Costco’s fall lineup has plenty to tempt you: a layered pumpkin cheesecake, buttery apple pastries, easy freezer lunches and the return of the food-court churro. These 12 finds stood out in our September 20–29 scan. Here is what the taste tests and shopper feedback suggest is worth buying, what needs a closer look, and what we would pass on.
Research window: September 20–29, 2026. Our ratings weigh published taste tests, shopper feedback, price and convenience. They are editorial recommendations, not hands-on RetailShout taste-test scores. We checked recent sightings against earlier reviews of returning products and note where the evidence is limited. Prices are observed US warehouse prices and vary by location; delivery prices may be higher.
This Week’s Costco Finds: What to Buy, Consider or Skip
1. Kirkland Signature Pumpkin Cheesecake with Whipped Topping
Price: About $21.99 each | Size: One full-size cheesecake
Why it is on this week’s list: Returning fall bakery favorite, featured during September 20–29.
Best dessert for a crowd. If you need one dessert for a fall gathering, this is the strongest pick in the group.
Taste & Texture: A graham crust supports pumpkin cheesecake, a thick pumpkin whipped topping and toasted graham crumbs. A September taste test praised the contrast between the creamy base and lighter topping, with gentle spice and some cheesecake tang. It also noted occasional graininess, so expect a layered dessert rather than a perfectly uniform filling.
Before You Buy: The whipped topping is a substantial part of each slice. That is a selling point if you enjoy a lighter finish, but it may disappoint anyone who wants dense cheesecake from top to bottom. Member feedback also includes shoppers who would prefer separate pumpkin pie and plain cheesecake.
How to Serve It: Serve it chilled and cut modest slices with a clean knife, wiping the blade between cuts to keep the layers distinct. For a small gathering, put out individual portions and keep the remaining cake refrigerated.
Pair It With: Black coffee or unsweetened tea balances the rich filling. Tart berries would add a fresh contrast.
Verdict: BUY — 8.5/10. A useful centerpiece for a gathering, with favorable current tasting feedback and an easy presentation. Its value depends on having enough people to enjoy a full-size cheesecake.
2. Cuisine Adventures French Onion Soup
Price: About $11.99 | Size: Six individual 10-ounce soups
Why it is on this week’s list: Returning freezer favorite, spotted in September 25 shopping coverage.
Best freezer shortcut. Six separate portions make this an easy freezer option for lunches, starters or a quick addition to dinner.
Taste & Texture: The soup combines slowly simmered onions, Swiss cheese and croutons in an individually portioned format. Earlier taste tests describe savory onion flavor with a little sweetness and a relatively light broth. The appeal is a comforting bowl with very little preparation, particularly at roughly $2 per portion.
Before You Buy: The cooking method affects the topping. Microwaving is convenient, but the croutons soften and the cheese mixes into the soup. The oven option is more appealing if you want a browned surface. The US carton pictured is labeled vegetarian; check your own package because versions sold elsewhere can differ.
How to Serve It: Heat only the portions you need, following the package directions. For the oven method, use a suitable oven-safe bowl with room for the soup and topping. Plan to add a sandwich or salad if this is the main part of your meal.
Pair It With: Grilled cheese makes an easy lunch combination. A green salad keeps a dinner pairing lighter.
Verdict: BUY — 8.5/10. A good repeat purchase for convenience and portion control. Think of each bowl as a starter or part of lunch when deciding whether the six-pack fits your routine.
3. Kirkland Signature Caramel Apple Strudel Bites
Price: About $7.99 | Size: 12 strudel bites
Why it is on this week’s list: Returning fall bakery item, spotted in September 26 shopping coverage.
Best bakery value. These are a particularly good fit for the person who always wants the flaky edge of an apple pastry.
Taste & Texture: The all-butter pastry, caramel-apple filling and crystal-sugar finish give these bites their appeal. Both a current September tasting and an earlier independent test liked the pastry while wanting more apple. The filling plays a smaller role than the shell, and some bites may contain very little fruit.
Before You Buy: The balance matters more than the name. If you want a generous pocket of soft apple, the tray may disappoint. If buttery layers and a crisp sugar topping are what you enjoy, the same proportion becomes a reason to buy.
