13 Popular Costco Bakery Items You Won't Find In Stores Anymore
Costco's bakery is legendary for a reason. Every single one is packed with all sorts of goodies, ranging from elaborately decorated cakes to tender, flaky pastries. This has earned the venerated chain loyal membership from a wide variety of people. Sure, being able to buy paper towels, ketchup, and electronics in gargantuan amounts and at low prices is great, and yeah, that iconic hot dog still hits, even if it's the hundredth time you've had it. But out-of-this-world cookies, croissants, and pies don't just fill you up — they delight you.
Costco works hard to maintain this level of quality, and newness is a key part of its approach. Novel treats, flavors, and variations on old favorites keep the bakery fresh and engaging. Old baked goods, though, must sometimes be cut to make room for new creations — and sometimes, customers can't bear to see them go. They take to Reddit, Instagram, and Facebook to proclaim their grief, register complaints with the company, and even start petitions. This might seem extreme, but only if you haven't tried the missing goodies in question. We're here to take a closer look at 13 popular Costco bakery items that have vanished from the chain's shelves.
1. Apple cinnamon crumb muffins
Apple and cinnamon is one of history's greatest flavor combinations. The tart, crisp, sweet — but not too sweet — flavor of a fresh apple is like the embodiment of autumn itself, while cinnamon's warm, woodsy taste throws the classic fruit's flavor notes into delectable contrast. No wonder baked goods have been putting them together for centuries in the form of pies, strudels, and, considerably more portably, muffins.
Once upon a time, Costco featured one such apple cinnamon crumb muffin. It was a delicious tribute to this dynamite duo, full of orchard-fresh flavor and crowned with a crumb topping. "They were pure gold," said one Reddit user, while another enthused, "They're the best ones!!!" Sadly, they weren't to last. This caused alarm for some, with one shopper writing, "Are they gone forever only to live in my memory??" Sadly, the answer seems to be yes.
Similar treats boasting this classic flavor combo can be found at your average Costco, including decadently double-crusted apple pie, adorably itsy-bitsy caramel apple mini cakes, and commute-friendly apple turnovers. But each of these items is just a band-aid on a gaping wound to muffin lovers. The apple cinnamon crumb muffin was, to risk stating the obvious, an excellent muffin. It was sumptuously moist, delightfully hand-held, and fluffy as all get out. Apple pie is great, but it's none of those things. Costco offers plenty of other muffins, but the sad truth is, none of them can quite replace this much-lamented favorite.
2. Chocolate chip walnut cookies
Costco cookies aren't messing around. Other stores offer mild little circles of sweetness about the size of a teacup, studded here and there with nuts, chocolate chips, or candy. They're good, sure, but they play it safe. Costco's cookies, in contrast, live on the wild side. Each treat is flooded with mix-ins — and we're not talking mere chips here, we're talking hefty, flavorful, dark-as-pitch chunks of chocolate. The dough is full of caramelized flavor, almost like that of a brown butter blondie. And then there's the size. These cookies are so big, you could use them as small plates.
Costco's chocolate chip walnut cookies were once among the greatest of their kind. They boasted rich chocolate chunks, deeply flavored dough, just the right level of sweetness, and a whole lot of walnuts. These earthy, oil-rich nuggets brought took things to a new level. They highlighted the sweetness of the chips and dough but also tempered it, resulting in an entirely unique cookie-eating experience. And then ... they disappeared.
Six years ago, a shopper took to the Costco subreddit, asking if any Costco workers had an inkling of when these killer cookies might return. Sadly, this person is still waiting. Costco's chocolate chip cookies are a fairly good substitute, boasting the same delicious dough, chocolate chips, and impressive size, but the walnuts brought inimitable flavor and texture into the mix, which those who had the privilege of tasting it just can't forget.
3. Torta rolls
Upon realizing that Costco was phasing out its torta rolls, one Reddit user sprang into panicked action. "All Bay area costco stores have ceased making (La Brea) torta rolls," they wrote. "The substitute 'Artisan' rolls are far inferior and too tough. The original rolls made great Paninis and other toasted or cold sandwiches. Far fewer Artisan rolls are being purchased. PLEASE help get the torta rolls back!!!!"
