Costco Shoppers Are Skipping Danish Cookie Tins This Holiday For One Big Reason

If you don't give or receive a blue tin full of Danish butter cookies around Christmastime, is it even the holiday season? The metal canisters have been appearing on grandma's table for decades, and when they're empty, they're often kept around for holding sewing supplies or other odds and ends. The point is, they're pretty traditional, and it's risky to mess with tradition. Someone ought to let Costco in on this tip because the big box company has recently given "bah humbug" vibes to several customers by selling Kelsen Danish butter cookie tins that look like AI gone wrong. Costco has already been in the spotlight of shame recently for marketing its tequila as 100% agave when it may not be so pure after all. And now it's back with an item that certainly won't make the list of great holiday foods at Costco you should consider picking up on your next trip.

Folks on Reddit allege that the whimsical holiday artwork on the tins is so full of mistakes — from a bundled-up child missing half of their arm to windmills missing wind turbine blades — that it must have been created via artificial intelligence. The issue seems to be limited to the company's 1-pound tin sets (which come in a pack of four) and not the giant, 5-pound tin that was released in September 2025. One Reddit user noted that a windmill looks like "a giant mosquito that is menacing the townfolk," while another argued, "What's the point of using terrible AI? And where is their [quality control]?" Several other users believed it was unfair to blame Costco for the cookie tin calamity and that fault should lie with the cookie company itself. 

The tin art incident may not deter everyone from getting their annual Danish butter cookie fix, with one Reddit user pointing out, "Nobody looks that close. Especially when they're after the cookies." But, clearly, some people do indeed look that close — and many are upset. Some are unhappy about the idea of artificial intelligence displacing jobs, believing that, if Kelsen did use AI, the decision was made to avoid paying a professional artist. Another concern was about the company's willingness to cut corners; would saving money on art trickle into using cheaper methods to make the cookies themselves?

It's important to reiterate that, as of now, these AI allegations are only alleged. Neither Kelsen nor Costco appear to have addressed the issue yet, and it's unclear if the companies plan to in the future. After all, the cookie company has long taken pride in their tin designs. Kelsen's website states, "Designer tins is a business area that Kelsen has always been known for. Every year we bring out new designs and we take pride in the fact that many of our previous designer tins have become collector's items." And in all fairness, not all tins appear to be controversial — a mistake-free set of Kelsen cookie tins is pictured on Costco's website.

So, are you team cookie (and planing to grab them regardless) or team tin? I suppose the sales numbers will speak for themselves. If you're unsure where you stand though, here's a novel idea: make a batch of your own butter cookies (using the best butter brand, of course) and package them in an old blue Danish cookie tin yourself. You know you have one lying around (or at least, your grandma does).