This Costco Bakery Favorite Arrives To Stores Frozen Solid, According To Reddit

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Among the many reasons Costco has earned legions of dedicated fans is the warehouse club's freshly made food offerings, ranging from pre-made meals to bakery favorites. Although Costco stores have fairly well-equipped kitchens and bakeries, the realities of the modern food supply chain mean certain apparently freshly baked offerings may not be as house-made as they seem. According to Reddit users in the know, it turns out the beloved Costco apple pie is among them.

In response to questions from curious customers, self-identified current and former Costco employees explained that the many items sold in Costco's bakery arrive in various states of preparation. While some are made completely from scratch, others are made from mixes, frozen and raw, frozen and par-baked, and frozen and ready-to-eat after thawing. Apple pies fall into the "frozen and raw" category, with workers saying they arrive with the frozen filling atop the uncooked bottom crust. In-store bakers add the top crust and other decorative elements, and then bake them in the warehouse's ovens. The result is a delicious mixture of methods that highlight how Costco has taken advantage of modern food logistics.

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Apple pies are certainly not alone in this frozen/raw category of Costco bakery items that aren't made fresh. Products that arrive in similar states of preparation include cookies, Danishes, and almond croissants, while frozen and parbaked items range from bagels to baguettes and rolls.

However, not every Costco pie is prepared in this hybrid fashion. Costco bakers have also posted about how most are actually made from scratch in the warehouse, including pumpkin, cherry, pecan, lemon meringue, strawberry rhubarb, and peach pies. This mixed approach is necessary to fulfill demand that can exceed millions of pies around holidays like Thanksgiving.

There's no denying the appeal of Costco's apple pie. In fact, it tops our list of Costco holiday pies ranked from worst to best. While it might not be made from scratch like mom or grandma used to make, it's still packed with the same incredible flavor and delectable texture, frozen or not.