The Major Recipe Change Costco Made To Its Iconic Apple Pie

As a vegan, finding tasty, pre-prepared goods can feel like an uphill battle. Like vegetarians, the diet eliminates all meats, but it also goes a step further in cutting products produced by animals, like forms of dairy. Costco's apple pie went viral in 2022 for being "accidentally vegan" and people were raving about its quality and value for money. Unfortunately, the iconic vegan-friendly apple pie underwent a major recipe change in Costco's bakery and now contains animal products, including milk and egg, which were previously omitted.

The fact that the original pies were vegan-friendly was relatively unusual, as a key ingredient of apple pie is butter (an animal product). However, some producers swap this for vegetable oil. Always check the ingredients list and nutrition label, as shoppers report mixed findings across different stores. Costco is still one of the best grocery store chains to shop at if you're vegan — this is just one dairy-free brownie point deducted from the company.

If you strike out unlucky at Costco, don't worry. Luckily, there are other pie options available at this budget-friendly chain. Look out for the cherry pie when browsing the aisles of your nearest store; this seasonal item contains no animal products and is suitable for vegan consumption. 

Alternatively, get baking; learning how to make vegan pies is easy and there are plenty of sneaky tips and tricks for the vegan baker. When baking vegan-friendly crusts, always eliminate butter and, instead, use vegetable or olive oil. If you'd usually add a baking glaze, look for milk alternatives like soy to retain that golden kick. And, equipment-wise, purchase a suitable tin or environmentally-conscious alternative like the If You Care FSC Certified Paper Cake and Pie Baking Pans. Always clarify if someone has chosen veganism purely from an ethical standpoint or if they additionally struggle with allergies. It's important to know whether cross-contamination is an issue when using your usual baking utensils.

Not feeling confident enough to tackle a pie from scratch? Buy a vegan-friendly crust and concentrate on the filling. Vegan crust brands include Wholly Wholesome, MI-DEL, and Jus-Rol. Be wary of absent-mindedly adding chocolate or accidentally piling on whipped cream. Some habits are tricky to break! But, rest assured, if it all goes wrong, Target and Walmart stock plenty of readymade vegan apple pies and Amazon sells them as well, including Natural Decadence's Vegan Dutch Apple Pie.