- 4 hours ago
Ever wondered whether Costco or Sam’s Club bakery items are actually worth buying? In this video, Nicole taste-tests and compares a wide range of baked goods from both stores—from blueberry and chocolate muffins to buttery croissants, cookies, cakes, and more. She digs into everything from flaky pastries and classic cupcakes to baguettes, pies, and indulgent desserts, comparing not just flavor and texture, but also appearance and value for the price. Whether you're stocking up for a party or just craving something sweet, Nicole shares her honest take on which baked goods are worth grabbing—and which ones you might want to skip. Get ready for lots of sugar, plenty of carbs, and some surprising standouts you’ll want to add to your next warehouse run!
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LifestyleTranscript
00:00It's the battle of the bakeries, Costco versus Sam's.
00:03I'm trying and reviewing 10 of their most popular items.
00:06That way you can determine which club you wanna join.
00:08I'm gonna venture out and say the most popular bakery item
00:13at both stores are the croissants.
00:15So we have Sam's all butter croissants and then Costco.
00:22You may fight me on this.
00:24From the looks of it, I like Sam's better.
00:26It to me has that classic rounded croissant shape,
00:30which to me is easier if you're making sandwiches.
00:33Costco might be one that looks more authentic
00:37from maybe a French bakery, but for versatility,
00:41I'm probably gonna go Sam's over Costco
00:44if I was just going on looks.
00:46Costco just looks a little more messy in there.
00:50I feel like I'm gonna toast a couple of these
00:52just to kind of really heighten the flavor.
00:54While we do that, we can look at the amount and the value.
00:58$5.46 for a dozen croissants at Sam's, $5.99 at Costco.
01:03However, what I have learned,
01:05especially when you think about rotisserie chickens,
01:07Sam's will always have Costco beat
01:10even if it's just by two pennies or one penny.
01:13Highly recommend lightly tasting your croissant.
01:15What really matters when it comes to croissant
01:17is do you see like swirled layers on the inside, flaky layers?
01:22And you do, so it is a real croissant.
01:30And it's a nice croissant.
01:32Costco also has the swirly, flaky layers.
01:35I'm sure there's a technical term for that.
01:39Very similar.
01:40I will say the Costco croissant tastes a little better to me.
01:44It tastes a little more homemade for some reason.
01:46Versatility, I would go Sam's.
01:49Flavor and authenticity, probably going Costco.
01:53Value, pretty much equal.
01:55Let's get into the real desserts.
01:58Cupcakes, Costco and Sam's.
02:01You can see the visual difference right off the get-go,
02:04and that's in how they're packaged.
02:05Costco only had a 12-pack.
02:09They also only had the vanilla.
02:10That might have just been when I was shopping today.
02:14And Sam's is packaged by the two dozen.
02:17$16.48 for two dozen cupcakes.
02:20$8.99 for one dozen cupcakes from Costco.
02:24Price, both very reasonable.
02:27Sam's is going to come off as the better value.
02:29The fact that you get both chocolate and vanilla is great.
02:32However, if you're looking for just vanilla,
02:35might be screwed a little bit at Sam's.
02:37I'm not even going to taste the chocolate.
02:38We're just going to move that.
02:39When it comes to the perfect cupcake for me,
02:42I don't love a load of frosting on it.
02:45I like a good ratio of cake to frosting.
02:48Also, I love a buttercream frosting.
02:50And then, of course, we want a cake that is not too dry.
02:53Here are the two side-by-side.
02:54The Costco cupcake is a little bit bigger,
02:57but they weigh about the same.
02:59The Sam's feels a little more dense.
03:01The Sam's comes with a white frosting.
03:04Costco has a buttercream frosting.
03:06You can tell the color is a little less white.
03:08Both with sprinkles, Costco does have an option
03:10that does not include sprinkles.
03:11So that might be for you
03:12if you want to put your own decoration on top.
03:14So we'll start with Sam's.
03:16I feel like it's a little cupcake with a lot of frosting.
03:19So I'm just going to kind of do what I've seen on TikTok.
03:22The bottom comes to top for a better ratio.
03:26The frosting is so weak.
03:29That cake is good.
03:31My mom loves a Sam's cake.
03:33We've been getting Sam's cakes for a long time.
03:35Sam's cake looks homemade.
03:37It doesn't look like it came from a box.
03:39It's just like more held together in there.
03:41It's got like a nice sponge to it,
03:43as they say on the baking shows.
03:45Let's see what Costco has.
03:47Both of them have a little bit too much frosting for me also,
03:49but it's better than some of those fancy cupcake places.