Another commenter offered a possible explanation, claiming torta roll sales had grievously fallen, to the point that one single rack wasn't selling through after an entire day's worth of commerce. Perhaps this is true, but it's hard to believe for anyone who had the good fortune to sink their teeth into these cloudlike comestibles. Each roll was a fluffy, floury dream, simultaneously pillow-soft and perfectly browned. They were an absolute smash when used for a huge variety of sandwiches, from the aforementioned panini to a homemade banh mi. They were delicious on their own, but also took beautifully to a drizzle of olive oil and sprinkled sea salt. Pressing, grilling, and even outright smashing did nothing to diminish them — in fact, such treatment just brought out the rolls' excellent capacity for crispiness. They stood up to all manner of ingredients, including thickly slathered mustard, juicy sides of pork, water-dappled lettuce leaves, roasted veggies, and tender slabs of roast beef. The noble torta roll handled it all, and we'll never forget its delectable service.
4. Berry cream pie
Fresh berries are juicy jewels of summer, bursting with sweetness, tartness, tanginess, and, above all, tastiness. There are many ways to showcase them, but cream or custard pies are among the best. Costco used to understand this: Years ago, the venerable chain sold a strawberry and blueberry cream pie. Consumed by nostalgia, one Reddit user mused, "Does anyone remember the big fresh strawberry and blueberry custard pie the bakery used to make? It was my favorite thing ever. It was like a big fruit tart. Do you know why they stopped making it?"
Many commenters attempted to answer this question, citing potentially low sales, high labor requirements, expensive ingredients, and the finicky nature of fresh fruit. All of these explanations make sense, but they just don't fill the pie-shaped hole in our hearts. These high-summer delights had tender, buttery, ever-so-slightly sweet crust, which never grew soggy beneath the weight of cream and berries. The custard was a silky dream, rich with eggs and sugar, and boasting a subtle, delectable tanginess. But the berries were the real star here. Vibrant strawberries and blueberries nestled close together atop the rich cream, glazed with a thin layer of syrup, toothsomely soft but never mushy, and utterly bursting with flavor. All three layers — crust, custard, and berries — worked gorgeously together, each showcasing its individual strengths and acting as an essential element of a greater whole. There's pie, and then there's a berry cream pie. Costco's was one of the best.
5. Half-iced shortbread cookies
Shortbread is a giant of the cookie world. Buttery, crumbly, dense, and available in a huge variety of flavors, it's the sort of treat virtually no one turns down. Shortbread's versatility is a particularly huge mark in its favor; these cookies take well to all sorts of add-ins and icing. Costco used to take advantage of this flexibility through its half-iced shortbread cookies. Rather than slather the entire cookie in icing — which can be a bit too much of a muchness, even for those with a sweet tooth — Costco opted to dip half these tasty little morsels in icing. What resulted was a decadent, yet never overwhelming cookie that packed a seriously flavorful punch and a pleasant variety of textures.
Then, a few years ago, they disappeared. Worry quickly set in among the shortbread faithful. "The last couple years, I remember Costco bakery sold half-iced shortbread cookies. Any idea if they're ever coming back?" asked one Reddit user. "Some were heart-shaped, some were round. But they were all half-dipped in chocolate or white icing. I was really looking forward to [them this] year and either missed them or they never appeared." While Costco used to bring these cookies back for certain holidays, commenters noted that they hadn't made their ritual appearances in the past year. One user who worked for the chain offered their take: Costco swapped the half-iced shortbread cookies with more typical iced sugar cookies. As fans know, they're a poor substitute for shortbread greatness.
6. All-American chocolate cake
It takes chutzpah to name a dessert something as bold as "All-American chocolate cake." It's not just chocolate cake — a desirable treat unto itself — it's American chocolate cake. In fact, it's not just American, but all-American. This implies all sorts of delicious things: Wholesome ingredients, classic flavor, hearty portions, and, perhaps most of all, a satisfied smile once the last crumbs are gone. Costco's All-American chocolate cake lived up to these many promises. That's why so many people still bemoan its loss, even years after it took its final bow.
On Reddit, when asked what discontinued Costco item they miss most, one commenter was unequivocal: The All-American chocolate cake. An eager chorus soon chimed in. "I literally scrolled down to find this comment. That was the best cake I've ever had," one user enthusiastically agreed. "The fudgy frosting was top notch. And it was unbeatable for the price. I don't know why they discontinued such an amazing thing." Attempts to mimic it have gone awry: "The replacement Walmart-quality chocolate moose cake is no substitute," one shopper complained.
