Don't Skip These 9 Best Baked Goods At Aldi

"If I can't get it at Aldi, do I really need it?" is a question I find myself asking constantly. Sure, the store doesn't carry super niche spices, most big brands, and a wide selection of produce, but many of the items within its stores can be found at other grocers. The difference with Aldi, however, is the price. Aldi reels customers in with its low prices, and luckily for most items, low prices don't necessarily mean low-quality products. This is especially true when it comes to Aldi's bakery section.

For being such a small grocer (and one without an in-house bakery), Aldi carries an impressive selection of cookies, bagels, breads, desserts, breakfast treats, and more, many of which are the same, if not better, than you'd find at a Walmart, Trader Joe's, or regional grocery store. My years of food writing have allotted me the opportunity to try a whole bunch of Aldi products, including those from its bakery section. I've seen the great, the good, and the why-would-anyone-ever-buy-this. It's these experiences that have shaped my shopping habits and informed my own grocery purchases.

Luckily, you don't have to play grocery roulette, as I've assembled a list of my favorite items from Aldi's baked goods section. I've tried every single product myself within the past year, and based my choices on factors including the overall taste, texture, versatility, and quality, compared to other store-bought baked goods I've tried over the years. I'm confident that these items are great buys — for more than just their price.

When most people purchase cookies at a grocery store, it's usually the all-too-popular chocolate chip. If you're a fan of cookies that have a bit more depth to them, though, you're better off buying a clamshell container of these Bake Shop Bakery oatmeal cranberry cookies on your next Aldi run. Raisin haters will love them because the dried cranberry bits in these cookies don't get gummy nor do they rub on your molars like a plump raisin would. Instead, the fruit pieces seamlessly integrate into the surrounding cookie dough, which has prominent notes of brown sugar and oatmeal.

One of the reasons why I like these cookies so much is because the oats impart a softness to these cookies that Aldi's other cookie offerings don't have. In fact, Aldi's plain chocolate chunk cookies are one of the items I wouldn't recommend buying from the grocer because they don't have that same soft pull and character as these oatmeal cranberry ones. Dip the fruit-studded treats into your morning cup of coffee, eat them as a midday pick-me-up, or sandwich a spicy cinnamon or ginger ice cream between them for an ice cream sandwich you won't forget — I imagine the oatmeal inside of the cookies helps them freeze pretty soft, too.

I don't keep a ton of bread in my house, mainly because I can't get through a whole loaf before it goes bad. But for special occasions, or when I have enough space in my freezer to fit a whole loaf of bread, I love picking up one of Aldi's Specially Selected sliced brioche loaves. It comes in two flavor options: regular and chocolate chip. Both are excellent, but I think that they're excellent for entirely different purposes. The regular brioche bread is perfect for savory sandwiches and for bread puddings (just let it sit on the counter for a few days so that it dries out). The slices would make an excellent alternative to plain white bread in your sandwich. It wasn't as buttery as I initially expected, but the inclusion of enriching ingredients and extra fat helps make this bread super soft and subtly sweet. The chocolate chip bread, on the other hand, is one of my favorites for making French toast. The chocolate pieces melt just a little bit when the slices are covered in batter and placed into a hot pan.

Is either loaf the best brioche I've ever had? Of course not. But I don't think that should deter you from adding it to your cart. Plus, it's not often that you get a structurally sound and decent loaf of brioche for so cheap.

Aldi's bakery cookie selection is pretty elite, if I do say so myself. Not only are its cranberry oatmeal cookies a must-buy, but so are these kitchen sink cookies. Now, I will say that I prefer the cranberry oatmeal ones just a tad more than these cookies — which have chocolate chunks, peanut butter chips, pretzels, white chocolate, and coconut studding a peanut butter base — but I can appreciate the effort and the "kitchen sink-ness" of these cookies. Every bite is dynamic and unique because of this creative selections of add-ins. It almost feels like Aldi took inspiration from its iconic trail mixes and just threw everything it could into a cookie dough. The peanut butter base itself is excellent and could stand alone — though I'm glad that it invested in the add-ins. The only downside to this cookie is that you don't get the same amount of each add-in in every bite, and it can feel at times like you're searching for some validation that there are indeed pretzel pieces or coconut inside of it.

These would be a kid-favorite cookie, though they are sophisticated and tasty enough that adults would like them too. They are very sweet, so if you prefer a more dialed-back dessert, you're better off selecting one of the other Bake Shop Bakery options over this one. Still, in a world of bland grocery store cookies, this one is like a party (and afterparty) on your taste buds.

Rye bread is a staple for any household, especially if you're partial to a Reuben sandwich. When I stumbled upon this loaf of marbled rye at my local Aldi, I'll admit that I didn't expect all too much from it. It's hard to replicate the flavor of a quality, Jewish deli-level rye, but Aldi does come close — and at a great price to boot.

Each loaf is generously sized and boasts a delicious aroma that transports you straight to a Jewish deli. The slices themselves are also pretty big, perfect for open-faced sandwiches, Reubens, or for plain toast. If you don't like a seedy rye, though, you may not want to add this one to your cart. Each slice is complete with an ample sprinkle of anise seeds that helps elevate the eating experience from both a textural and taste standpoint. Other bread lovers may not feel the same, but if you're all about the seeds, I'm sure you'll enjoy it. Compared to the other breads I've bought and eaten from Aldi, I think that this swirled marbled rye really went all-out with the flavor. It's a well-salted selection that's incredibly versatile, high-quality, and worth purchasing.

I make a darn good blueberry muffin, so it's hard to find a brand that really impresses me. Aldi's Bake Shop Bakery, though, comes very close to being one of the best store-bought muffins I've ever had. These muffins come four to a pack and are generously sized; I could eat a couple of bites of one and be satisfied for a while. This isn't a stab at its taste, though, because if these muffins weren't as large and filling, I could probably eat a whole clamshell container of one and not complain at all.

