12 Of The Hands-Down Best Grocery Store Bakery Items We've Eaten In 2026 So Far

Tasting Table critics eat a whole lot of food during the year, which means they've compared a bunch of grocery store bakery items to one another and found some of them to be superb. So, we've compiled a list of the hands-down best treats based on our findings. Highlights range from incredible loaves of French bread to delectable cookies. There are pies, pastries, and even a cheesy pizza on our list that combines all of the best baked goods a shopper can pick up during their time combing grocery store aisles for delectable bargains.

There's not a single dud in the bunch here — everything on this list has been approved, enjoyed, and thoroughly rhapsodized by our staff. Accrued from a variety of articles published over the year, here are the 12 very best things (so far) that came from the bakery section across a variety of different supermarkets in 2026. 

Prices are as of the date of publication and may vary based on region.

Kroger's French bread earned top marks when Tasting Table's reviewer ranked eight grocery store bakery French breads against one another. Our critic noted that the loaf's crunchy and chewy exterior, tender crumb, nutty scent, and pleasantly tangy flavor all earned top marks, making it a worthy loaf for any occasion. 

Kroger's Bakery Fresh French Bread retails for $2.49 a loaf.

When it comes to these sugar-laden swirls, Whole Foods' buns landed near the top of the heap. In Tasting Table's ranking of a whole plethora of grocery store cinnamon rolls, our reviewer praised these cream cheese icing-frosted treats for their buttery flavor, soft texture, and overall high quality. 

Whole Foods' Cream Cheese Cinnamon Rolls are $10.99 for a four-pack.

Apple pies might seem like commonplace treats, but Sprouts truly excels at creating a slab of Americana worth singing about. Its Fresh Baked Double Crust Apple Pie came first place in Tasting Table's ranking of the seven best grocery store apple pies, with our tester noting how delicious the crust is, and how perfectly the pie filling itself marries together notes of cinnamon, brown sugar, maple, and apples.

Sprouts' Fresh Baked Double Crust Apple Pie retails for $6.99.

Donuts are a fairly common staple for grocery store bakeries, and the very best one hails from the Meijer chain of supermarkets. Standing out among a pack of 12 other grocery store donuts, Tasting Table's reviewer felt this one packed a cinnamon-centered punch without being too overly-sweet. "It's just like a Hostess or Little Debbie Honey Bun, only better, and as you make your way towards its center, it just becomes more and more satisfying," they said.

Meijer's White Iced Cinnamon Donut isn't currently available.

Mini cakes are just one of the many desserts offered up by Trader Joe's, and these coconut beauties were a big hit in our ranking of the very best cakes the grocer had to offer. Our reviewer had plenty of praise for the chewy texture and complex flavor of the cake, which they claimed wasn't coconut-heavy, but contained pleasant hints of ube and sweet potato.

Trader Joe's Chewy Thai Coconut Cakes sell for $3.79 a package.

There's nothing better than a buttery, rich, chocolate-laden cookie. After trying chocolate chip cookies from 10 grocery store bakeries, Tasting Table's reviewer decided that Trader Joe's cookie was the only one that really packed a punch. They noted that the treat tastes like it has real vanilla, and that the sea salt topping helped deepen the cookie's overall flavor.

Trader Joe's Sea Salt Chocolate Chunk Cookies retail for $4.99 a box.

This rich, chocolate-heavy dessert won the prize in Tasting Table's ranking of 10 grocery store Bundt cakes. Describing the tender cakes as decadently flavored and a true dream for anyone who loves chocolate, Tasting Table's reviewer gushed about this goodie, calling it the best Bundt cake you'll find anywhere, period.

Publix's Chocolate Petite Bundt Cakes are $3.87 for a four-pack.

Two-Bite Iced Donuts are sold in the bakery section of many a supermarket, but their frequent availability definitely doesn't mean that they're not special. These autumn-themed mini donuts were picked as the best store-bought baked Halloween treat in a Tasting Table ranking. Our tester praised the donuts' texture and not-too-sweet flavor, noting they make a good dessert or even breakfast.

This festive Two-Bite Iced Donuts cost $6.49 at supermarkets like Price Chopper. 

Six different types of brioche bread went head to head in our ranking of brioche from various grocery store brands, and only Trader Joe's loaf had the power to move Tasting Table's reviewer. Praising the bread's richness, they said its texture was incredibly luxurious and its flavor impressively rich. 

Trader Joe's Sliced Brioche is not currently available.

Just as it says on the package, Kroger's pie has three different kinds of cherries in it, which is one of the factors that put it over the top in Tasting Table's ranking of seven store-bought cherry pies. The unique flavor landscape — running the gamut from tasting a bit like strawberries or cherry candy to being tart — definitely makes it a must-eat treat.

A whole Kroger's Private Selection Triple Cherry Pie retails for $10.99.

Want to dig your teeth into a donut worth telling your friends about? A Tasting Table critic compared eight Walmart bakery donuts, and declared the glazed sour cream donut a symphony of wonderful flavors between the tart sour cream, buttery richness, and sweet icing. They thought it was so irresistible that they'd gladly buy a box the next time they headed to Walmart.

Walmart's Freshness Guaranteed Glazed Sour Cream Donuts retail for $4.64 a box.

While pizza might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of the bakery aisle, plenty of take-and-bake options exist there. A Tasting Table critic ranked six store-bought pizza options and determined that this cheesy, crispy pie was top notch.

Whole Foods' Cheese Pizza costs $12.