It's certainly true that there's no substitute; the All-American chocolate cake was a rich, moist, deeply flavored tribute to chocolate's fullest potential. It was welcome at any table, party, or potluck. Kids loved it. Grandparents loved it. Heck, some people who previously thought themselves chocolate-averse probably loved it. It was the Platonic ideal of chocolate cake, and it is sorely missed.
7. Dinner rolls
There are few dinners that wouldn't be improved by the addition of dinner rolls, and Costco's were a particularly yummy choice. These rolls were airy and light, which kept them from filling a diner up and preventing enjoyment of the main course. At the same time, they were substantial, and resisted becoming soggy, smushed-up scraps of crust. These were rolls you could use to sop up even the most robust stew, soup, or sauce. They also boasted their own pleasant flavor, in contrast to the many dinner rolls on the market that need a healthy slathering of butter to taste like anything at all. Each bite was sweet, wheaty, and ever-so-slightly browned. Plus, they came in big, transparent bags, rather than neat packages, which allowed a shopper to take way more home.
When they disappeared, people on Reddit were deeply disappointed. "They make the best homemade breadcrumbs," one user lamented. Many suggested they had become a holiday-only item: "Aside from Thanksgiving and Christmas," one person interjected, "who needs 36 dinner rolls?" A rejoinder was quickly made: "Who DOESN'T need 36 dinner rolls?" It might sound absurd, but this user makes a good point. For one thing, lots of Costco bakery items freeze well. But beyond that, as the breadcrumb-maker pointed out, there were other uses for them. A stuffing made of these rolls, for example, would be divine. Sadly, modern shoppers have to make do with other carbohydrates.
8. Roasted garlic Parmesan bread
Garlic is delicious — there's a reason it pops up in so many different kinds of cuisine. Roasted garlic manages to kick this classic ingredient up a further notch. It's warm, tangy, toasty, and combines marvelously with all kinds of things. Costco's roasted garlic Parmesan bread was an absolutely scrumptious showcase of what makes roasted garlic so special. Complemented by sharp cheese and a rustic crumb, it managed to wow diners with every single bite.
When it disappeared, Costco shoppers were flabbergasted. In a thread titled "Roasted Garlic Parmesan Bread – Where did it go? Everyone in my family misses it so much!," one Reddit user pleaded, "I have written customer feedback forms multiple times, hoping that Costco [would] bring back the absolutely fantastic roasted garlic parmesan bread to no avail. It's THE BEST bread ever." Another user replied, "I'm a bakery employee and we get daily requests for the one you're referring to. It's excellent. Keep submitting comment cards. Hopefully we get the green light from corporate." While this seems to offer hope, one glance at the timestamps reveals the tragedy at hand: Years have passed since these comments were posted, without any sign of the longed-for roasted garlic Parmesan bread's return.
9. Half-sheet cake
A Costco sheet cake never goes amiss. They're delicious, for one thing, in every way a cake should be. Every bite is rich, moist, full of sugary goodness, and crowned with some of the best icing on the market. This cake also cuts easily and keeps well — two major bonuses for anyone with a whole lot of people to serve and a tight schedule. There's just one problem for those of us feeding a more modest crowd: Sheet cakes are huge. Costco's half-sheet cake solved this dilemma. It packed all the goodness of the classic Costco sheet cake into a smaller package, suitable for a small family affair or an office shindig, rather than a massive banquet.
Like so many things, however, the COVID-19 pandemic screwed this up for everyone. Back in 2020, people on Reddit started discussing rumors of the treat's possible discontinuation. Employees reported in, writing, "Temporary discontinue due to Covid-19 through the end of Period 12," said one, while another wrote, "No one has told us decorators if this is permanent or just for the summer. But for the time being, there are no half sheets." Reportedly, this was a response to a sudden dearth of parties. Understandable, but also frustrating as all get out. Sadly, the true boom was lowered when The New York Times reported there were no plans to bring it back.
