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Costco’s butter croissants are legendary. They’re much larger than any others you’ll find at traditional grocery stores, and of course they come in a super-sized quantity, perfect for feeding a crowd ham and cheese croissants or making several breakfast casseroles. We even selected them as our favorite store-bought croissant in a head-to-head taste test with other croissants.
So when I spotted all-new croissants in Costco’s bakery, imagine how quickly I rushed to pick up a box and try one. (I might have set a land-speed record.)
Now in Costcos, you’ll find almond croissants, a decidedly sweeter pastry than the original croissants. And instead of the traditional crescent shape, these are round and stacked extra tall. (From my estimation, they’re made in the same pan as Costco’s famous over-sized muffins.)
Once you get a bite or two into the buttery layers, you’ll find that the croissant is filled with what Costco calls an “almond filling” and sliced almonds. Each is also topped with (depending on the box you get) a healthy dusting of powdered sugar or a meager one (add more if your own, in that case).
I tried the croissant at room temperature, right out of the box. These pastries are every bit as flaky as you’d hope. The outside layers shatter at first bite. The almond filling has a true marzipan flavor, so if you swoon for sweet almond-sugar dough, you will want to buy two boxes of these croissants. The bits of almond are a nice textural contrast to the buttery, sugary filling and pastry.
To be honest, I had hoped for more of a custard filling, something a bit creamier against the croissant, but the almond filling manages to not be dense or chewy.
Kimberly Holland/Southern Living
Costco members who’ve already spotted and snatched up a box of these croissants seem to agree with us in their positive praises. The creators of @costcoguide on Instagram described these as “incredible” and “perfection.”
One commenter suggested warming the pastry in the microwave for 30 seconds. “They are delish,” they wrote.
A box of six croissant pastries is just shy of $12, making each one just about $2. That’s an unbeatable bargain, especially considering how large each pastry is. I honestly was only able to eat half before I was entirely too full.
If you’re a Costco loyalist, you may think these are not in fact new, but let me assure you they are. Some people are confusing the almond croissants for the almond danishes, which have been around (intermittently) for several years—and I did spot those with the other danishes a table over from the croissants at my store in suburban Birmingham, Alabama. These are all-new and never released before, so if you need a reason to hop in the car and hit the warehouse store this weekend, here’s a good one.