03:57Costco frosting is better for sure.
03:59The cake is also really good,
04:03but I think the cake is better at Sam's.
04:06It's just like slightly drier than the Sam's version.
04:09When it comes to cupcakes or I think sheet cakes,
04:13Sam's is going to be the winner.
04:15Actually, let me do a blind test.
04:17Natalie is a cupcake connoisseur.
04:23Oh, it's like our wedding cake.
04:25I feel like Sam's.
04:26Can I open your eyes?
04:27Can I open your mouth?
04:30Which one do you like better?
04:32The second bite?
04:34Mm-hmm.
04:34No, the first bite.
04:35The first bite of Sam's.
04:37Really?
04:39Why does this feel so clean?
04:40Like, I feel like the...
04:42No, this is Sam's.
04:43This is the first bite you had.
04:45That cake is better.
04:47Yeah.
04:50That's so soft.
04:53But good.
04:54This one's a little drier.
04:55Just save a queue for me.
04:56Okay, you got it.
04:57Now time for one of God's greatest inventions,
05:00the baguette.
05:02Sam's two baguettes, $4.46 for just over a pound.
05:08Costco, a pound and a half for $4.99.
05:14The value might go to Costco here.
05:17Even though it's a little more expensive,
05:18you get a little more bread.
05:19The looks are very different.
05:20The Costco feels a little more substantial.
05:23The Costco looks a little more rustic.
05:26A little more for like your dinner baguette.
05:28Oh, I feel like I already have a winner.
05:30Just from the feel of it.
05:32From just the initial tear.
05:37Sam's feels a little tougher than Costco.
05:42When I say crusty bread, I like this crustiness on the outside.
05:45A good bit of it, but soft on the inside.
05:47That's what you want in a baguette.
05:49Crusty on the outside, soft on the inside.
05:51Both are soft on the inside.
05:53Costco is a little more crusty on the outside.
05:57Tasting it plain.
06:02Even before it's heated, the Costco tastes just more homemade and fresher.
06:08Did get good and toasty.
06:10Sam's version.
06:13Much better heated.
06:15You got to heat the baguette.
06:16It's like the whole bread is the inside.
06:19There's not a distinguish between the crusty part and the soft part.
06:24We've had several close ones so far, but this one to me is a no-brainer.
06:28Costco wins the baguette battle.
06:30Time to eat some chocolate cake.
06:32There are worse jobs to be had.
06:34Right here is the Sam's chocolate cake.
06:37At first glance, looks super indulgent.
06:41A little overwhelming.
06:42A little dry looking on the outside.
06:45This is the Costco chocolate cake.
06:49And at first glance, it looks a little more moist and a little more manageable.
06:54Both have cookie crumbs, which I like.
06:57But I do like the look of the Costco cookie crumbs on the outside.
07:00Because they kind of just remind me of that kind of like soft, like Oreo cookie.
07:04Sam's is brownie batter.
07:06Costco chocolate mousse.
07:08And here's what they look like on the inside.
07:11I stand corrected.
07:13Sam's chocolate cake does indeed look moist on the inside.
07:19However, it looks so rich.
07:21My teeth are kind of hurting.
07:22I like the dense looking crumb of the Sam's cake.
07:25But here it goes.
07:26Is it going to be too rich?
07:32Mmm.
07:34That is delicious.
07:35It is like perfectly balanced.
07:38Not too rich, despite the color.
07:40A delicious chocolate taste.
07:42And like in that frosting, kind of has like tiny crunchy bits.
07:48Which reminds me of Texas sheet cake.
07:50And I love Texas sheet cake.
07:53I was not expecting that.
07:55I thought that was going to be overwhelming.
07:56Costco also looks quite rich, but I do love chocolate mousse.
07:59Definitely feels like a drier crumb to it.
08:09Totally different flavor.
08:10It feels like three different chocolates.
08:11I mean, I guess because it is.
08:13Something about this chocolate tastes more like just pure chocolate.
08:17And this one tastes like chocolate, but mixed with some other things.
08:22I don't know if that makes sense.
08:24Neither cake is too sweet.
08:25So it does balance with the sweet frosting.
08:28But I'm going to have to give the chocolate cake battle to Sam's.
08:34Don't be sleeping on Sam's cakes.
08:36It's pie time now, which happens to be one of my favorite desserts.
08:40So both stores have seasonal pies.
08:44And since we are in the spring summer season, we have from Sam's, a key lime pie.
08:51And from Costco, a lemon custard pie.
08:55Right off, you can see the size difference, but there's also a price difference.
08:59This key lime pie is $9.98.
