.99).

4. Muffins, $0.87 per serving

Regular Price: $6.99 for eight 3.75-ounce muffins

Price per Serving: $0.87 per muffin

Serving Size: At nearly 4 ounces each, these muffins are more like two regular-sized muffins.

Costco's muffins are a better deal than Walmart, where a 4-pack of 3.5-ounce muffins costs $3.98 (about $1 per muffin). And they're 64% cheaper than muffins at Dunkin' ($2.39 each) and 77% cheaper than Starbucks ($3.75).

At Costco, you can choose from year-round flavors like blueberries and cream, lemon raspberry, and corn. We've also spotted cinnamon chip and butter pecan at some locations.

If you can't eat the whole package within a few days, just wrap them individually and store them in the freezer for up to three months.

5: Cheesecake, $1.25 per serving

Regular Price: $19.99 for a 4.5 lb cheesecake

Price per Serving: $1.25 per slice

Serving Size: Each slice (1/16 of the cake) is 4.5 ounces, which is about 30% bigger than slices from Walmart or The Cheesecake Factory.

While Costco's cheesecake has a higher cost per serving than our other top picks, consider that you'd pay up to $10.95 per slice for similar quality desserts from The Cheesecake Factory or a specialty bakery. And Costco's version is 13% cheaper than Walmart's fresh cheesecake if you consider the price per ounce.

You can freeze your Costco cheesecake for up to two months without losing much quality. For best results, slice it before freezing and thaw individual pieces in the fridge for 3 - 4 hours before serving.

KCL TIP: Costco has New York Style cheesecake available year-round, but look for seasonal flavors like Strawberry Streudel, Tiramisu Cold Brew, and a Cherry-Topped version a few times a year.

Seasonal Costco Bakery Fan Favorites

While not available year-round, these seasonal items offer great value when they do pop up in Costco stores.

Holiday Cookie Tray, $0.42 per serving

In early December, look for red Holiday Cookie Trays that include 60 cookies for $24.99. At $0.42 per cookie, they're the same price as other Costco cookies, but these limited-edition trays include five seasonal flavors: M&M's, macadamia nuts with cashews, chocolate chunk, holiday sprinkles, and powdered chocolate.

Pumpkin Pie, $0.50 per serving

Typically available from mid-August through December, Costco's fresh-baked pumpkin pie weighs just over 3.5 pounds, with a price tag of $5.99 for 12 servings ($0.50 per serving). That's equal in price to Sam's Club pumpkin pie ($5.98 for 12 slices) — and half the price of Walmart's pumpkin pie ($5.87 for 5 slices).

Lemon Blueberry Loaf, $0.90 per serving

Basically a muffin in loaf form, Costco's Lemon Blueberry Loaf is typically available in the spring and priced at $8.99 for 10 slices ($0.90 per serving). That's up to 79% cheaper than what you'd pay for similar iced lemon loaves at Dunkin' ($3.49 per slice) or Starbucks ($4.25 per slice).

Apple Berry Pie, $1 per serving

In March 2025, Costco had a limited-edition Apple Berry Pie filled with apples, strawberries, and raspberries in a flaky pie crust. Priced at $15.99 for 16 slices, it came out to $1 per serving, which is slightly more expensive than their standard apple pies ($12.99 for 16 slices, or $0.81 per slice).

Chocolate-Covered Strawberries, $1.25 per serving

About twice a year — once around Valentine's Day and again around Mother's Day — Costco releases hand-dipped chocolate strawberries priced at $14.99 for a dozen. You'd pay $50 for a box of a dozen chocolate-covered strawberries from Edible Arrangements or Harry & David, so the Costco deal saves you $35.

Carrot Bar Cake, $1.58 per serving

In April 2025, Costco introduced a new Carrot Bar Cake ($18.99 for 12 slices), which is basically just their popular mini carrot cakes in a different form (and with added raisins). At just $1.58 a slice, the bar cake is an even better deal than their mini cakes, which were priced at $1.67 each in 2024.

