The Decadent Costco Ricotta Stirring Up Strong Opinions On Instagram

While ricotta and chocolate can be made into delightful treats, can they work well together? Many foodies have undergone epic odysseys to find out. But although Martha Stewart has whipped up chocolate ricotta pudding and Food Network has a recipe for chocolate ricotta pie, no chocolate and cheese dessert has managed to spark quite as much controversy as Costco's baked chocolate chip ricotta.

According to Instagrammer Costco Buys, this chocolate and cheese hybrid first appeared on Costco's shelves last year in honor of the holiday season. However, the chocolate chip ricotta seemed to be popular enough to earn a Costco comeback. However, the cheese's reappearance has been the subject of some serious Costco shopper debate. While Costco Buys claims the ricotta is perfect for "chocolate ricotta pancakes," the followers in the comments cannot decide whether this dessert is a blessing or a curse. Here's what people are saying about Costco's curious chocolate chip cheese.

Zappala Chocolate Chip Ricotta is just what you think it is. According to Costco Buys' post, this treat is a block of baked ricotta cheese filled with chocolate chips. Imported from Italy, Zappala claims the ricotta is best paired with prosecco wine. But is this sweeter-than-usual ricotta cheese's price point worth the dough?

Some Instagramers certainly don't think so. Many commenters were completely against the mere thought of turning ricotta into a chocolate chip dessert. One user wrote, "No! Just no!" Another posted, "Terrible idea." Due to its unusual flavor combination, one Instagramer was simply bamboozled by what to do with the cheese, writing "Okay, but how do I eat? Or with what?"

However, while many people voiced they did not trust the chocolate ricotta anywhere near their desserts, others flooded the post with praise for the product. In fact, several comments compared it to another Italian treat.

Although Costco's chocolate chip ricotta has been met with a lot of criticism, it's not without its share of fans delighted by the treat. One ricotta lover under Costco Buys' post wrote, "Yes please." One Instagrammer even came to the product's defense by directly challenging those who claimed to combine chocolate and cheese sounded like a bad idea. The user pointed out that cannolis, a classic and beloved Italian dessert, can come filled with chocolate chip ricotta, per Allrecipes, writing, "what do you all think is in cannolis?"

And if you're wondering how you could possibly serve this chocolate chip cheese at a holiday party, you only need to look to the r/costco subreddit. After one user asked for ideas on how to prep and eat the chocolate cheese, other Redditors offered delicious-sounding recipes. One suggested baking cannoli chips and using the chocolate chip ricotta as a dip. Another reported Costco goers could bake orange chocolate chip ricotta cookies. And if you're looking for a holiday breakfast, one Redditor even stated they made stuffed french toast with ricotta cheese. And so, with so many strong opinions on both sides, it seems Costco shoppers will have to decide for themselves whether all $13.89 of this chocolate chip ricotta belongs in their mouth or the trash can.