09:02Looks homemade because it doesn't look perfect.
09:05And I mean that as a compliment.
09:06Like I like seeing the little streaks.
09:08Like someone just took their little spatula and went over it.
09:10And the lemon custard pie from Costco, $18.99.
09:14However, I would argue that even though it costs twice as much, I think it is twice as much.
09:19But do we want lemon or do we want lime?
09:22Ooh, cut like butter.
09:24Looks pretty good.
09:25The crust is extra crumbly.
09:27What I'm looking for in the perfect kind of pie like this is like creamy and tanginess.
09:33Like the perfect balance of that in the custard.
09:36And a buttery, almost like a salty sweet in the crust.
09:40Different crust.
09:41One is like pie crust and one is a graham cracker crust.
09:43And I did, this was user error.
09:47No points deducting from this crust breakage.
09:50My prediction is that I'm going to like the Sam's pie better.
09:55Because I love a graham cracker crust.
09:57And I feel like it's going to be salty sweet.
10:04Sweet and tangy balance.
10:05Not too tangy.
10:06Like it's not too tart that it hurts.
10:09But you still like does taste like lime.
10:17Mmm.
10:18Both fillings are really good.
10:20I do think a buttery, flaky crust is appropriate with this lemon pie.
10:24But just personal preference.
10:26I like the graham cracker crust with the key lime.
10:29The lemon is really bright and fresh, but it doesn't have that tartness.
10:34You don't want it to be too tart.
10:35But this one almost doesn't have any tart.
10:38Whipped cream tastes a little more homemade than this one.
10:40It's a win-win either way.
10:42But for me, seasonal pie winner, Sam's.
10:48The muffins.
10:49There's lots to choose from at both stores.
10:52I chose, I think the most popular flavor of muffins.
10:55Blueberry and chocolate.
10:57Sam's, you get six large muffins for $5.87.
11:01So less than a dollar a piece for this big ol' muffin.
11:05Costco is $6.99 for eight muffins.
11:09Also, less than a dollar a piece.
11:12For about a dollar more, you get two more servings in the Costco.
11:16Starting with the blueberry, Sam's, and Costco.
11:21From the looks of it, I feel like I already have a winner.
11:23Although I can see pros to both.
11:26I love a blueberry muffin with a streusel topping.
11:30I used to buy that box and make it.
11:33That was like one of the first things I learned how to bake.
11:36So love that.
11:38The Sam's blueberry muffins have those tiny blueberries.
11:42I kind of like that because sometimes you don't want a big juicy bite.
11:45So you can have, you know, more scattered throughout a little more evenly.
11:48From the get-go, it looks like, to me, Costco's is a little more sophisticated.
11:53It looks like it came from a little more of an expensive bakery.
11:57They're not perfect, so just kind of looks a little more homemade.
12:01The Sam's ones look a little more like they were made from a mix.
12:05But really, at the end of the day, the most important factor is taste, but also value.
12:09Let's just see what they look like straight out.
12:11Looks good inside.
12:13I like that you didn't see a bunch of crumbs fall out.
12:16So it tells me that hopefully it's not too dry.
12:19There's a good ratio of blueberry to muffin.
12:23It's tender and moist, not overly sweet, so it's not a dessert.
12:30It's a breakfast.
12:31Very Costco, also very tender.
12:35The crumbs did not fall out, although it looks slightly drier.
12:42The Costco muffin tastes more like cake.
12:46I thought I had a clear winner from the get-go.
12:50But I'm going with the Sam's blueberry muffin.
12:54It tastes more like a blueberry muffin.
12:55I wish I could have the Costco topping on the Sam's muffin if I really wanted
13:00to have the best of both worlds.
13:03Now for the chocolate.
13:05Definite visual difference, just like the blueberry muffins.
13:08Right off the bat, again, I like the look of the Costco one better,
13:12just in the fact that it looks a little more homemade and a little less overwhelming.
13:16However, the Sam's version looks more moist off the get-go.
13:21Let's start with Costco this time.
13:24Feels more like cake.
13:29Very good.
13:30Very good chocolate flavor.
13:32Not overly sweet, so therefore you know it's a muffin and not a cake.
13:35The Sam's version, definite moisture running through.
13:37The bottom looks a little dry.
13:44I think I like the Costco chocolate muffin better.
13:46The flavor of the chocolate just feels more real.
13:50So when it comes to muffins for a party, which is really how I shop the Costco or Sam's bakery
13:57the most,
13:58is when I'm entertaining.
13:59Costco is going to be the way to go.
14:00They just look better.