How to Serve It: Warm just the portions you plan to eat, following any package guidance. Serve them on small plates to catch the flakes, and add a little vanilla ice cream if you want to turn a bakery snack into dessert.
Pair It With: Coffee for an afternoon treat, or vanilla ice cream after dinner.
Verdict: BUY — 8/10. Good bakery value at roughly 67–75 cents each. The recommendation is strongest for pastry lovers; shoppers who want more fruit should be more selective.
4. FatBoy Cinnamon Churro Ice Cream Sandwiches
Price: About $10.99 where spotted | Size: 12 sandwiches, 4 fluid ounces each
Why it is on this week’s list: Recent Costco arrival, recorded in September 21 warehouse observations; the flavor predates this month.
Most interesting recent freezer arrival. The 12-pack combines cinnamon cookies, vanilla ice cream and a sea-salt caramel center at about 92 cents per sandwich.
Taste & Texture: This is a cookie-and-ice-cream sandwich built around churro flavors. An earlier independent tasting particularly enjoyed the caramel-containing bites and found that the cinnamon lingered. The combination should appeal most to shoppers who want a noticeable cinnamon-cookie flavor with their vanilla ice cream.
Before You Buy: Cookie texture is the main uncertainty. Some shopper feedback describes firm cookies that squeeze out the filling when bitten. The older flavor reviews help set expectations, but feedback specific to Costco’s newer 12-pack is still limited.
How to Serve It: Serve one at a time on a small plate and have a napkin ready for the filling. An individually portioned dessert is convenient, but check freezer space before buying a dozen, especially if you have not tried the flavor.
Pair It With: Coffee after dinner gives the sweet caramel filling a useful contrast; the sandwich also works as a dessert on its own.
Verdict: BUY — 8/10. Worth trying if you like strong cinnamon and caramel. The 8/10 is a provisional recommendation while more feedback on the Costco pack develops.
5. Snack Factory White Crème & Peppermint Pretzel Crisps
Price: About $9.40 | Size: 20-ounce bag
Why it is on this week’s list: Returning holiday snack, spotted in September 25–26 shopping coverage.
Best sweet-and-salty snack. For a quick dessert-board addition, this bag offers a different texture from the cookies and chocolates already in the pantry.
Taste & Texture: A thin, salty pretzel sits under a white coating and crunchy peppermint candy pieces. Earlier independent reviews liked the sweet-and-salty balance, with one noting that the mint stayed relatively restrained. That combination gives the snack several kinds of crunch without requiring a large portion.
Before You Buy: The bag says “White Crème,” although some store listings use “white chocolate.” It is a sweet coated snack with pretzel underneath, so buy it for dessert or a snack mix rather than expecting a mostly savory cracker.
How to Serve It: Pour a small amount into a bowl and reseal the bag. For a simple party platter, set the crisps beside dark chocolate and plain roasted nuts so guests can alternate flavors instead of eating only sweet coated snacks.
Pair It With: Dark chocolate, roasted nuts or unsweetened hot cocoa.
Verdict: BUY — 8/10. An easy seasonal buy for peppermint fans at about 47 cents per ounce. The 20-ounce bag makes the most sense when several people will share it.
6. Kirkland Signature Pumpkin Streusel Muffins
Price: About $6.99 | Size: Eight 4-ounce muffins
Why it is on this week’s list: Returning fall bakery item, featured in September 20–27 seasonal coverage.
Best inexpensive fall breakfast. The eight-pack gives you a four-ounce muffin for about 87 cents, making it an inexpensive way to bring fall flavor to breakfast.
Taste & Texture: The current September taste test praised a moist, substantial crumb with a cinnamon-sugar streusel topping. An earlier comparison found a drier, less flavorful result. Member feedback also varies: some enjoy the restrained sweetness, while others want a more pronounced pumpkin flavor.
Before You Buy: That disagreement keeps these from being an automatic recommendation for every pumpkin fan. They are a better match for someone who wants a mild breakfast muffin than someone looking for a heavily spiced dessert. The crumb and topping matter as much as the pumpkin flavor here.
How to Serve It: Warm a muffin lightly and try it plain first. If eight is more than your household will finish promptly, wrap and freeze the extras while fresh so you can take out smaller portions later.
Pair It With: Plain Greek yogurt adds a tangy contrast, while sliced apple or coffee keeps breakfast simple.
