We Tried Costco’s Brand New Pretzel Bagel

Pretzels, to me, are inexplicably one of the best foods I can get my hands on. They’re deceptively simple but have loads of flavor and are eternally satisfying. They’re salty, easy to eat, and always ready to take on the go. Whether you’re getting a pretzel from a street stall in Washington Square Park, making yourself the best egg sandwich on a pretzel bun, or snacking on crispy pretzel sticks to ease your appetite during the final hours of the workday, having some kind of pretzel around always brings a smile to my face. It’s never a bad idea.

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Apparently, Costco had the same idea. Following the launch of their bagels, Costco took this opportunity to celebrate the new line of goods with a universally loved flavor of bread. A pretzel bagel. It’s almost ridiculous to me that I haven’t thought about this combination before. Two of my favorite foods made into one delicious combo―what could be more delicious than that? Well with that thought, I had to go and see for myself. Did Costco knock it out of the park or was it an unnecessary addition to the already vast array of Costco products?

Here’s What We Think

Frankly, I went into this test test with very high expectations. I’m of the belief that it’s very hard to make a genuinely bad pretzel of any kind. I don’t know if I’ve actually run into any pretzels that have been distinctly disappointing, and believe me, I’ve eaten a lot of pretzels. I’ve had the opportunity to try other flavors of Costco bagels, too. They’re nothing but delightful and superior to the quality of other grocery store bagels. Plus, if Costco is able to pull this flavor off, then it would mean that good affordable bagels would be available in more bulk quantities at a reasonable price. Eight Costco bagels are currently priced at $5.

Thankfully, for all of us pretzel lovers, these bagels were fantastic. You could tell that they’ve been freshly baked like most Costco baked goods. And they had all of the qualities of a bagel and pretzel that I find most desirable. They were chewy, fluffy, and uber rich in flavor.

Imagine the most delicious pretzel bun made in the shape and style of a bagel, so that it has that lovely chewy exterior. Unless you buy and eat them first thing in the morning, I doubt you will get a nice, crisp exterior. But the chew remains and is nice, salty, and flavorful like a good pretzel should be. My only complaint is the similarity it holds to pretzel buns. I’ve definitely had pretzel buns before that feel very similar to these due to the intrinsic similarity between bagels and pretzels. These just had a whole in the middle.