We Tried 6 Costco Bakery Cookies And Ranked Them From Worst To Best
Stock up on your cookie supply during your next trip to Costco. The chain wholesaler sells many cookie options from various brands, but there are only a handful that come directly from the bakery. I set out on a mission to try all of the Kirkland Signature bakery cookies, with my curiosity and hungry stomach in tow. I ranked them from least favorite to favorite, using my personal preferences, overall taste, texture, and execution of the cookie elements as the basis of my judgments. It's not that anything was terrible or unpalatable; some were simply less captivating and drool-worthy than others.
If you're trying to figure out which Costco cookies to bring to your next summer barbecue or a potluck with family, then this ranking should leave you feeling educated and confident in what to get. As a general tip: Look at the sell-by date so you have more time to enjoy them during peak freshness; this will ultimately affect the texture of the cookie. There's little better than a fresh and soft baked good, and the Kirkland cookies are about as good as it gets without baking them from scratch.
6. Sugar cookie
The sugar cookies are ranked dead last because they're boring. They don't offer much flavor, and they aren't very interesting. If I close my eyes and eat slowly to pinpoint the taste, there's a hint of butter, but that's about all I can distinguish from this Kirkland Signature treat. They're not too sweet, and that's actually fine by me. The cookies are somewhat firm, very brittle, and crumbly, which is to be expected in a sugar cookie. The sprinkles gave it a little bit of intrigue as far as mouthfeel, but I would never seek out these cookies, nor find them satisfying to eat.
These are specific to the Fourth of July with red, white, and blue sprinkles, but the sugar cookies will vary by the season. For example, the retailer sold a spring version with pastel sprinkles or pink and red heart sprinkled ones for Valentine's Day. In the past, there have been Christmas-y ones with red or green sugar sprinkles, too.
If that intrigues you, keep an eye on the Costco bakery area during various times of the year. You do get a liberal number of cookies because they're smaller and slightly thicker, so it could be satisfying for a party or any occasion where you want something specific to the holiday. Apparently, Costco customers rave about the sugar cookies, so take my opinions with a grain of salt.
5. Double nut cookie
Let me preface this by stating that the double nut cookie is indeed a pleasant baked dessert. Ranking it second to last is only a formality. When compared to the Kirkland Signature sugar cookie (which I deemed mediocre), this is much tastier and pleasantly executed. Others are more interesting, sure, but this is a tasty treat, nonetheless. Although these are called double nut cookies, I could only spot and taste the macadamia. It wasn't until I looked at the nutritional list that I realized it also contains cashews. These are actually two of my favorite nuts, but unfortunately, the cashew isn't discernible — which contributed to it receiving a lower score compared to the upcoming flavors.
These are perfectly fine as long as you like white chocolate and macadamia, as both of these elements are prominent. If you are a fan, look out for the rare, full 24-pack of double nut cookies in the Costco bakery, which likely only happens if someone physically put in a bakery order and never picked it up. But normally, this cookie comes in the variety pack, along with chocolate chunk and oatmeal raisin.
The mac nut gives a buttery flavor and crunchy texture, while the white chocolate is mild and not too interesting. I'm partial to chocolate, so these would be incredible if they had the chocolate chunks instead. The double nut cookies are a favorable option when you want something a little different.
4. Mini chocolate chip cookie
Chocolate chip cookies are a classic, and you really can't go wrong with them. I don't have any critiques for this Costco bakery item, unlike the double nut cookie. These are small chocolate chip cookies, so they are fun to take to a picnic or to pack in a school lunch. They have a rich, buttery base flavor and adorable mini chocolate chips to give that sweet, cocoa-y punch. It's easy to eat more than one of these baked confections because of their size.
The smaller cookie makes it a top pick to put out at a party to reduce waste (fewer half-eaten cookies), but they'd also make cute little ice cream sandwiches. They're very soft during the first and second day, making them even better for your ice cream sandy base. By day three, they begin to firm up — not crisp or stale, but not nearly as malleable and delicate as the first couple of days. If, by the second day, you have a lot leftover, freeze a portion of them to devour at a later time. These mini chocolate chip cookies are fine, but they don't have as much dimension as the next three cookies.
