Avoid This Mini Aldi Bakery Item Customers Say Tastes Like Chemicals

Aldi is known for incredible bargains and store-brand dupes that are even better than name-brand counterparts. Unfortunately, not all of the products are praise-worthy. And Aldi's Bake Shop mini muffins are on customers' no-no lists.

Aldi Bake Shop bakery-fresh mini muffins come in blueberry and chocolate chip varieties. Neither variety was a hit with customers, who have bemoaned a change in ingredients. One customer on Reddit said, "The texture is way too soft and the flavor tastes super fake." To that effect, a common grievance was the taste, which one Redditor described as "very artificial [and] almost chemical," with many concerned parents referring to their preservatives as poison. Furthermore, someone else on Reddit said, "[The] mini blueberry muffins not only taste more artificial but also increased in calories."

While Aldi's mini muffins used to be a beloved staple in many customers' households, changes in the ingredients have rendered them exiled from shopping lists. Luckily, Aldi's bakery and packaged baked goods selection has some real winners according to our taste tests as well as customers. In fact, Aldi's Bake Shop regular-sized fresh blueberry muffins are one of the best grocery store blueberry muffins, according to customers.

Aldi also has boxed mini-muffin mixes in blueberry, chocolate chip, and confetti flavors, but customers weren't happy with these, either. In a post to the Aldi Aisle of Shame Facebook page, one customer said that the boxed confetti muffins were dense, dry, and lacking flavor. Facebookers complained of their inconsistency, stating that they were sometimes super dry and sometimes moist and delicious. Even more concerning is the presence of what one Redditor referred to as "hard rubbery pieces, almost like they didn't properly mix the emulsifier or something." Customers recommend buying Aldi cake mixes, like the highly lauded Baker's Corner Classic Yellow Cake Mix, to make their own version of mini muffins instead. All you need is a mini muffin tin or silicone mold.

We compiled a list of 13 items to buy for first-timers at Aldi, and both packaged and fresh bakery items made the list. We love Aldi's Bake Shop cinnamon rolls that come smothered in a super sweet sticky frosting with an ultra-buttery, soft bread that pulls apart beautifully. Other baked goods that first-time shoppers can't go wrong with are Aldi Bake Shop cookies, featuring a wide selection that consistently rank among the best Aldi baked goods. The carrot cake sandwich cookies with cream cheese icing were our favorites, but they're a seasonal product. The oatmeal cranberry cookies are another fan favorite that is available year-round.