10 Costco Bakery Facts Only Super Fans Would Know

Costco's bakery department is remarkably versatile. It has everything a person could want, including freshly made cookies, customizable cakes, massive fluffy muffins, and an endless array of delights at a fantastic price. Shoppers are lured into Costco's bakery section by the sweet-smelling aroma of freshly baked goods, whether or not they entered the warehouse with the intention of buying something baked. Once you've reached the endless shelves of carbs, you're captivated by the sheer quantity and craftsmanship of the bakery products — and, of course, stuck contemplating which delectable bake to buy.

Every Costco bakery has a similar layout: industrial tables towered with sweet pastries and artisan loaves of bread; refrigerated sections stockpiled with various layered cakes, cheesecakes, and pies; and, most importantly, a window into the kitchen so customers can peer behind the scenes of the mass-production bakery. But even watching the pastry chefs whip up their delicacies or employees stock its treat-laden shelves won't reveal all the secrets of the big box store's bakery department. From famous pies to free cookies, here's what you need to know.

The Costco bakery department is unquestionably a production, consistency, and quality powerhouse. The section is filled to the brim with various cakes, pies, cookies, and pastries daily. It might leave some wondering: How does Costco bake everything on its own?

The answer isn't as straightforward as you might think. Some favorite Costco bakery items aren't made from scratch or even on site. According to a conversation between previous Costco bakers on Reddit, the bakery only bakes a handful of products in-house. Numerous beloved items such as butter croissants, bagels, Danishes, and a few artisan breads arrive at the bakery premade and frozen. In addition, the cheesecake, fruit pies, and some of their famous layered cakes also come in prepackaged mixes for the fillings and mousses. These items are typically only cooked, packaged, and garnished in-store.

However, the Redditors in the same conversation stated that the Costco bakery team made crunchy and scrumptious loaves of bread like multigrain, country-style, garlic, and rosemary. Furthermore, the pecan, apple, lemon meringue, and celebrated seasonal pumpkin pies are produced in-house.

Costco's strategy to segment certain bakery products to be baked in-house or purchased premade comes down to consistency and efficiency. Items such as butter croissants and bagels require high-level breadmaking and viennoiserie skills to produce a profitable product. Buying some items premade allows Costco to maintain consistency throughout its stores globally.

Costco has a widespread reputation for its exceptional customer service and commitment to quality, no matter the circumstance. Want to return the entire cake or box of chocolate chip cookies? No problem — Costco's outstanding refund policy covers bakery items.

According to a conversation between Redditors, Costco does not hesitate to accept any returns from the bakery section or any food products — even if it has already taken a few bites out of it. While customers shouldn't bring an empty box of muffins expecting all their money back, they can return at least 50% of the bakery or food product, whether it's partially eaten or not. Be mindful of the fact that Costco will not accept any returns on customizable cakes or food trays. If your items meet these qualifications, then you should be in the clear.

The process is relatively easy to approach — simply take the unwanted baked goods to a cashier, and after evaluation, they'll typically refund the money with no questions asked. The company has such a lenient return policy because it always wants to ensure customer satisfaction. Costco's commitment to its customers is why people keep renewing memberships yearly and continue to shop at its stores. 

This might be one of the hacks that will change the way you shop at Costco. It comes in handy when you're not too fond of a new dessert you wanted to try, or if you've accidentally purchased an expired item.

Trying one of the bakery department's signature customizable sheet cakes is a Costco membership must. You have two options: a white cake filled with vanilla cheesecake mousse and white buttercream or a chocolate cake with chocolate mousse and buttercream. These scrumptious cakes are a great way to serve a larger crowd — a single cake can feed around 48 people!

Ordering a sheet cake is a simple process, mainly because Costco has yet to update its cake ordering system. It still employs the same pen and paper form from the dawn of customizable sheet cakes. To order, sniff out the bakery department and locate the cake ordering stand. Once you've arrived, pick out your desired flavor and design. Be sure to write down the pickup date and time, and do yourself a favor by placing your order at least one day in advance to ensure the staff receives it in time for your event.

Some Costco members favor this method rather than ordering at the counter and waiting in line. For the employees, the pen-and-paper form eliminates the option for personalized designs or obscure requests, thus increasing the bakery's production efficiency.

If you've ever purchased a box of pastries or bread from Costco, you know finishing them before they go stale is always a challenge. Thankfully, there's a solution: Request a box of your favorite bakery items frozen and uncooked for a fraction of the price. This Costco frozen cookie hack is only possible at certain U.S. locations, though it's apparently commonplace in the company's Canadian warehouses. Head to the bakery counter and ask an attendant which products — bagels, cookies, or pastries — are frozen and in bulk. They'll pack it right up for you to take home.

In the States, it's more common to find frozen bakery treats at Costco Business Centers, but it's worth checking your local location all the same. Though it may be limited to certain areas, this hack takes Costco's bulk buying mindset to the max — it's ideal if you're hosting a celebration that necessitates feeding a boatload of hungry guests.

While the old-school sheet cake ordering system remains, bakery orders can easily be placed online and even delivered to your front door. Thanks to Costco's partnership with Instacart in 2016, customers can order select bakery items such as famed chocolate chip cookies, fluffy blueberry muffins, creamy cheesecake, and loads of Costco's signature cakes. Use Instacart the next time you're stressing about getting dessert on the table while still getting your favorite Costco bakery delights.