3. Oatmeal raisin cookie
I thought I didn't like oatmeal raisin cookies, and for the most part, have always avoided them if they were in the presence of other confections. But hey, Costco's bakery changed my mind. What I love about these Kirkland Signature cookies is their prominent spiced flavor, which the nutrition label only notes as "spices." There's also a touch of dimension from the molasses. The raisins add a chewiness and sweetness, which sets this treat apart from the textures of the previously mentioned cookies.
It's almost like eating a granola bar — firmer, slightly crisp edges and a softer, chewy center. The base of the cookie is sweet but not overly so, while the raisins give a burst of sugary goodness in each bite. These are well-made and tasty, with a range of textures and flavors that dance on the tongue. They are a really satisfying oatmeal raisin cookie and truly surprised me, as I had zero expectations for them. They're slightly more interesting and multi-dimensional than the mini choco chip cookie. And since this flavor comes in the variety pack, you aren't stuck with a full 24-count of oatmeal raisin cookies, making it a fantastic way to test the oatmeal raisin waters, so to speak.
2. Palmier cookie
The Kirkland Signature palmiers are brand new to the cookie lineup at Costco, according to the bakery associate I spoke to on the phone. They were right under my nose when I was looking for them in the bakery, as I was hunting for the smaller version of the cookie; they're also a bit smooshed and less heart-shaped than the average palmier. Color me shocked when I realized just how huge these are.
They're best eaten on that first day because they're soft, rich, buttery, and flaky, with the slight crunch of the sugar on top and toward the sides. I love the exterior crunch and the flaky layers — everything comes together to create an exquisite baked treat. After a couple of days, they get harder, but that's to be expected for any baked good. With that in mind, serve these on the day of purchase for a party. Since they are quite large, you can easily snap or cut them in half. These are best for a gathering or a bigger family, because it would be unlikely that you would eat all of them by yourself within two or three days, which was the official sell-by date.
By day three, these French palmier cookies get pretty hard, but that first day? Oh, they're quite magnificent. Not to mention, they're an absolute bargain compared to other bakery prices.
1. Chocolate chunk cookie
There's nothing quite like a chocolate chip cookie. But I'd reckon a chocolate chunk cookie is even better, allowing for larger chocolate pieces throughout your baked delight. When you buy the Kirkland Signature ones, they are fresh, soft, and gooey, particularly if you're able to eat them on that first day — they're practically falling apart, they're so fresh and delicate. The cookie base is delightfully buttery and rich. The chocolate chunks practically melt in your mouth; they are tasty and pretty evenly spaced out, allowing for chocolate in each bite — but there might be an occasional cookie where you have fewer choco chunks. In this case, it doesn't hurt that the dough itself is scrumptious.
If you know you're a chocolate chunk fan or you plan to take these cookies to a party, get the 24-count pack. If you prefer a range of flavors, then you may want to opt for the variety pack with the chocolate chunk, double nut, and oatmeal raisin cookies. I ranked this at the top of the list because these Costco bakery cookies are decadent, buttery, and delightfully chocolatey. Every component tastes good separately and together.
The chocolate chunk is the only cookie aside from the minis (because they're small and easy to eat more than one) that I could finish a whole cookie and then say, "You know what? I want another one." If you don't want multiple cookies, though, head over to the food court to grab the large chocolate chunk cookie instead.
Methodology
I initially only saw a couple of cookie choices when I perused my local warehouse on the Costco app, so I called the bakery to inquire about cookies. The person on the phone kindly mentioned all of the following as options, noting that the palmiers are a new addition to the store. I ranked these Kirkland Signature cookies based on personal preference, overall flavor, texture, and execution. While I'm human and have my favorite flavors (chocolate is one of them), I kept an open mind as I devoured the various cookies — and surprised myself, particularly when it came to the oatmeal raisin.
I tried each type of Costco bakery cookie the day of purchase (day one), so they were soft and fresh, and I tried them all again on day three to see how they held up. I did not heat them or alter them in any way. Like virtually any baked good, it's best when it's at its peak freshness.