I Tried Dozens of Aldi Baked Goods and These 12 Are the Best

If you love a great muffin in the morning or have a soft spot for a chunky chocolate chip cookie, look no further.

A quick trip to Aldi can save you money on groceries and home goods, but it can also help you stay under budget when it comes to your sweet cravings. The store's own brand, Bake Shop, has so many great offerings.

While I enjoy almost everything Aldi's bakery section has to offer, the following sweet (and affordable) bakery items are on the very top of my list.

Is your favorite on this list?

Editor's note: Prices and availability are subject to change and may vary by location.

Price: $5.39

Rich vanilla icing sandwiched in between two deliciously soft cookies — could a dessert get any better?

Yes, it could. This Bake Shop find is made with ultra-soft chocolate chip cookies, but Aldi also offers seasonal options of the same concept. Like their Gingerbread Cookie Sandwiches during the holidays.

Create a cookie platter with these minis, add them to an ice cream sundae, or serve them chilled on a hot end-of-summer day.

Bake Shop is Aldi's private label bakery line, so these cookie sandwiches aren't available outside Aldi stores. 

Because the cookies are individually sized rather than one large dessert, they're easy to portion out for a crowd without needing to slice or serve anything, which makes them a low-effort option for potlucks or lunchboxes.

Price: $4.95

Chocolate lovers rejoice. This popular pick is one of Aldi's top desserts for a reason. Shoppers adore the moist, indulgent cake topped with chocolatey chips. Serve the rich Bake Shop sweet with a refreshing scoop of vanilla ice cream, or top it with your favorite blend of berries.

As the name suggests, the cake combines three layers of chocolate flavor between the cake itself, a creme filling, and the chocolate chips on top, making it a richer option than a standard single-layer chocolate cake. 

Because it's pre-made and ready to serve, it's a convenient option for a last-minute dessert when there's no time to bake from scratch.

Prices: $4.29

These cookies have everything but the kitchen sink. A peanut butter base blends the salty and sweet flavors you crave. Chocolate chunks, peanut butter chips, white chocolate chunks, coconut, and pretzels add to the decadent mix.

If you want to take this bargain-buy baked good to the next level, layer Specially Selected's lux chocolate peanut butter ice cream in between two of the cookies.

The combination of sweet and salty ingredients, especially the addition of pretzels, sets these apart from a standard chocolate chip or peanut butter cookie. 

Because the mix-ins include several different textures, from crunchy pretzels to chewy coconut, each bite ends up a little different, which is part of the appeal for shoppers who get bored with a single-flavor cookie.

Price: $3.65

Muffins aren't just for breakfast. While you can eat these minis for your morning meal, you can also add them to your dessert menu. You can also find these little treats with chocolate chips if you're in the mood for something more dessert-like. 

Mini muffins like these are a practical option for portion control, since it's easier to grab a couple rather than committing to one large muffin. 

They also work well for a grazing table or brunch spread, where guests may want to sample a few different bites rather than a single full-sized pastry.

Price: $4.29

A sweet fruit flavor and crunchy nut texture make this sliced loaf cake a winner. If you don't have the time to bake banana bread, Aldi has you covered. The thick slices of moist cake are perfect for parties, brunch, or an everyday treat.

A drizzle of caramel sauce and a sliced fresh banana can turn the plain pieces into a gourmet-inspired dessert.

Because the loaf comes pre-sliced, it's easy to serve without needing a knife or cutting board, which makes it convenient for a potluck or office breakfast. 

The combination of banana and nuts also gives it a heartier texture than a plain pound cake, so it can double as a quick breakfast on a busy morning as well as a dessert.

Price: $3.55

The flaky baked crust, tangy raspberry filling, and drizzle of icing make this classic pastry a popular pick. Not only is it the perfect addition to your brunch or breakfast table, but you can also enjoy the sweet taste as an after-dinner dessert. Slice the 14-ounce Danish into bite-sized pieces to feed your whole family or several friends.

The tartness of the raspberry filling helps balance out the sweetness of the icing, so it tends to read as less sugary than some other bakery pastries. 

Because it's sold as a full 14-ounce Danish rather than individual portions, it also works out to a lower cost per serving than pre-portioned pastries of a similar size.

