Give Your Fall Baking A Gourmet Upgrade With This Affordable Costco Find

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Vanilla beans have traditionally been one of the more expensive spices. This got worse during the COVID-19 pandemic, which increased demand as we all did more at-home baking, but the market has since normalized, and Costco shoppers can reap the benefits. When we're looking at Costco's best items to buy in October 2026, the Kirkland Signature Organic Madagascar Vanilla Beans have to be on every baker's list.

Why, exactly? What has Costco shoppers rejoicing? The price. "What an insanely nice price for that amount of vanilla beans!" one Reddit user wrote. Another added, "I personally think this is quite literally the best deal at Costco compared to supermarket prices on comparable goods." On the big box warehouse's website, the 20-count jar of vanilla beans is listed at $11.11 at the time of writing, so roughly $0.56 per bean. But shoppers have posted images from their local Costcos, showing the price as low as $9.69. Compared to other retailers, that's a steal any way you look at it. 

Wegmans carries a jar with two beans for $17.49 (for two, not 20!); Walmart sells two beans for $13.83 on its site; Kroger's Private Selection jar with two beans is regularly priced at $8.49 on its website; and Trader Joe's sells its Bourbon Vanilla Beans for $2.99 apiece. That intel shows what a good deal the Kirkland Signature offering is.

As Costco shoppers eagerly shared the news of well-priced vanilla beans on Reddit, they also discussed how they would be using them. Many wrote that they would be buying some to make vanilla extract by adding the pods to vodka, rum, or bourbon and letting them sit forever (or until it's all used up) because it's indefinitely shelf-stable. But there's so much more to use them for beyond homemade extract, especially as the weather cools. Making vanilla-infused sugar or salt is just one of the things to do with scraped vanilla bean pods. You could also consider adding an entire vanilla bean to work wonders on your next cake that you're making as part of your fall baking; your taste buds will do a happy dance as pure vanilla boogies across them. And if you're not a fan of cake, a wide range of fall dessert recipes that will make your day sweeter also require vanilla. 

If you see these vanilla beans at your Costco, grab them now. One shopper posted on Facebook warning others, "The cashier said they only get them once a year." Vanilla beans themselves usually last up to two years, and they tend to dry out rather than spoil in the traditional sense. As previously mentioned, however, you can make it into extract to increase its lifespan. You'll be grateful to have it when stocks run out or when prices rise.