As fall 2020 arrived, many people were grateful for some cool weather and a few food-friendly
holidays on the horizon. But pumpkin pie aficionados know there's another reason to celebrate:
September through December is Pumpkin Pie Season at Costco.
If you don't know, Costco's pumpkin pie is a 12-serving delight that is so popular that
millions fly off the shelves each year. There's even an entire Facebook page dedicated to
its greatness. These pumpkin pies are super handy if you don't have time to bake one at
home for your next holiday dinner, or if you're simply in the mood for that sweet, but fleeting
taste of fall.
"Oh, come on. Turkey, sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie? You gotta love all that."
That said, recent online chatter among Costco pumpkin pie fans has revealed a surprising
flaw in this beloved holiday staple that may cause you to rethink your dessert plans this
year. If you're getting ready to head out to Costco to pick up a pie or two, consider
their warnings first.
Comments on the coupon and savings blog Hip 2 Save relayed some interesting and unpleasant
observations about the texture of Costco's pumpkin pie that are definitely cause for
concern. Users were perplexed and dismayed by the presence of a gritty, sandy feel in
the pumpkin pie filling.
One commenter stated,
"My mom said she didn't like Costco pumpkin pie because it was gritty. I got two pies
after that and noticed the grittiness in both of them. It worried me because it seemed to
be coming from the filling. What on earth would be gritty in the filling??"
Another chimed in, saying,
"I bought one from Costco [last November] and another to take to our daughter's house
on Thanksgiving. Same grittiness."
"Oh. My mouth tastes so bad all of a sudden."
So, what's actually going on with this Costco bakery favorite?
The pumpkins used in Costco's pumpkin pies are a variety called Dickinson. According
to Costco Connection, they come from an enormous facility owned by Seneca Foods in Illinois.
Each year, tens of thousands of pounds of pumpkins are picked, processed, and shipped
off to Costco bakeries, where they are transformed into those mouth-watering holiday pies.
Epicurious notes that those same Dickinson pumpkins happen to also be used in the well-known
Libby's brand of canned pumpkin. A Facebook post from a Libby's customer revealed some
unsavory details about the texture of Costco's famous pies.
The original post from Darcy Schultz called out Libby's pumpkin for being gritty and racked
up more than 400 comments, with several noting that Costco's pumpkin pies are plagued by
the same problem. Folks obviously assumed Costco pies were being made from Libby's canned
pumpkin. That isn't exactly the case; they just use the same variety of pumpkin. But
that doesn't make these pie-lovers' claims of sandy, gritty pumpkin pies from Costco
any less true, and they certainly weren't shy about sharing.
Several comments mentioned that unwelcome grit and the disturbing texture it imparts
to what should be a smooth, silky pie filling, with claims like,
"Every time I eat a Costco pumpkin pie I get a bit of grit/sand in it!"
Another added,
"Every pie from Costco that I get feels crunchy. The most recent one, [it] is like the number
one ingredient is sand."
Another person noted,
"Just had some pumpkin pie from Costco and it had weird sand grain type things too!"
For its part, Libby's responded to the comments about sand and grit in the texture of its
canned pumpkin:
"We use multiple washing systems on the pumpkin but, like lettuce, some tiny grit or sand
can make it through our washing process."
Most likely, Costco's explanation would be along the same lines, and while it definitely
solves the mystery of gritty pie, it's still a little gross. None of the Costco commenters
tagged the big-box retailer in their posts, though, so we've yet to see a corporate response.
Costco has been using the same pie recipe since 1987, and we're sure it never included
sand nor grit. Even so, in light of these fans' discoveries, you may just want to think
twice before buying a Costco pumpkin pie for your next fall meal.
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