As soon as autumn arrives, the Costco pumpkin pie has your pumpkin spice craving covered
14 Things You Didn’t Know About Costco’s Pumpkin Pie
Updated on Jul. 28, 2025
Costco has been making pumpkin pies for nearly 40 years
Costco’s bakery has been producing pumpkin pies, using the same recipe, since 1987. Back then, the pies were 10 inches; today, they’re 12. The recipe itself remains the same and comes straight from the kitchen of Sue McConnaha, the vice president of bakery operations at Costco.
Costco’s pumpkin pie arrives in the fall
The Costco pumpkin pie is usually available in stores from early fall to the end of December. Check your local Costco around mid-September to find this seasonal treat.
It’s made with real pumpkin
It sure is! Costco pumpkin pie is made from real pumpkin grown in the United States—in Illinois, to be exact. The Midwestern state, which provides the vast majority of America’s pumpkins, has just the right soil and weather conditions to produce the perfect pumpkins for decadent fall desserts.
The pumpkin in the pie is cooked twice
Like most pumpkin pies, Costco’s version relies on pumpkin puree. And every piece of pumpkin that goes into Costco’s puree gets cooked not once but twice. The chunks of pumpkin are cooked once before they’re pureed and then a second time after canning. The pureed pumpkin cooks for a full 5 1/2 hours before it’s pie-ready.
And it’s a lot of pumpkin. Every gallon-size can of puree shipped to Costco contains the contents of three pumpkins. The big-box store certainly doesn’t skimp on the pumpkin!
Costco keeps waste to a minimum
Three pumpkins for every gallon of puree leaves behind a lot of seeds. Happily, though, the seeds don’t end up in the trash. According to Costco Connection, the canning facility sends the seeds to a bird feed company.
Each pie weighs more than 3 pounds
When it comes to its offerings, Costco tends to go big, and its pumpkin pie is no exception. Each pie measures a full foot in diameter and weighs 58 ounces—that’s more than 3 1/2 pounds! If you’re serving a hungry crowd on Thanksgiving, this mega-pastry provides more than enough bang for your buck.
Costco’s pumpkin pie belongs in the refrigerator
Yes, you absolutely need to refrigerate your Costco pumpkin pie. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends that all “egg-rich” pies (think: pumpkin, pecan, lemon meringue and custard) be refrigerated for the same reason you refrigerate your eggs: to stop the growth of bacteria and decrease the likelihood of salmonella. While some bakeries use preservatives that may give these pies a shelf life at room temperature, Costco pumpkin pies are preservative-free and need to stay chilled.
The pumpkin pie freezes well
Want to buy this Costco dessert well in advance of the big holiday? You’re in luck: You can pop it in the freezer until you’re ready to chow down. Just note that you’re probably best off freezing it before you open it rather than freezing only part of the pie after you’ve eaten some.
The ingredients are pretty simple
Costco uses Dickinson pumpkins in all its pies—the same variety found in Libby’s pumpkin products. And the recipe is comfortingly simple: Each pie contains the twice-cooked pumpkin puree, eggs, water and a mix of dry ingredients such as sugar and spices.
Despite the pumpkin, the pie isn’t exactly healthy
It’s a fruit-based dessert (yes, a pumpkin is a fruit), but a dessert nonetheless. “A slice [1/12th of a whole pie] contains around 310 calories,” says Michelle Keldgord, co-founder of BakingHow. “Those calories include 11 grams of fat, 48 grams of carbohydrates and 30 grams of sugars.” How does that compare with recommended amounts? Well, a healthy amount of carbs, she adds, is 200 to 300 grams per day, while 44 to 77 grams of fat is a reasonable daily target.
It’s the sugar content, though, that’s really the eyebrow-raiser: “The daily recommended amount of sugar per day is around 30 grams [24 for women and 36 for men]. This means that a single slice of Costco pumpkin pie will hit the maximum recommended amount,” Keldgord explains.
So no, it’s not a health food. That certainly doesn’t mean you can’t partake, but enjoy Costco pumpkin pie in moderation.
Some may not be free of allergens
The ingredients in the Costco pumpkin pie stay the same from one store to the next, but the different processing facilities can’t guarantee all pies are allergen-free. “The allergen and cross-contamination warnings on labels can vary store to store,” says Marie Clark, managing editor of food, lifestyle and travel at CostContessa. “Some specifically include sesame and peanuts. Check the label at your store if you have allergies—don’t go by images from social media from other stores.”
It’s wildly popular
One thing that has changed about the pie since 1987: its social media presence. Fans take to Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and other online haunts to share their first sighting of the pie that year, plus other tidbits about the must-try dessert.
Business is booming
With their deliciousness, size and affordable price, it’s no surprise that these pies fly off the shelves. According to Fox Business, Costco sold 2.9 million pumpkin pies in 2023, more than apple and pecan pies combined. It’s all the more reason to shop early if you plan to bring a pumpkin pie to Thanksgiving.
You won’t find the pies online
While availability will vary greatly by location, you should be good to go if you pick one up at the store, provided it’s more than a week before Thanksgiving. They’re not sold online, though, no matter when you shop.
But last-minute Thanksgiving shoppers, be warned: According to Taste of Home, the bakery has been known to sell out of them before closing on the day before Turkey Day. If you want to be absolutely certain you’ll have a Costco pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving, the earlier you shop, the better.
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Sources:
- Yahoo News: “Costco’s Fabled Pumpkin Pie Is Back Way Ahead Of Schedule”
- USDA: “What is safe storage for pecan pie?”
- Fox Business: “Thanksgiving pies: How many does Costco sell?”
- Michelle Keldgord, co-founder of BakingHow
- Marie Clark, Costco expert and founder of CostContessa
