Costco Gooey Cinnamon Rolls (Kirkland) Review
Author’s Note: Not a paid or sponsored review. I don’t do that! I have no affiliation with Costco. These are my own weird little opinions.
My flabbers be gasted.
My “problem” with most cinnamon rolls is that they are too doughy in the center, and too sweet. Too mushy. Too unctuous. Slimy, even, like a slippery salesman with a flashy, fake smile.
I had not expected to write a glowing review of these Gooey Cinnamon Rolls from Costco. In fact, I don’t typically like commercially-made cinnamon rolls. It’s eerie to have nothing but positive things to say about these fluffy nuggets. My flabbers be gasted. Hmmph!
But where’s the goo?
Since Costco named these “Gooey Cinnamon Rolls,” I was expecting a gummy, soggy disaster. Quite the opposite — these are the most perfectly baked version I’ve ever tried. They are soft and fluffy in the center, but thoroughly cooked. Nary a doughy bit in sight.
But, also, not particularly gooey.
The only truly “gooey” part is the toffee-like brown sugar sauce underneath the rolls. Now, here is where it gets “sticky” (literally and metaphorically): the sauce serves best bubbling hot right out of the oven.
If you are a lonely single person (like I am), and you refrigerate the pan between noshing sessions, you will have trouble digging the rolls out of the stiff, hard toffee. And, the precious syrupy stuff won’t be soaked into the bottoms — or “gooey,” as intended. This is mildly tragic.
Yeah, you gotta bake ’em
Wait, let’s back up: a crucial piece of information about this Costco treat is that they do not arrive ready-to-eat. You are supposed to bake them at home before serving. I didn’t realize this at first. Don’t be like me. More about baking, microwaving, and leftovers later.
The cream cheese icing
The icing is phenomenal. I don’t even know what Costco did to make it taste this good. And I am not sure I want to know. It’s oddly fluffy and light. I think the whipped airiness prevents it from being too overpoweringly sweet. It melts on the tongue. But it’s also surprisingly flavorful, with a distinctly buttery and lightly tangy cream-cheese kick.
There isn’t tons of this magic icing. But for me, it was just the right amount. I am known to scrape off excess icing and throw it away. But in this instance, I scooped every scrap of icing off the plate and stuffed it in my gullet. It’s that good.
After heating, the icing is melty and oozy, without being too thin or runny. It soaks into the rolls, and yet remains a distinct texture.
(Why are my fingernails dirty? Because I teach art. That’s why.)
I relished all the flavors in these rolls — it’s the kind of savor that makes my brain scamper around and do somersaults. The cinnamon filling is richly spiced, but not overly sticky. In fact, this is the driest cinnamon roll filling I’ve ever experienced. But not in a bad way. Just not…you know…gooey.
How big are they?
A single roll is about 6 inches across and 3 inches high. At almost 1/2 pound each, these guys are chonkin.’
Likewise, the pan is nearly 10 inches wide, and it’s deep, too. It weighs almost 3 pounds. This is a lot of yummage for your tummage.
There are only six cinnamon rolls in this enormous pan. Part of me wishes there were twice as many (12 rolls) for the same size pan. But another part of me (the greedy part?) thinks the ridiculously huge size is essential to the magic. Yes, you will overindulge by eating a whole roll. But, it just feels right.
Ingredients in Costco Cinnamon Rolls
Here is my best attempt at deciphering these truncated ingredients, from the label. Tsk!
- Bleached Enriched Wheat Flour (Wheat Flour, Malted Barley Flour, Niacin, Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid)
- Sugar
- Butter (Cream, and/or Milk, Salt)
- Water
- Cream Cheese (Pasteurized Cultured Milk & Cream, Salt, Guar Gum, Carob Bean Gum)
- Brown Sugar
- Contains 2% or less of the following: Honey, Soybean Oil, Dextrose, Invert Syrup, Yeast, Cinnamon, Salt, Soy Flour, Leavening (Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Sodium Bicarbonate), Eggs, Gum Arabic, Modified Cornstarch, Mono- & Diglycerides, Wheat Starch, Datem, Corn Starch, Betta Carotene (Color), Cellulose Gum, Enzyme, Xanthan Gum
Butter is the third ingredient. Yay, butter!
This is actually a much cleaner and simpler ingredient list than I expected. So, double-yay.
Price and Servings
The 44 ounce pan cost $12.99 at my local Costco. Since there are 6 rolls per pan, that is $2.17 each.
This is a “Kirkland Signature” (Costco store-brand) item, and the product # is: 1010124.
Heating Instructions
Costco’s Cinnamon Rolls are baked in a deep aluminum pan, which goes directly into your oven for re-heating. This is essential to melt the icing and liquify the gooey brown sugar sauce on the bottom. Just 325 degrees for 5-7 minutes does the trick.
Shelf-Life
My pan had a “sell-by” date about 3 days after purchase. However, I ate these slowly over 6 days. They perk up nicely if microwaved for 30 seconds before serving. Not quite as good as freshly baked. There’s the issue with the gooey toffee on the bottom. It’s just not the same when microwaved.
If you have a choice, these Cinnamon Rolls definitely taste best freshly baked in the pan (they’ll be gooier!) and eaten all at once.
Dramatic Conclusion
These were scrumptious. Magical, in fact. I would buy again, especially for a special event or family gathering. I think this is the perfect product for an easy, but impressive brunch item. A celebratory breakfast. Easter morning, perhaps. I am not sure why Costco doesn’t sell these Cinnamon Rolls year-round. Why, Costco? Why.
The End.
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