The Beloved $10 Costco Staple I Buy Every Year During the Holidays (It’s So Much Cheaper — and High Quality!)

December started, and I turned into a baking machine overnight. Between holiday parties and perfecting my recipes for cookie exchanges, my oven is clocking in overtime hours and I’m going through more butter, flour, and eggs than I’d like to admit. This amount of baking can get expensive, and my trick for saving a little bit of money this time of year comes from my favorite bulk warehouse! 

In fact, I get a lot of my baking supplies from Costco to save some extra money, including chocolate chips and baking sheets. It ends up being at least $100 in savings with the sheer amount I use! But the one thing I buy at the end of each November that lasts me well throughout the holidays? The Kirkland Signature Pure Vanilla Extract.

My family has been shopping at Costco for the past three decades (at least), and over the years the 16-ounce bottle of Kirkland Signature Pure Vanilla Extract has been a permanent fixture in our pantry. I’ve naturally kept the tradition going now that I live on my own. In fact, it’s the one thing my cupboard can’t live without. 

I’ve saved so much money over the years — at least $50 this baking season alone — and my baked goods are better for it. A 1-ounce name-brand bottle of vanilla extract retails for around $4, while Costco’s hefty bottle, which BTW is 16 times larger, costs just under $10. I KNOW! It’s one of the greatest (and savviest) grocery budget tips I have up my sleeve. 

Beyond its price point, it’s some quality vanilla. It’s not as potent as using vanilla beans or paste (no extract is), but it’s made of vanilla bean extractives in water and alcohol that really lets that vanilla flavor shine in all sorts of baked goods like cookies, cakes, and brownies.

I’m using less than a tablespoon of vanilla at a time (I have a heavy hand), so this bulk-size extract lasts me well throughout the holiday season and into the New Year.

However you typically use vanilla extract! There are the basics like chocolate chip cookies, tiramisu, and vanilla cakes. 

If you want to get even more mileage out of this bottle, I recommend also adding a teaspoon or so to your cocktails. I made one of the best espresso martinis of my life with a dash of vanilla extract and will never drink it the same from here on out!  

Find it in stores: Kirkland Signature Pure Vanilla Extract, $9.99 for 16 ounces 

What is your go-to Costco baking staple? Tell us about it in the comments below.