14:01If you're buying muffins for your kids, they love to eat them for breakfast in the morning.
14:04You can cut them in half.
14:05I've seen somebody freeze them in halves for a quick and easy breakfast,
14:09or if they're having a sleepover, Sam's might be the way to go.
14:13Flavor, blueberry muffin winner goes to Sam's.
14:17Chocolate muffin goes to Costco.
14:19Do with that what you will.
14:20Probably the item I pick up most frequently from the bakery, the multi-pack of cookies.
14:25Both come in a multi-pack, and they both have the same flavors.
14:28Chocolate chip, macadamia, and oatmeal raisin.
14:32Sam's, you get 18 cookies for $7.48.
14:38Costco, you get 24 cookies for $10.
14:43I need to do the math.
14:4542 cents a cookie at Sam's and 42 cents a cookie at Costco.
14:52We'll start with chocolate chip.
14:53Both use chunks instead of round chips.
14:56I feel like if you're more of a chocolate lover, you're going to want the Costco one.
15:00Before I taste, let's talk about what makes the perfect cookie.
15:03I'm more of like a soft and chewy kind of girl, so I would like some softness to the cookie.
15:08A little bit of gooeyness.
15:09I kind of like them when they're kind of raw, so I definitely don't want a dry cookie.
15:15Sam's chocolate chip does seem soft and does look homemade.
15:20Off the bat, I feel like Costco's looks a little more factory made.
15:25I feel like the Sam's cookie is going to be a little more moist.
15:33Solid chocolate chip.
15:37I like the flavor, but it's too dry.
15:40White chocolate macadamia.
15:42I feel like the problem with this pack is that the Costco cookie looks like it maybe was like
15:47slightly over baked.
15:48There's definitely more thickness in the Costco cookies versus the Sam's cookies,
15:53but it's all about the flavor.
15:59I kind of like the flavor better of the Costco one.
16:02The Sam's one's a little sweet, but also very good and very similar.
16:06I like the texture of the Sam's one better.
16:08And oatmeal raisin.
16:09Overall appearance, it's like Costco's a little bit better, but overall, so far,
16:16the flavor of Sam's is kind of winning.
16:18This one doesn't seem as dry as the other ones from Costco.
16:23You're missing out on these oatmeal raisins.
16:25That's good.
16:26I taste the cinnamon and the nutmeg or whatever's in there.
16:29Like nice warm spices in there.
16:34Also really good flavor.
16:36I like both of the oatmeal raisins.
16:39So, values a tie, but when it comes to what I love most about a cookie,
16:44Sam's is the winner.
16:46They're chewy.
16:46They're not over baked.
16:48They're not dry.
16:49And they taste good.
16:50Cookies go to Sam's.
16:52Having a brunch or the perfect Sunday morning breakfast, the Danish section.
16:57Had to cover it because they both have it and they look very similar.
17:01Costco, I did not see an individual price.
17:04I don't know if you can even just buy one pack or you're going to get charged the same.
17:07Theirs comes two for $11.99.
17:11Sam's, you get four for $5.98.
17:14I'm pretty sure that's exactly the same price.
17:17Doesn't that equal the same price?
17:18The only flavors I saw at Costco are apple and cream cheese.
17:21We know cream cheese Danish is superior.
17:24Sam's has a pack with all cream cheese or you had to get a multi-pack.
17:30So they don't have an all apple pack.
17:32So we are going to test the cream cheese and the apple.
17:35Sam's cream cheese and apple, Costco cream cheese and apple.
17:38My first impression, Costco wins because of the amount of cream cheese filling,
17:43which happens to be my favorite.
17:46Versus Sam's feels more just like a croissant.
17:48The apple fillings look about similar, but I do like the filling to bread ratio on Costco versus Sam's.
17:56Looks like Sam's has a clear sort of glaze on theirs and Costco has that powdered sugar kind of drizzle
18:02over the top.
18:02The only thing I don't like about Costco versus Sam's is all the cracks in the cream cheese in this
18:09one.
18:09I feel like both of them are only going to be justified if you heat them up,
18:14which we know if we're buying these because we have some out of town guests that we're going to heat
18:20them up for them
18:20and act like we went all out, you know, heat them up before they wake up.
18:26Warm them up just a little.
18:27As you can see, super buttery and moist, sticky, a little messy.
18:36That bottom is nice and buttery, perfect amount of sweetness.
18:40Don't love the way it looks, but love the way it tastes.
18:44Sam's held together better.
18:49The pastry on Sam's is very delicate, but it doesn't have that good cream cheese flavor.