Verdict: BUY — 7.5/10. A reasonable buy for the price and convenient portion size. Mixed texture reports keep the rating at 7.5/10, with a preference for mild pumpkin flavor likely to help.
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7. Tipiak French Macarons
Costco catalog image. Seasonal packaging and flavor assortment may vary.
Price: About $11.99 where spotted | Size: 36 macarons; assortment varies
Why it is on this week’s list: Returning seasonal assortment, featured in September 25 shopping coverage.
Best low-effort dessert platter. At about 33 cents each, these make a varied dessert platter easy to put together without buying several separate desserts.
Taste & Texture: Earlier independent taste tests generally liked Tipiak’s delicate outer shell and chewy middle. They support the macarons as a convenient sharing dessert, but those tests cover previous assortments. Flavor-specific praise for an older box cannot establish how every flavor in this week’s selection will taste.
Before You Buy: The assortment rotates, and the flavors at your warehouse may differ from the catalog photo. Check the box before buying, especially if one particular flavor is the reason for the purchase. Keep expectations focused on a convenient packaged dessert.
How to Serve It: Keep the macarons refrigerated and follow the serving guidance on your box. Put out a small selection at a time, with the different colors arranged together, so guests can choose without handling the entire tray.
Pair It With: Espresso, tea or fresh raspberries would work well alongside the sweet fillings.
Verdict: BUY — 7.5/10. A practical party purchase for variety and presentation. The 7.5/10 remains provisional for the current assortment because the stronger tasting evidence covers earlier boxes.
8. Kirkland Signature Chicken Pot Pie
Price: About $3.99 per pound | Size: Variable-weight pie, typically around 5 pounds
Why it is on this week’s list: Returning fall deli favorite, included in September 27 seasonal coverage.
Best family comfort dinner. At the reported $3.99 per pound, a five-pound pie would cost about $20; the actual label determines your total.
Taste & Texture: Earlier firsthand reviews praised the creamy filling and substantial amount of chicken beneath the crust. That makes the pie appealing as a comforting main dish when several people are eating together. Its main convenience is that the assembly is already done, leaving the baking to you.
Before You Buy: Some member feedback describes the filling as salty or heavy on sauce. The large size also brings a practical question: will your household enjoy the leftovers? Compare the package weight and total price, rather than assuming every pie is the same size.
How to Serve It: Allow the oven time specified on your own package; this is not a ready-to-eat deli meal. Plan your side dish while it bakes and decide how you will divide the pie before serving, particularly for a smaller household.
Pair It With: Green beans, broccoli or a salad with a tangy dressing give the rich filling some contrast.
Verdict: BUY — 7.5/10. Good value when you have a plan for a large family meal. Less attractive for a small household that dislikes leftovers or prefers a lighter, less creamy filling.
9. Rana French Onion-Style Ravioli Bake Kit with Beef Sauce
Price: About $13.99; $9.79 reported on promotion | Size: 35-ounce refrigerated kit
Why it is on this week’s list: Returning kit, discussed September 22–23 and featured in September 27 shopping coverage.
Best dinner to consider on sale. Roasted-onion ravioli, beef sauce with caramelized onions and Fontina cheese give this refrigerated kit a rich dinner-ready combination.
Taste & Texture: The sauce is the main reason enthusiastic shoppers recommend it: their feedback describes a savory, rich flavor with some of French onion soup’s appeal. Other replies are less positive about the beef texture and the amount of sauce relative to pasta, with some wishing the kit included more ravioli.
Before You Buy: The 35-ounce package includes the sauce, so its total weight does not tell you how much pasta is inside. Some shoppers found the meal yield modest for hungry adults. A reported $9.79 promotion improves the value over the roughly $13.99 regular price, but check your shelf tag.
How to Serve It: The current catalog lists a 30-minute cook time; follow the instructions on your package for assembly and heating. Add a salad or vegetable side, then assess how many satisfying dinner portions the kit gives your household.
Pair It With: A crunchy green salad balances the richness. Crusty bread is useful for the sauce left on the plate.
Verdict: MAYBE — 7/10. A more appealing first purchase on sale. Best suited to shoppers who enjoy onion gravy and understand that a large refrigerated kit may still need sides to make a family dinner.
