The Worst Costco Holiday Dessert Is Unfortunately Also The Cutest

Costco holiday desserts are a lifesaver when you're expecting a crowd for festive parties. But with so many options available, from the sticky figgy pudding cake to the peppermint bark, which one is the best? And perhaps more importantly, which dessert is the one to leave on the shelf? In our eyes, the worst Costco holiday dessert is the box of mini gingerbread cakes with vanilla icing, which unfortunately also happens to be the cutest sweet treat the store has to offer.

The loser in our list of 8 Costco holiday season desserts, ranked, these giant cupcakes are as cute as a button (courtesy of the delightful gingerbread man decoration nestled on the top) but fall flat when it comes to festive flavor. We were expecting to bite into them and taste warming spices, like cinnamon, cloves, and ginger to put us in the holiday spirit. However, the base of each confection is simply a basic vanilla cake that's far from exciting. While the texture was moist, it wasn't anything out of the norm and neither was the generous swirl of vanilla buttercream piped on top. Yes, the cute, smiling gingerbread topper is adorable but it doesn't feature any holiday flavors either, and is made of chocolate instead of gingerbread. Now, call us particular but we reckon a gingerbread man should be made of gingerbread and have that characteristic snap and inviting, spicy aroma. Perhaps this explains why Costco has recently renamed these cupcakes as "white mini cakes."

If you still want to purchase a box of these mini cakes (available in boxes of six) we'd advise gussying them up with a scattering of crushed gingerbread or speculaas biscuits that feature cinnamon, cardamom and nutmeg. Simply remove the gingerbread man, strew over your biscuit crumbs and put the cute little guy back where he belongs to maximize festive flavor and capitalize on the preciousness of the fun topper. Alternatively, select one of the desserts that ranked higher on our list, such as the chocolate orange loaf cake. We found this nostalgic cake to be moist, tender and full of a light citrusy flavor. However, bear in mind that it comes in a whole piece and you'll need to slice it into portions before serving.

The best Costco holiday dessert in our ranking was Kirkland's Signature Peppermint Bark. A mix of white chocolate, dark chocolate, and crushed peppermint candies (in seasonal red and white colors), this offering has just the right amount of minty flavor and crunch. The chocolate itself is glossy and reasonably thick, which pairs well with the crunchy layer of candies set over the surface. Pre-portioned into shards, with the candy-topped white chocolate layered over the rich dark chocolate, it's also super-convenient for pulling out of the pantry for last-minute guests.