The 5 Best Baked Goods We Picked Up at the Grocery Store in 2022

published Dec 14, 2022
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lidl grocery store

Whether you were on the hunt for pillowy loaves, flaky pastries, or fruit-laden pies (that could totally pass for homemade!), chances are high the bakery section at your local grocery store had what you kneaded. These aisles are stocked with vast amounts of cakes, cookies, bagels, breads, and more — many of which are baked daily in-house.

We rounded up our favorite bakery buys from retailers across the country, including bulk warehouses, regional chains, and discount grocers. These are the top five that made our dreams crumb true in 2022.

1. Bake Shop Bakery Dutch Apple Pie, $3.49 for 24 ounces

If we had to pick just one item from Aldi’s bakery section, this Bake Shop Bakery Dutch Apple Pie is what’s going in our cart. The crust is golden, flaky, and buttery. And then there’s the streusel topping! This streusel, tumbled on top of the fruit filling, has contrasting crumb sizes with a cinnamon sugar flavor. It’s magical and the closest we’ve ever tasted to a homemade slice.

Credit: Su-Jit Lin

2. Costco Kirkland Signature Almond Danishes, $9.99 for 2 (4-packs) of Danishes

Costco’s bakery section is well-known for its buttery croissants and oversized mini cakes, and this year we’re adding these flaky almond danishes to that list of big-name baked goods. Expect a beautiful crunch to your first bite, followed by a flooding of flavor (in the best way!). The soft, crumbling paste of marzipan sweetness and a toasty note from the almond slivers baked on top will warm you up from the outside in.

Credit: Stephanie Ganz

3. Publix Challah, $4.49 each

Earlier this fall, this loaf took the top prize in our side-by-side taste test for best grocery store challah. The rich, egg- and sugar-enriched loaves are baked in-store each morning using a mix made at Publix’s corporate kitchen. The golden-brown, super-shiny exterior looks like the Platonic ideal of challah. It also has a well-developed flavor, and the bread’s sweetness is balanced with a touch of salt. While the challah is great sliced straight off the loaf, it also toasts well. (Pro tip: Slather honey butter on toasted slices for breakfast.)

Credit: Amanda Marikar

4. Lidl Curved Butter Croissant, $.69 each

Hand picking a still-warm croissant out of the case with crinkly paper and tearing into its crisp pastry layers to reveal a cloud-like, steamy, tender interior, is one of life’s joys — like a pastry hug. Lidl’s Curved Butter Crossaint is one of the best croissants that we tasted this side of the Atlantic. The flaky crescent will transport you to a Parisian café. All you need is the café au lait. (Luckily, Lidl has that, too.)

5. Wellsley Farms Chocolate Chunk Cookies, $8.29 for 37 ounces

You can get a chocolate chip cookie almost anywhere, but we insist you make the trek to BJ’s Wholesale Club for these Wellsley Farms Chocolate Chunk Cookies. They’re hefty and chewy and loaded with chocolate, like a good cookie should be. A few seconds in the microwave make them taste fresh out of the oven. They even make the best ice cream sandwiches!

Do you have a favorite grocery store bakery find from 2022? Tell us about it in the comments.