However, Sam's Club's Carrot Bar Cake is a slightly better deal, and it doesn't include raisins. Theirs costs $16.98 for 13 slices, or $1.31 per serving.

Costco Bakery Ordering Hacks

Give Costco at least 24 hours' advance notice for custom cakes and cookie trays.

You'll need to submit your Costco Bakery order at least one day in advance for specialty 10" cakes, half-sheet cakes, and 60-count cookie trays. But you can't place your order online or by phone. Instead, you'll need to go in person to fill out the Costco cake ordering form.

If you want to review the form ahead of time, use this Costco Cake Order Form (PDF) and bring it with you to the warehouse. Just make sure your store's version of the form looks the same as our printable version.

KCL TIP: My Costco store in Florida also lets me preorder additional bakery items like muffins and Danishes. For example, I preordered 10 dozen muffins and Danishes for a teacher appreciation breakfast so that the bakery would have them ready. But I’ve learned that not all Costco bakeries will do this, so be sure to ask the employees at your warehouse.

Shop early in the morning for the freshest bakery items.

Costco makes some bakery items completely from scratch, while others get baked on-site after they arrive frozen. In either case, arriving when doors open (usually 10 a.m.) will ensure you get the freshest batch, as bakery items are typically made early in the morning.

Saturdays and Sundays are when bakery items sell out fastest. If you need something specific, shop early or try weekdays for a better selection.

Make your own Costco wedding cake on a budget.

According to Brides.com, the average cost of a wedding cake runs $2.50 - $8 per slice. If you’re looking for a cost-effective way to serve cake at your wedding, you have a few options with Costco.

Buy a small fancy wedding cake for the photo op, but then purchase a separate Costco sheet cake to actually serve to guests, and you'll only spend $0.56 per slice.

Another option is to buy a sheet cake and a 10" round cake from Costco and then stack the pieces on top of each other. Once you decorate the cake with flowers and icing, no one will know it's from Costco.

Buy a 120-count box of frozen chocolate chip cookie dough from Costco Business Centers.

There are lots of rumors online that you can buy Kirkland Signature cookie dough from the Costco Bakery. But when we checked out this rumor, we learned that you'll only find the frozen cookie dough at Costco Business Center stores in the U.S. (there are only 27 of those) — or at regular Costco stores in Canada.

Luckily, I do live near a Costco Business Center (the one in Florida), and I've confirmed that they do sell a 120-count box of frozen Kirkland Signature cookie dough for $26.99, which comes out to just $0.22 per cookie.

What to Skip at the Costco Bakery

Cinnamon Rolls

While they seem like a good deal at $12.99 for six ($2.17 each) — especially when compared to Cinnabon's $7.69 rolls — Costco's cinnamon rolls can be inconsistent. Sometimes they're perfectly gooey, but other times they're a bit dry or don't have enough icing.

Unless you're dead-set on the Costco version, you'll pay way less per roll by just going with a value pack of Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls at Walmart ($0.31 per roll).

Costco Cupcakes (aka Mini Cakes)

At $8.99 for a 6-pack of mini cakes (Costco's version of cupcakes), you'll pay $1.50 a serving. That's a hefty cost when you consider that Walmart's custom cupcakes are just $0.58 each.

If you need cupcakes for a birthday party, you'll get more cake for your money with a half-sheet cake ($0.56 per slice) or a 10" round cake ($1.06 per slice).

Our Take: Costco's Freezable Bakery Items Offer Best Long-Term Value

Costco's bakery offers great value on most of its items, with butter croissants, half-sheet cakes, and bagels giving you the best bang for your buck — and the cheapest cost per serving. And since these items are fully freezable, you'll be able to stretch their value for a few months.

Just keep in mind that cream-filled or crumb-topped bakery items aren't ideal for freezing, so you'll need to consume them soon after purchase to get your money's worth.

Related Reading:

• Costco Price Tag Secrets You Need to Know

• Best Deals in This Month's Costco Coupon Book

• How to Order a Costco Sheet Cake