10. The original French bread
Wait a minute, you might be thinking, Costco definitely still sells French bread. In fact, you might have picked some up quite recently. This is technically true: A bakery item called French bread can be found at just about any Costco location, but this French bread isn't the French bread Costco used to sell. In fact, according to many shoppers, it's not even remotely comparable to that much-missed predecessor.
The timeline is murky, but a number of years ago, Costco made the switch. One Reddit user was so outraged, they opined, "Costco changed their French bread in the bakery and the new one is terrible. Who's with me? It's not nearly as fluffy. It's flavorless. Doesn't freeze well at all. Becomes a cracker when put in toaster. I want my old bread back." A bakery employee promptly agreed, and revealed key differences in the creation process: "It used to be made completely from scratch, true fresh bread ... They now ship in frozen slabs of dough that we then defrost, shape, and let rise." Things did not improve. One year later, another Reddit netizen complained, "Costco bakery French bread is still garbage."
At this point, the number of people who clearly remember the first French bread is shrinking, but those who can still vividly recall the airy, crisp, lusciously browned French bread of days gone by aren't likely to release their vendetta any time soon. That's just how good Costco's original French bread was.
11. Coffee cake muffins
Coffee cake is one of the greatest desserts ever conceived. It's sugary without being overwhelming, decadently moist, and bursting with warm, toasty, cinnamon-laden goodness. Plus, pretty much nobody can resist its crumbly streusel topping. It even tastes great in muffin form, as Costco well knew when it sold such a morning treat. This delectable baked good even managed to kick things up a notch with a subtle drizzle of glaze. But at some point, the coffee cake muffin disappeared — and people took notice.
On a thread devoted to Costco goodies of yore, one user lamented, "My husband still puts these on the Costco list and refuses to believe they are gone for good." Another shopper agreed, "We still look every trip... just in case. Seeing the Apple Crumb from a distance has lead to disappointment more than once."
Some users claimed to still find the muffins in stock in their local locations, which means hope might not be entirely lost. Sadly, it's clear that the coffee cake muffins aren't anywhere near as ubiquitous as they used to be. The situation is so dire, someone decided to start a Change.org petition urging Costco to bring the long-lost muffins home. Many Costco bakery items are widely beloved, but few can claim to have inspired such passionate action.
12. Round croissants
Nowadays, Costco offers croissants that come in the shape most people expect, that is, a slightly curved crescent shape. Years ago, though, Costco croissants were a very different treat. Often referred to as "round croissants," these baked goods more than lived up to their name. Instead of just crescents, they were so dramatically curved that their ends met, forming a lopsided circle. Then, one day, they were gone.
Some people like the switch; a number of people convincingly argue that the straightened-out croissants are made with superior ingredients. Their butter content is especially impressive. The round croissants, in contrast, favored oil over dairy fat, which many believe resulted in an inferior pastry. But the round croissant partisans have decent points in their favor as well, particularly when it comes to sandwiches. "My family makes croissant breakfast sandwiches," one Reddit user noted. "Straightened croissants make for a mighty small sandwich. We buy from Safeway now." It's hard to beat that round, puffy shape for sandwich-making — the newer Costco croissants can only handle a few pieces of ham and cheese before they collapse.
13. Bran muffins
Bran muffins don't deserve their reputation as lesser muffins, appreciated only by old people in need of greater fiber in their diet. Their earthy sweetness, robust texture, and, yes, nutritional virtues make them one of the greatest breakfast items in history, up there with pancakes and oatmeal. Costco's bran muffin was one of the best — which explains why it's so dearly missed. When the double chocolate muffins made a much-celebrated return to Costo's bakery, one Reddit user piped up, "I'd rather have the bran muffins from days of yore back." Someone else quickly concurred, "Those Bran muffins were delicious. The current 'muffins' now are just large cupcakes. The bran were actually muffins. My entire family loved them."
Indeed, Costco's bran muffins were just that: Muffins. This meant they were a tiny bit less sweet and a little bit more bready. While that might put some off, this approach has its own virtues. Costco's bran muffin recalled the savory-sweet flavor of a great scone or biscuit, mixing hints of salt and rich fat in with a delectable hint of caramel. This resulted in a marvelously multifaceted dining experience that worked beautifully with add-ins like butter or jam. Current muffins are a treat, but that's all they are. The bran muffin was a true breakfast.