10. Laoban Chinese Style BBQ Pork Bao Buns
Price: About $15.98 | Size: 12 bao buns
Why it is on this week’s list: Established freezer item, featured September 25 with price observations on September 28.
Most divisive freezer snack. The 12-count bag makes a convenient freezer snack at roughly $1.33 a bun, with individual portions you can heat as needed.
Taste & Texture: An earlier published taste test praised the soft bun and chopped Berkshire pork filling, describing hoisin, soy and five-spice flavors. That review found the seasoning satisfying despite some saltiness. The appeal is the contrast between the mild dough and a much more strongly flavored center.
Before You Buy: Member reactions are divided. Some buy the buns again, while others find the filling too salty or simply dislike its flavor. That makes the seasoning a more useful deciding factor than the enthusiasm of any single review.
How to Serve It: Follow the package’s heating directions and try a bun before adding sauce. The filling may already have all the seasoning you want. Start with a small portion and add lightly seasoned vegetables if you are building a meal around it.
Pair It With: Cucumber salad, steamed vegetables or a lightly dressed slaw bring freshness to the savory filling.
Verdict: MAYBE — 7/10. Worth considering for convenient portions if you enjoy bold barbecue-pork flavors. A sample, when available, would be particularly helpful before committing to the full bag.
11. Costco Food Court Twisted Churro
RetailShout archive illustration of the twisted churro; presentation may vary.
Price: About $1.49 | Size: One food-court churro
Why it is on this week’s list: Returning for a limited time, with fresh shopper reports September 25–27.
Biggest comeback conversation. A single serving at about $1.49 makes the churro one of the lowest-cost ways to try something on this list.
Taste & Texture: Recent first impressions from several locations are mixed. Some shoppers are pleased to have a warm cinnamon-sugar treat again. Others describe a soft or doughy interior, limited crunch, or less cinnamon sweetness than expected. These reports concern the returning item, which makes them more useful than memories of an older version.
Before You Buy: Texture is the main deciding factor: a softer churro may suit one person and disappoint someone expecting a crisp exterior. Freshness and holding time may also affect the result. The return is rolling out by warehouse, so check your own food court.
How to Serve It: Eat it soon after purchase, while it is still warm. Share one if you only want a few bites, and judge the current version before deciding whether it belongs in your usual post-shopping routine.
Pair It With: A few bites of vanilla soft serve would turn it into a larger dessert.
Verdict: MAYBE — 6/10. An affordable curiosity purchase, but the mixed texture reports keep it at 6/10. It is easy to try once without committing to a bulk package.
12. La Vie Gourmand Swedish Meatballs
Price: About $15.78 | Size: 32-ounce refrigerated meal
Why it is on this week’s list: Returning prepared meal, featured in September 25 shopping coverage.
The most cautious verdict. The refrigerated tray includes beef meatballs, creamy gravy and red berry sauce, with side dishes left for you to add.
Taste & Texture: Three separate earlier shopper discussions contain recurring complaints about meatball texture and value. Descriptions range from soft to rubbery or gristly, and some buyers feel there is a lot of sauce for the amount of meat. Other shoppers do enjoy the gravy and the convenience, so the reaction is not entirely negative.
Before You Buy: The 32-ounce weight covers the whole meal, including its sauces. Do not treat it as two pounds of meatballs when assessing the price. The package describes the accompaniment as red berry sauce; the available information does not establish that it is lingonberry.
How to Serve It: If you already enjoy this product, prepare it as directed and add the berry sauce to taste. For a first purchase, a sample would be useful because an appealing gravy cannot settle whether you like the meatballs’ texture.
Pair It With: Mashed potatoes and steamed green beans would make it a more complete dinner.
Verdict: SKIP — 4.5/10. The least convincing first-time purchase here at roughly $16. The 4.5/10 reflects recurring earlier feedback; a fresh shelf sighting does not demonstrate that the texture has changed.
Choose around the meals and occasions you actually have planned. The cheesecake suits a gathering, the soup is easy to portion, and the strudel bites offer a modestly priced bakery treat. For the richer prepared meals, check the amount of food as well as the package weight, and allow the mixed texture feedback to guide your choice.
Product photos are from Costco’s catalog or the RetailShout image library; catalog packaging may vary. The featured image is an AI-assisted editorial collage. Pairings and serving suggestions are editorial ideas unless otherwise attributed.
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