Costco Lemon Custard Pie Review
Author’s Note: I don’t work for Costco. This is not a paid or sponsored review. I don’t do that.
5 out of 10 grumpy curmudgeons agree.
If you were thinking “lemon meringue pie,” you’d probably be big mad. Costco’s new Lemon Custard Pie isn’t anything like that. The filling is milky and mellow, without the tart citrus or sugary assault of a typical lemon meringue.
But this is good pie. In fact, it might be one of my favorite Costco pies thus far. The lemon flavor is whisper-light, but the custard is rich and lush. I love the silky-smooth texture. It’s softer than flan, but firmer than pudding. It has a great balance of eggy-creaminess.
Best of all, it is not very sweet. This thrilled me. Perhaps I can eat a whole slice without buying my dentist a new vacation home.
Unfortunately, I found a bunch of grumpy curmudgeons on the internet who hate this pie. Being the grumpiest curmudgeon of all,* I was surprised to see this. The biggest complaints seem to be the lack of lemon flavor and the barely-there sweetness. The two things I appreciate most! Ugh. Grumpy curmudgeons just can’t see eye-to-eye, I guess.
But I’m right and everyone else is wrong. Hmmph!
I appreciate the aesthetics of this pie. Minus the mechanically-crimped crust, it has a vaguely homemade vibe. The piped garnish is thick with slightly irregular loops that make it look like it came from an artisan bakery, not a wholesale corporation. Well done, Costco.
This crust is advertised as “flakey.” Where’s the lie? I loved the delicate layers. The flavor is more savory than sweet. It’s also extremely tender, not dry or brittle. (Although, the crimped edges of mine fell off. Boo.) Because the custard is inherently moist, the crust gets “moister” over time. But (magically) not soggy.
I was disappointed to see this crust is made with shortening (soybean oil and friends). But not surprised. More about the ingredients later.
Overall, I like the gentle lemon flavor. It’s a combination of real lemon juice concentrate and “natural flavor.” But I think a little more sassy zip would be nice, too. Or even a more concentrated lemon syrup drizzle on top that is tangier and brighter. Or bits of lemon zest mixed into the custard. Or… candied lemon peel on top. That would elevate this pie. But at the end of the day, I’m still pretty happy with it the way it is.
(If you’re wondering how this compares to Costco’s Key Lime Pie, here’s my review.)
Serving the pie
I liked my Lemon Custard Pie served with fresh fruit, like raspberries. I think the tangy fruit helps boost the milder, milkier flavors of the pie. Plus, the pop of deep red against the yellow is soooo purty. It’s serendipitous, my friends. Try it.
My pie didn’t serve very well the first day — the crust separated from the custard, and disintegrated when trying to scoop out a slice. But it got progressively better as the days marched on. By the third day, my slices were razor-sharp. Like my devastating wit. Ahem.
(I also reviewed Costco’s Triple Chocolate Creme Pie. Here’s the scoop.)
Ingredients in Costco Lemon Custard Pie
Here’s my best attempt at typing out the ingredients, from the label:
- Half & Half (Milk, Cream)
- Lemon Filling (Corn Syrup, Sugar, Water, Sweetened Condensed Milk [Milk, Skim Milk, Sugar], Palm Oil, Modified Corn Starch, Lemon Juice Concentrate, Citric Acid, Mono- & Diglycerides, Natural Flavor, Beta Carotene [color], Sodium Metabi-sulfite)
- Whipped Topping (Water, Palm Kernel Oil, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Sugar, Dextrose, Coconut Oil, Carbohydrate Gum, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Monostearate, Polyglycerol Esters of Fatty Acids, Natural & Artificial Flavors, Salt, Sodium Citrate, Disodium Phosphate, Xanthan Gum, Soy Lecithin, Beta Carotene [color])
- Custard Pie Mix (Sugar, Modified Corn Starch, Natural Flavor, Soybean Oil, Nonfat Dry Milk, Dried Whole Egg, Wheat Flour)
- Pie Crust Base (Enriched Wheat Flour [Wheat Flour, Vitamin B3, B1, B2, B9, Iron), Soybean Oil, Dextrose, Salt, Egg Whites, Soy Flour, Whey)
- Eggs
- Whole Milk (Pasteurized Milk with Vitamin D)
- Shortening (Soybean Oil, Mono- and Diglycerides, To Protect Flavor [Tocopherols, Ascorbyl Palmitate, TBHQ, Citric Acid])
- Water
- Sugar
- Salt
I’m sad to see Sodium Metabisulfite, Polysorbate 60, TBHQ, Shortening, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Artificial Flavor, Dextrose, and friends in this list. This is definitely not health food! Did I still eat it? Yep.
Nutrition Facts
A serving is 4.25 ounces (1/16th a pie) and contains 350 calories. You get 19 grams of fat (11 grams saturated fat) and 4 grams protein. There are 39 grams total carbohydrates, of which 28 grams are sugar (26 grams “added sugar), but nooooo fiber. There’s 22% your daily value of cholesterol, and just 7% your daily value sodium per serving. You get a tickle of calcium and iron, with 6% each your daily value per serving. (Nutrition Facts source.)
Price and Servings
My pie weighed close to 4.5 pounds on my kitchen scale (label weight: 4.25 pounds) and cost a budget-crushing $19. Fortunately, I got a lot of servings for that price. Assuming 16 servings per pie, each slice costs $1.19. This is still cheaper per serving than most conventional pies. But, it ought to be.
This is a “Kirkland Signature” (Costco store-brand) product, and the item # is: 2003930.
Shelf Life
The “sell by” date on my pie allowed 2 days to consume. However, it’s now been 5 days since purchase, and I’m still eating it. It tastes pretty much the same, minus the softer crust. The whipped topping hasn’t deflated or melted. I’d say you can safely buy this a couple days before your event without any significant loss of quality.
Dramatic Conclusion
In my opinion, this is a stand-out pie. I would definitely buy it again. It helps that this is not a pie variety available at other stores near me. The “unique factor” makes it memorable.
I would not be ashamed to serve this at a nice dinner party — the quality of the custard is high, and the crust texture is way above average. I dislike the “whipped topping” (I will always be “Team Real Cream”), and the ingredients are wallowing in disagreeable “ick.” But, I am resigned to my fate.
On the infallible “Awesome-o-Meter,” this pie scores a gleeful “Yaaas.” Buy it. Or don’t. Curmudgeons gotta curmudge.
The End.
*Not an official title conferred upon me from the Worldwide Grumpy Curmudgeon Board. But it should be.
More Reviews You Might Like (or Hate)
Check out these other citrus-forward reviews I’ve written. Or don’t. Be that way, you wicked little curmudgeon!
