Costco members are used to having a steady supply of reliable desserts in the bakery. From sheet cakes that can feed a crowd to trays of chocolate chip cookies, the dessert selection is never lacking.
But every once in a while, the creative geniuses behind the bakery walls turn out limited-time offerings that absolutely set the warehouse club’s membership abuzz—and have them coming back year after year in hopes of a repeat from sweet favorites. Pumpkin cheesecake is one such dessert.
That’s right: Pumpkin cheesecake is back in store at Costco, and fans are running to the store to get one of the trays. Some are so excited they’re even bringing serving utensils and eating the dessert before they get out of the store.
On Reddit, one community member posted a photo of himself eating from a cheesecake at the store’s Food Court tables. They brought their own pie server just for the occasion. His smile—and the missing slice of cheesecake—say it all.
“Anyone who brings pie serving utensils to a Costco is my people,” another member replied.
Kimberly Holland/Southern Living
But other Costco shoppers aren’t too happy with what appears to be some changes to this year’s dessert. A few on social media have noted Costco has changed the recipe. For example, one person on Reddit wrote, “There is a little less cheesecake batter this year and a thick layer of pumpkin whipped topping. Pretty sure the border is whipped topping as well.”
Some are fans of the new formula—”I like the change. Previous years I would scrape the frosting off,” one person wrote—but others aren’t: “I tried it today and was disappointed. It hardly tastes like cheesecake. It now tastes really light and fluffy which is a shame,” another Reddit user wrote.
The sign at our Birmingham, Alabama-area warehouse describes the dessert as “Pumpkin Cheesecake With Whipped Topping.” A graham cracker crust is topped with pumpkin cheesecake and a pumpkin whipping topping. A sprinkling of toasted graham crumbles finishes off the top.
Since this was my family’s first time to try the dessert, we didn’t have anything to compare it to, but we still found it to be delicious, light, and fluffy. With such a big cheesecake (and such big slices), the balance of textures from the crust, whipped topping, and cheesecake filling weren’t overwhelming. But we did crave a cup of coffee to offset the sweetness.
Each cheesecake clocks in at more than four pounds, which is a gracious plenty to feed a crowd, and they’re $21.99 each. Like many limited-time offerings, there’s no telling when the pumpkin cheesecake will be gone for another year, so if you’re eager to try it, it’s time to plan a trip to your nearest store.