Price: $4.29

You can't go wrong with soft-baked chocolate chunk cookies — especially at this price. For just over $4, you'll get 10 of these sweet treats. At Walmart, you'll only get six of Marketside's Decadent Chocolate Chunk Bakery Cookies for $4.98.

While this fan favorite doesn't need anything extra, a small scoop of vanilla bean ice cream on top wouldn't hurt.

Soft-baked cookies like these are meant to have a chewier texture than a crisp, crunchy cookie, closer to what you'd get fresh from a bakery oven.

Because the pack includes 10 cookies, it works out to well under 50 cents per cookie, which makes it an easy option for stocking a lunchbox or dessert table without needing to bake anything yourself.

Price: $3.49

A thick chocolate glaze gives these donuts a taste you won't forget. If you don't consider donuts a dessert, think again. Crumble the frosted bites into a sundae, sandwich one into a gourmet s'more, or use the mini rings to top a layered birthday cake.

The 14-ounce box of 28 donuts is a bargain compared to Target's Favorite Day minis, which the big red bullseye retailer charges $3.89 for an 11-ounce pack.

At 28 donuts per box, the mini format makes portion control easier than with a full-sized donut, since it's simple to grab just one or two rather than a whole pastry. The smaller size also makes them convenient for topping desserts or serving at a party, where a full-sized donut would be harder to work into a recipe or dessert spread.

Price: $4.29

This citrusy cousin of Aldi's banana nut loaf is a fresh take on sliced cake. A zesty zip of lemons makes this foodie find the perfect treat on a hot end-of-summer day. Serve the loaf with a drizzle of vanilla icing, a scoop of sorbet, or fresh fruit.

Like the banana nut loaf, this cake comes pre-sliced, which makes it easy to serve without extra prep. 

The bright citrus flavor tends to make it a lighter-tasting option compared to richer chocolate desserts on this list, which is part of why it works well warm-weather occasions like a summer brunch or an outdoor gathering where a heavier dessert might feel like too much.

Price: $4.29

Skip the same oatmeal raisin cookies you've eaten for years, and try this updated cranberry version. The dried berries give these cookies an unexpectedly tart taste that balances out the sweetness. And, if you want everyone to think you baked your own treats, warm the dessert in the microwave before serving.

Swapping raisins for dried cranberries gives the cookie a brighter, tarter flavor than a traditional oatmeal raisin cookie, while still keeping the same chewy oatmeal base. 

Because they're already baked, a quick 10 to 15 seconds in the microwave is usually enough to soften them and bring back that fresh-from-the-oven texture without needing to bake anything from scratch.

Price: $4.29

Score four large banana nut muffins for $4.29 — around a dollar per muffin. You won't find this bargain-priced deal at a cafe, restaurant, or bakery chain. Some grocery stores charge almost $7 for a similarly sized pack of muffins.

Because the pack includes just four muffins rather than a dozen, it's a more manageable size for a smaller household that doesn't want a large batch going stale before it's finished. 

The combination of banana and nuts also gives these a denser, more filling texture than a plain muffin, making them substantial enough to work as a quick breakfast rather than just a snack.

Price: $3.55

Like the raspberry Danish, Aldi's cheese Danish is a breakfast dessert you can't miss. This pick is more than just tasty — it's also a major bargain. At Walmart, a similar box of cheese danish sells for $4.24, making the Aldi's version a much better deal.

Cheese Danish typically pairs a flaky pastry crust with a sweetened cream cheese filling, giving it a richer, less fruity flavor than the raspberry version in Aldi's lineup. 

Because it shares the same base pastry as the raspberry Danish, it can be served alongside it on a brunch spread for shoppers who want to offer both a fruity and a creamier option without much extra effort.

Aldi's bakery aisle has everything from rich chocolate cakes to citrusy lemon loaf slices — and all at budget-friendly prices. So go ahead and indulge your craving for sugary sweets and treats.

Use the top cash back credit cards to stack your savings. Along with Aldi's everyday low prices, these cards can score you travel points, cash back, and other perks on eligible purchases.

Because Bake Shop items are exclusive to Aldi, they can't be price-matched or found at other grocery chains, so trying a few on this list is the only way to know which ones become new favorites. 

Rotating through different picks each shopping trip is also an easy way to keep dessert interesting without blowing the grocery budget.