4 Costco Bakery Items You Need To Refrigerate And 5 You Don't

When it comes to bulk grocery shopping, Costco is the place to go, but the warehouse is also home to an excellent bakery section. There are so many different items worth buying from Costco's bakery, including everything from the variety of store-baked cookies (which our taster tried and ranked) to breads, bagels, and pastries galore. Of course, in true Costco style, these items usually come in bulk, meaning you're purchasing an entire, several-pound cake rather than just a single slice.

If you're living in a small household, there may be tons of leftovers — and where there are leftovers, there is the age-old question: Should this be refrigerated, or can it live on the kitchen counter? Fortunately for you, we've created a handy guide to denote which of Costco's most popular bakery items should be refrigerated and which ones are safe to leave on the counter. While this list is not exhaustive, as Costco sells plenty of bakery items, we included some of the biggest hits it has to offer. As always prices may vary based on location.

Costco makes a mean cheesecake (some say it can even pass for homemade). This hefty, 12-inch dessert is chock-full of dairy, which makes it one you'll definitely want to keep tucked away in the fridge. Bring a slice up to room temperature before serving if you prefer.

Purchase the Kirkland Signature 12-inch Cheesecake at Costco for $22.69.

Unless you want to bid farewell to those flaky layers, don't refrigerate this 12-pack of Costco croissants. These baked treats have received critical acclaim from shoppers for their French bakery-level texture and flavor. The last thing you want to do is ruin it by popping them in the fridge. 

Purchase the Kirkland Signature Butter Croissants at Costco for $6.80.

It shouldn't be a surprise that this showstopper of a cake was ruled by one of our tasters to be the best that Costco offers. It's rich, with plenty of chocolate and mousse, which makes this one cake that you'll want to refrigerate to preserve its texture. The cake layer may get a bit dry, but it's worth it for the sake of the overall consistency.

Purchase the Kirkland Signature Tuxedo Chocolate Mousse Cake at Costco for $21.55.

These chocolate chunk cookies are a must for business events and casual mixers. This isn't just because they're hard to dislike, but because you don't need to run back and forth between the fridge and the snack table when serving them. These cookies can stay out, unrefrigerated, all night long.

Purchase the Kirkland Signature Gourmet Chocolate Chunk Cookies at Costco for $11.34.

As the name suggests, a tres leches cake does contain a lot of milk. Thus, you will want to keep this dessert chilled. Additionally, since Costco version also has a mousse layer, it's doubly important to tuck away in the fridge when you're not devouring it.

Purchase the Kirkland Signature Caramel Tres Leches Bar Cake at Costco for $20.42.

This lemon blueberry loaf is a quick bread, and since it doesn't appear to contain any sort of cream layer, it's safe to leave it on the counter for a few days. This will help keep the streusel topping crisp and not make the cake underneath soggy. Just be sure to enjoy it before it goes bad.

Purchase the Kirkland Signature Lemon Blueberry Loaf at Costco for $10.20.

If there was one item on this list that we were in between about refrigerating, it's these blueberry caramelized cheesecake croissants. Croissants don't need to be refrigerated, but since these contain a cream cheese layer, we'll err on the side of caution. Pop the leftovers in the fridge after your first few bites.

Purchase Kirkland Signature Blueberry Caramelized Cheesecake Croissants at Costco for $14.74.

If you want to feed a small army dessert, then this nearly 5-pound apple pie is for you. Traditionally, fruit pies don't need to be refrigerated for a few days. Although, this apple pie is so good that we doubt there will be much left over.

Purchase the Kirkland Signature Lattice Apple Pie at Costco for $14.74.

No children's birthday party would be complete without these cupcakes, which come covered in buttercream and sprinkles. Although the "butter" in "buttercream" may make you assume these need to be refrigerated, they actually don't need to be if they go quickly. If you're buying them a week or so in advance, however, consider tossing them in the fridge.

Purchase the Kirkland Signature White Cupcakes with White Buttercream at Costco for $10.20.