The sponge is soft and decadent, almost cake-like, while each one is amply studded with fresh blueberries that don't taste like they were dehydrated or canned. Could you pass these muffins off as being homemade? Possibly, though I think the streusel topping gives them away as being store-bought. When I bit into the ones that I purchased from Aldi, I found that the streusel had gotten soggy, possibly because the muffins were pre-frozen and thawed before being added to my cart. But, if you bring a pack of these to the office, I doubt anyone will complain. They would taste especially good buttered and grilled.

If you ever see me eating a powdered donut out of what appears to be my own volition, you'll know that something is wrong. In the world of exciting donut flavors, including the likes of Boston creams, chocolate-frosted, sprinkled, or my personal favorite, Dunkin's blueberry donut, powdered cake donuts just don't compare. I had very minimal hopes for this store-bought clamshell container of donuts from Aldi, but ended up pleasantly surprised by their flavor and their texture — and even I went in for seconds.

These mini donuts are not the least bit dry or sad. Each one is plush and soft, almost melting in your mouth when you bite into it. The powdered sugar coating envelops each one in a sea of white and didn't make me cough when I went in for a bite. In terms of powdered donuts, Bake Shop Bakery does a great job. While Aldi only carries two types of mini donuts — powdered and chocolate-covered minis — I think that they would make a great addition to any home countertop, office, or snack drawer. And, if more people start buying them, it may give Aldi a reason to start selling even more flavors and varieties.

Take this piece of advice from someone who has attempted to make their own "naan" at home: It's never worth it. In order to make naan properly, you need to have a tandoor oven. While you can attempt to make naan at home by using a super hot pizza stone, I find that the effort is never really worth the result. Luckily, when you realize that you bit off more than you can chew, you can make a trip to your local Aldi and pick up a bag of its Specially Selected naan. This naan comes in two sizes — full and mini — and two flavors, garlic and regular. I've had both the regular and the garlic (which does taste like fresh, real garlic, not some forgotten-about garlic powder shoved in the back of someone's cabinet) and I can say that they are equally good.

Now, I would have bought this naan based on the premise alone, seeing as a homemade version of it is nearly impossible to perfect, but the fact that it delivers a flavor that rivals that of my go-to Indian takeout spot is even better. It's my favorite bread that Aldi sells because of its flavor and its structural integrity. You can easily bend and shape the naan around your favorite food — making it perfect for things like Indian pizza, salad wraps, or breakfast burritos, as well as for sopping up curry. It's also very flavorful and buttery. Add an extra "homemade" touch by drizzling on melted ghee and you've got an excellent, versatile flatbread on your hands.

Sliced bread is sliced bread is sliced bread, right? Wrong. I'll admit that Aldi falters on some of its other bread selections, including its Knock Your Sprouts Off bread, which tastes like stale, under-salted cardboard, and its 12-grain sliced bread, which is average at best. But, the bread that I will forever be adding to my Aldi cart is this artisanal-style bread from its in-house bread brand, L'Oven Fresh. Don't let its name fool you, as "artisan" does not mean more expensive, nor does it mean that it's much too different from the classic, white sandwich bread that you grew up eating. The main difference is that this bread is very thickly sliced — not as wide as Texas toast, but much larger than your run-of-the-mill Wonder bread. Each slice is dusted on top with a coating of flour, while the bread inside the crust is plush, fresh, and like it was just pulled from the oven at a bakery (and not a grocery store bakery, for that matter).

This is my favorite sliced bread that Aldi sells on account of both its flavor and texture. Despite being so plush, it holds together well and would make an excellent base for a sandwich that you pack in the morning with the intent to eat later. Lather on the peanut butter and jelly for a delicious midnight snack, or opt for your favorite deli meat. Its flavor is neutral enough where it could be used for sweet, savory, and everything in between.

Hawaiian rolls are a staple for barbecues, ham and cheese sliders, and pulled pork sandwiches. If you're looking for a discount alternative to King's Hawaiian, check out your local Aldi. You may be lucky to find a pack of these L'Oven Fresh Hawaiian sweet rolls. Full transparency: If you tasted them side-by-side with the name-brand offerings, you would be able to tell a difference. King's Hawaiian rolls are very sweet, while Aldi's offering doesn't taste too much like pineapple or anything super sugary. The flavor is much more subtle and soft, and they almost reminded me of potato bread when I sampled them for the first time.

You might assume that because these rolls fail the likeness test that they wouldn't be on this list of Aldi's bakery greatest hits. However, their versatility and overall likability make up for their shortcomings in the dupe department. You could turn these into garlic bread or serve them as dinner rolls, or stick with the more traditional preparations like sliders and sandwiches. You could even chop up these rolls, pour in homemade custard, and bake it until you get a tasty bread pudding. There's so much that you can do with them that you can't do with Aldi's other buns (like its hot dog buns, which fall apart when you touch them).

I was an Aldi fan before it became cool, so I knew I was a prime candidate to take on the challenge of selecting the best baked goods that the discount grocer has to offer. I wanted to select an array of items across categories, including cookies, buns, flatbreads, sandwich bread, and breakfast treats.

While there is some subjectivity in terms of taste and texture, I remained as objective as possible by looking at the functionality and versatility of these items, as well as how their flavor and texture compare to not only other items I've bought and personally tasted at Aldi, but also similar offerings I've tasted at other grocers. While Aldi's big draw to customers is its discount prices, the reality is that many of the items in its bakery section rival those of more expensive grocers, bakeries, or homemade recipes. The selections included on this list represent the best of the best that the chain has to offer, and all of them would make tasty additions to your cart.