This $10 Costco Staple Tastes Like It Came from My Favorite Neighborhood Bakery

There are plenty of reasons to shop at Costco: the oversized pantry staples, the steep discounts offered in the meat section, and, of course, the freshly made baked goods. Arguably the hottest bakery around this spring, I am no stranger to the one inside Costco. Nearly half of my regular Costco hauls are an array of breads, croissants, cookies, and other pastries I just couldn’t pass up — literally. 

It’s a not-to-be-missed stop on every trip to the warehouse, and there’s one bakery item in particular that always finds its way into my cart: Costco Kirkland Signature Muffins.

Just like nearly everything else in the store, these muffins are jumbo. (They remind me of these “mini” Costco cakes — minus the frosting.) They’re priced per dozen so members can mix and match two six-pack flavors. It’s the best of the bulk buying world, if you ask me. Depending on where you shop, you’ll find a combo of classic flavors (blueberry, chocolate chip, double chocolate chip, and corn) available in most areas, and more specialty ones (banana chocolate chip, apple crumble, guava and cheese, and, my personal favorite, almond poppyseed). 

On a recent trip, I picked up a box of chocolate chip and my regular almond poppyseed. The chocolate chip is a light and sweet vanilla crumb reminiscent of pound cake, studded with rich and creamy milk chocolate. I particularly like the almond poppyseed because it’s a flavor combo that I’ve never seen before (lemon poppyseed, who?) and the texture is moist and cakey, like it came fresh out of a bakery case.

There are few joys on this earth like a warm muffin first thing in the morning, especially when eaten alongside a steaming mug of hot coffee. The combo just makes me feel like I’m spending an afternoon at my favorite cafe, but from the comfort of my own kitchen table.

While any Costco muffin is a delight on its own, I prefer my muffins cut in half and toasted in a pan. I melt a pat of butter on low heat and place the halves cut-side down in the pan until they get golden-brown and toasty. (If you haven’t tried this two-minute step yet, you really should!) Sometimes, I take it a step further and top each with a dollop of my favorite jam. It’s not a necessary step for all flavors, but it’s especially good with the almond poppyseed muffin — it adds a tangy zip and a little bit more moisture. 

And like Costco’s croissants, these are freezer-friendly. I’ve kept plastic-wrapped muffins in my freezer for as long as four months. When I’m ready to enjoy one, I take one straight from the freezer, slice, butter, and toast in the pan. (Pro tip: Cover the pan to warm through more evenly.) In lieu of toasting, you can also just leave them out on the counter overnight to defrost.

Even better is that these muffins are not just for breakfast, either — I’ve been known to snack on these for dessert. And I hear they’re the perfect base for a no-recipe smash cake, too.

Find it in stores: Costco Kirkland Signature Muffins, 2 (6-packs) for $9.99

What’s your favorite Costco bakery find? Sound off in the comments below.