There comes a time in every person’s life where they make the conscious decision to bake a lot. Typically, that is around the holidays, and it is a wonderful tradition to pass on and bless those around you with delicious treats.
In every family, the baking recipes all look slightly different, but the core ingredients tend to be the same. For this article, I compared two of the most popular stores to see where you will buy these core baking ingredients and save the most money.
I compared seven baking ingredients costs between Costco and Wal-Mart. Curious to see which store will save you the most money? Keep reading- the answer may surprise you!
Need a Costco membership discount? Grab one here.
Nestle Tollhouse Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
Costco: $10.99 for 72 oz (.15/oz)
Wal-Mart: $6.34 for 36 oz (.18/oz)
I am not sure about you, but I need to buy a lot of semi-sweet chocolate morsels every holiday season. I feel like I never have enough of these yummy things! This is why it is so important that I can get them at the best price.
While it is not a significant difference, every penny saved during the holidays can be used in other areas to make the best Christmas treats imaginable. Buying your chocolate chips at Costco will save you money.
BONUS: Some Costco locations have a Kirkland brand for chocolate chips, too, which is even cheaper.
Baking Cocoa Powder
Costco: $7.29 for 25 oz. (.29/oz)
Wal-Mart: $3.60 for 8 oz (.45/oz)
Baking cocoa powder is essential in so many recipes, especially when you need to make a chocolatey dessert like brownies or a cake from scratch.
Oh! Don’t forget the homemade hot cocoa! This is a smart purchase to have on hand for all of your baking needs all winter long.
If you are looking for the best deal on Baking Cocoa Powder, you need to shop at Costco!
Bonus: If you are looking for baking items to splurge on, check out our list here at Costco.
Clabber Girl Corn Starch
Costco: 3.49 for 3.5 pounds (.99/pound)
Wal-mart: 20.99 for 3.5 pounds (5.99/pound)
Cornstarch is one of those baking ingredients that a little goes a long way, but when baking in large quantities, as my family does at Christmastime, the big container is what you will need.
I was shocked when I saw the difference in price between Costco and Wal-Mart- the difference for a 3.5-pound container of Clabber Girl Cornstarch is over $17!
The winner of the best deal for this ingredient is clear- Costco!
Brown Sugar
Costco: $6.99 for 7 pounds (.99/pound)
Wal-Mart: $2.49 for 2 pounds (1.24/pound)
In my house, brown sugar is one of those essential ingredients that we use at least twice a week. I add it to oatmeal, bread, and of course, all of my baking. Because we use it so often, I need to find the best price for my growing family.
At Christmastime, we use a lot of brown sugar to bake cookies and caramel, so the 7 pound Costco bag is on my list!
While the difference isn’t as big as some of the other ingredients on this list, Costco is once again the winner for the best deal for baking ingredients.
All-Purpose Flour
Costco: $7.49 for 25 pounds (.29/pound)
Wal-Mart: $5.95 for 10 pounds (.59/pound)
You can not have a list of baking ingredients with one of the essential ones of all-all-purpose flour!
Flour is used for any sweet and savory dessert you can think of- muffins, cookies, sauces, batters, pie dough, brownies, waffles…. The list goes on and on!
The thing with flour is that you will go through it quickly. In my experience, most baking recipes call for a few cups of flour, meaning that you will need a lot of it! So no matter where you shop, you want to ensure that you get good quality all-purpose flour at the best price.
That makes our winner for best flour deal, Costco!
Arm & Hammer Baking Soda
Costco: $7.49 for 13.5 pounds (.55/pound)
Wal-Mart: $25.80 for 12 pounds (2.15/pound)
Baking soda has a reputation for being able to help your family with just about anything- from deep cleaning to teeth whitening to baking the most delicious chocolate chip cookies- you need to keep baking soda in your home!
Baking soda mixes beautifully in any recipe to make it taste just right for baking just about anything. Of course, the best deal for baking soda is the 13.5 bag of arm and hammer at Costco.
Organic Sugar
Costco: $9.49 for 10 pounds (.95/pound)
Wal-Mart: $5 for 4 pounds (1.25/pound)
Of course- sugar! This Kirkland signature brand sugar is organic and oh so sweet. When it comes to holiday baking, you will need it to make your recipes taste the best.
I know we go through dozens of cups of sugar for my own holiday baking, so a big bag from Costco is already on my radar. Then I compared the price to see which is the most cost-effective option and I was pleasantly surprised!
When you need sugar, shop at Costco!
In Summary of Baking Ingredients at Costco vs. Wal-Mart
When I sat down to compare baking ingredient prices between Costco and Wal-Mart, I was surprised at what I found! When you need so many different ingredients for holiday baking, the cost can increase quickly.
Throughout this article, I compared the cost of the top 7 baking ingredients and found that you can purchase each ingredient in bulk at Costco for a better price.
When shopping for all of your baking ingredients this Christmas, shop at Costco for the best deal!
one word
I love Costco for their baking items! I always find great deals on them.
Stacie Garafano
Great price on the Arm & Hammer baking soda! We use a lot of it since buying our new house in Georgia which has Septic. We have a membership for BJ’s but Costco is closer to us. We may have to get a Costco membership!