The ordering process is relativity easy: Just download the Instacart app, select your closest Costco location, and begin placing your order. Costco members will be happy to know the good deals aren't only in-store — members can receive a reduced Instacart Plus membership for only $79 a year. This is an excellent option if you can't find time in your schedule to make it all the way to Costco or wait in long register lines.

The Costco and Instacart collaboration doesn't just apply to baked goods either — you can order almost anything, including groceries like the popular Kirkland rotisserie chicken or random essentials like an extra pair of reading glasses. Believe it or not, you can now order your prescriptions from Costco through Instacart in select locations. Whichever way you utilize this marvelous partnership, it'll make getting your favorite bakery treats and other Costco items even easier.

In the Costco bakery kitchen, cake decorators not only have to be skilled in the pastry arts, but they also have to be quick on their feet. During the busy season — like the holiday and graduation months — the bakery is filled with orders, and the decorating team typically produces around 80 cakes daily. The job is great for individuals who want to improve their skills as pastry chefs and, most importantly, enjoy working in fast-paced environments.

Since Costco customers are limited to certain design options, the cake decorating team works in a fairly streamlined fashion. An employee on TikTok shared that the cakes go through different stages during production to maximize efficiency. For the iconic sheet cakes, the bakers start by slicing the cakes horizontally, applying a whopping two pounds of mousse between the layers, and lastly, decorating and designing with whichever illustration or message the member chose.

Cakes aren't the only task the decorating team has to tackle. You also have to decorate the cheesecakes, dessert bars, pies, and various seasonal items. When it comes down to the wire, Costco cake decorators have to shift away from an artistic mindset to be able to maximize productivity and efficiency.

Costco's bakery department seems never-ending, and the section is filled with everlasting boxes of freshly made loaves of bread, glazed pastries, and delicious bagels. By the end of the day, there can sometimes be a surplus of bakery items. As a result, Costco has partnered with local food banks to donate any leftover baked goods, ready-made food items, and fresh produce.

Globally, Costco works with local organizations to donate freshly made bakery and food items rather than discarding unsold products in local landfills. In Ontario, Canada, for example, the Durham Outlook for Needy collects bread, desserts, and produce from its local locations to help provide meals to roughly a couple of hundred people daily. The retail chain responds to active crises, too — some 3,000 miles away, Costco has donated water, packaged food, and hot meals to victims of the 2025 Los Angeles wildfires. While Costco's food donations go well beyond baked goods, breads and pastries are a fundamental part of its charity.

If you're considering a Costco career but throwing on a chef coat and sprucing up Costco sheet cakes doesn't really sound like your jam, try applying for the position of bakery wrapper. The department constantly produces sweets that must be properly wrapped and packaged for customers to take home and enjoy. That being said, Costco relies heavily on a team of people to hike up their sleeves and get the job done.

The bakery wrapper's tasks and responsibilities are pretty simple. They include wrapping and packing baked goods by hand or with a wrapping machine, labeling the name and price on each box, restocking the bakery item sections, and garnishing and icing a few baked goods to help alleviate stress from pastry chefs. A former Costco bakery wrapper shared on TikTok that while you'll need to say goodbye to manicured nails, the scheduling is relativity flexible, and you'll be able to cross-train in other positions within the department as a cake decorator or mixer. This job is an excellent route for folks looking to cut their teeth in a bakery kitchen, and it requires no previous bakery or restaurant experience. All you'll need is a Food Safety Certification on the first day of the job to start your journey as a Costco bakery employee.

One of the biggest perks of shopping at Costco is grazing on the free samples. However, there's a secret free sample some members may not know about — some Costco bakeries give out free cookies to kids. When you bring your children to Costco on your next shopping trip, take them to the bakery department and try asking one of the bakes for a free freshly made cookie.

A few people in a conversation on Reddit recalled doing just that when they were young. One user even discussed having the opportunity to bake cookies with the Costco bakery staff members as a child. And if you're nervous about Costco's pause on free samples due to the COVID-19 pandemic, fret not: The hiatus was temporary and free samples have since resumed.

It isn't always certain you'll be able to get a free cookie — the bakery typically gives out samples depending on availability and how busy the store is at the moment. Since this isn't technically an official company program or policy, it's worth a shot to try one of the delicious cookies straight out of the oven. Since Costco offers such a wide vareity of cookies, there's no guarantee what kind you'll get — but given their general quality, we expect you (or your kid) will be satisfied.

Buying seasonal goods at Costco is almost like a rite of passage for shoppers, and it wouldn't be a proper Thanksgiving dinner without a slice of the bakery's pumpkin pie. The company has a longstanding reputation for the pie flying off shelves as everyone tries to get their hands on the beloved dessert.

In the days leading up to Thanksgiving 2023, Costco sold more than 4 million pies in the United States, and nearly 3 million of those were pumpkin pies. The pie is renowned for a few reasons: its delicious filling and flaky crust, its exclusivity (it's only offered during the holiday season), and its agreeable price — only $5.99 per pie. Since this pie weighs three pounds and ten ounces, it's easy to get at least a dozen sizable slices.

Another attribute that makes the Costco pumpkin pie so irresistible is its main ingredient, the Dickinson pumpkin. According to David and Susan Schwartz's book "The Joy of Costco: A Treasure Hunt From A to Z," this sweet-tasting gourd is the only pumpkin variety Costco uses for pie. The handcrafted pie is filled with the Dickinson pumpkin puree and rests on a buttery crust. Top the pie with Kirkland brand vanilla ice cream and you've got a delightful low-effort dessert that everybody at the Thanksgiving table will love.