Nothing says autumn quite like pumpkin pie on the counter. And, even before the leaves have hit the ground, you can bring home one of Costco’s famous pumpkin pies right now.
Sure, the flavor and the price ($6.99) are both winners but the reason this particular pie has become such a staple of Thanksgiving spreads over the past few years is because of its size. Costco’s massive pumpkin pies are 12 inches across and weigh more than 3 pounds each!
Costco says it sells a few million of these pumpkin pies every year to eager addicts who don’t want to spend fall in their kitchens baking their own. However, the warehouse retailer certainly doesn’t wait until fall to start dishing these monsters out, as Hip2Save reported seeing them as early as Aug. 26 this year.
In fact, Costco’s pumpkin pie is so beloved that there is even a Twitter account devoted solely to celebrating the deliciousness of this dessert. Talk about dedication to a righteous cause! That account, @CostcoPie, posted that the pie was back on Sept. 1:
WE ARE BACK! pic.twitter.com/8qsdiSR7e1
— Costco's Pumpkin Pie (@CostcoPie) September 2, 2021
Over the years, fans of Costco’s mammoth fall treats have shared their excitement about the annual return on social media.
In 2019, @thatonesmvoice tweeted that the power of Costco’s pumpkin pie was similar to the miracle of life — at least for their husband:
Bought my husband a Costco pumpkin pie and I've never seen his eyes light up so bright since our daughter was born
—
yourealreadythevoiceinsidemyyead (@thatonesmvoice) September 10, 2019
Several people on Twitter have claimed they hold a Costco membership simply for the pumpkin pie and @luuvjazz posted that September 2021 is already a wonderful month because of the return of the pastry.
costco has pumpkin pie again? the month is already off to a great start
— jaz
(@luuvjazz) September 1, 2021
In case you wondered what makes Costco pies something special — aside from the size — they are made with no preservatives (which is why they are always in the refrigerated section). And the pie’s backstory might surprise you: The recipe was created by Costco’s vice president of bakery operations, Sue McConnaha and has reportedly been unchanged since 1987.
Made with spices, whole eggs and a mix of other top-secret ingredients, the Kirkland pumpkin pie weighs in at three and a half pounds.
Here’s another secret behind the Kirkland pumpkin pies: The pumpkins all come straight from America’s heartland. Costco’s pumpkin pies are all made with Dickinson pumpkins grown in Illinois, which is the same brand of pumpkins that are found in the famous Libby canned pumpkins.
“It’s a little bit heartier than, say, the Jack-o’-Lantern pumpkin, and the meat is thicker,” said Seneca Foods’ canning plant manager Wally Hochsprung, when explaining the appeal of Dickinson pumpkins to Costco Connection in October 2016. “Ours are typically 10 to 12 pounds.”
Can’t get enough fall flavors? Along with their famous pumpkin roll and Kirkland Signature pumpkin streusel muffins, Costco has also been known to stock apple pie rolls. Crispy egg-roll wrappers are stuffed with apple pie filling, creating the perfect handheld autumn dessert. Yum!
Save us a slice!
This story originally appeared on Simplemost. Checkout Simplemost for additional stories.