18:55I feel like there's something maybe artificial in there, but I like the pastry a lot.
19:01I don't know.
19:01I'm going to, maybe let me just, we'll do an all-encompassing Danish score at the end.
19:07I mean, the pastry is so yellow.
19:10I don't know if it's butter.
19:11It could be egg yolk, I guess.
19:14Those apples on the Costco Danish are very tangy.
19:21Flavor is about the same.
19:22I like that you can see real, like more chunks of apple in Costco.
19:25But the pastry on the Danish from Sam's wins.
19:31It is so tender and moist, it kind of like melts in your mouth.
19:36I love the pastry on the Sam's Danish.
19:39I wish the cream cheese flavor and the cream cheese Danish tasted more like Costco's,
19:44but I guess I'm going to have to give the edge for Danish to Sam's because the value is the
19:50same.
19:51The battle of the most all-American dessert up next, pound cake.
19:55Both in similar packaging, similar size.
19:59Ooh, Sam's coming in a little more expensive and they weigh the exact same.
20:06Sam's pound cake, $7.84.
20:11Costco all butter pound cake, $6.99.
20:15I like the coloring of the Costco version, but I like this kind of crack right here.
20:22Seems a little more homemade.
20:24It almost seems like they might have just overcooked the Sam's version a little bit.
20:28Let's talk about what I like in a pound cake.
20:29I've already said I like the kind of crackly edge.
20:31That means like the sugar has kind of risen so it forms that crust.
20:35But super moist on the inside.
20:38I like it moist and I like it super dense.
20:41Okay, Costco.
20:43The density, just by looks, is better on Costco.
20:47You can see.
20:52That tastes like a simple vanilla cake.
20:56I do think this would be a great base.
20:58Like I said, if you are wanting to, you know, turn this into strawberry shortcake
21:03or grill some peaches and you just need a base, excellent choice.
21:07And a really affordable choice for $6.99.
21:10You can get a lot of slices out of this.
21:12It is very tender.
21:14It's not dry, but when the bar is set high with my balls pound.
21:21The flavors are very similar.
21:23The moisture content is very similar.
21:25The Sam's almost has like a burnt taste.
21:28Neither one really tastes like a pound cake.
21:30If you're looking for something in a pinch to then zhuzh up,
21:34I would justify buying a pound cake.
21:36And the winner of the pound cake battle though, it's got to go to Costco.
21:40Our final dessert is a bar cake.
21:42Both stores have a variety of bar cakes.
21:46A lot of them incorporate trends like Sam's has a Dubai chocolate situation.
21:52Costco had a tres leches version and they both have the carrot cake bar cake.
21:58What's great about a bar cake is they're easy.
22:00If you are going somewhere, you need to bring a dessert because they're easy to slice.
22:04You can get a lot of slices out of it.
22:06It just makes for easy service.
22:09Sam's comes in, $16.98.
22:12What am I looking for in a bar cake?
22:14Same thing I'm looking for in all the cakes.
22:16More of a dense crumb with a lot of moisture.
22:18Also, a frosting that's not too sweet.
22:21They both have a cream cheese frosting, which is classic, with a carrot cake.
22:25Costco version seems a little bigger, but also is $2 more expensive, $18.99.
22:33At first glance, sort of like the pies, this is a reverse situation
22:38because the Costco version looks a little more homemade.
22:41Looks a little less perfect.
22:43Looks like the person took the little spatula and did the swooshes in there.
22:47This one looks a little more professional kind of factory.
22:51Moisture looks about the same.
22:53They both are very similar in the sense that I can see pineapple, carrot, and the nuts in there.
22:58You know, pretty much throughout this whole thing, it's been a really close competition.
23:03You're going to have to pick your favorite items to determine which club you want to be in.
23:12Flavor is really good.
23:13Cream cheese frosting is really good.
23:15Moisture is a little lacking, which I'm surprised by, Sam's.
23:18But everything else is very well balanced and it's not an overly sweet cake.
23:22Well, this is the kind of cake I like to eat for breakfast, Costco.
23:30I thought it was going to be moister than that.
23:35But it's not.
23:36And you can see all those carrots, it should be really moist.
23:39So maybe this is like a one-off from each of them.
23:41But, y'all, when it comes to cake, Sam's is just winning.
23:46At the end of the day, they came out pretty close.
23:49I think when it comes to breads, Costco has that in the bag.
23:54And when it comes to cakes, Sam's is the winner.
23:57Everything else is pretty much a tie.
23:58So it's up to you which club you're going to join.
24:02Let me know if there are any stores or products I should review next.
24:06I need something salty.
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