12 Publix Bakery Items Ranked Worst To Best

Publix is one of those grocery chains that sets a high bar. The deli is incomparable with a huge variety of quality meats, cheeses, and more. The hot food counter is what dreams are made of, with the famous chicken tenders, popcorn chicken, mac and cheese, soups, and many other items that make for an easy weeknight meal. There's even a dedicated sandwich and sub counter with fresh ingredients to create the perfect beachside sando. Those famous chicken tenders also have a starring role among the subs. I have been shopping at Publix since I sat in the cart as a toddler while my mom pushed it through the aisles. Back then and still to this day, kids can get a free sprinkle or chocolate chip cookie, and it's part of the whole Publix experience. That leads us to the bakery.

There are so many decadent desserts and hearty breads. The cakes have been a staple in my life as a child, as an adult, and now as a mom. It's always delicious, consistent, and the array of flavors and styles seems never-ending. Even when one of my cousins visits from NYC, he asks for a Publix trip and loves ogling the aisles. Easily one of the best grocery store bakeries, there is just something extra special about a Publix bakery. I tasted 12 different bakery items and ranked them from worst to best, and many are a testament to the Publix tagline: "Shopping is a pleasure."

I have been a regular Publix shopper for my entire adult life, and therefore, I am already familiar with many of the bakery items. I selected a mix of breads, cakes, pies, cheesecake, muffins, and more for this ranking. Some items I already buy regularly, and some are completely new to me. I tasted everything straight from the box or container to provide an even playing field for determining the overall rankings from worst to best, based on flavor, texture, and quality.

Chocolate chip cookies and brownies are both excellent options for a sweet bite. When you put them together in one square, it's even better. When I spotted brookies in the Publix bakery area, I really wanted to not just like them, but love them. Just the idea of a cookie and brownie melded into one dessert is enough to make me drool. Unfortunately, the Publix brookies miss the mark. Even upon taking them out of the plastic container, they appeared noticeably dry. I know they say not to judge a book, or brookie, by its cover, but in this particular case, I was right.

The Publix brookies are a disappointment. They lack the signature soft, moist texture of other Publix cakes and pies, and it was a total bummer. The chocolate chips in the cookie portion were dry and chalky, and the brownie portion did not taste fresh. The best store-bought chocolate chip brand should be a pantry staple, but a bad one can tank a dessert. I think it would be more satisfying to take a freshly baked Publix chocolate chip cookie and brownie and make a DIY version yourself. Overall, I would sadly not purchase the brookies again.

The brownies with fudge icing at Publix look like a chocoholic's dream come true. The simple dessert looks soft and decadent, and I had high hopes after the brookie disaster. Well, I hate to say it, but they are just okay and nothing more. The iced brownies are not totally horrible, but they are not great either. One bite in, they taste like stereotypical grocery store brownies. I do like that the brownies are pre-cut into nine reasonably sized portions. The fudge icing is extremely sweet, and the brownie underneath is of decent texture at best. 

The chocolate treat eats like a combination of a brownie and a piece of chocolate cake. It's better than the brookie, but compared to other bakery items, it just feels like a blah choice when there are much better options. Plus, they are super rich. The sugary icing is a lot, and instead of complementing the dense brownie, it's just too much. These brownies taste a bit more processed than freshly baked, and I honestly prefer some of the box mixes over the Publix version. Don't count out boxed mixes because they have the potential for some serious magic. You can even make bakery-worthy cookies from a boxed brownie mix.

Who doesn't love to sink their teeth into a perfectly baked blueberry muffin? It's one of those versatile baked goods that can be whatever you want it to be. A blueberry muffin can be breakfast, a midday snack, or a dessert. Publix offers a variety of muffins in the bakery section that cater to many personal preferences. The table is loaded with variations such as lemon poppy, chocolate chip, bran, corn, blueberry, and even more. Publix sells the muffins in both full-size and mini options. Are the muffins fresh? Yes. Are they anything special? Not particularly. It's a standard blueberry muffin and exactly what you would expect from a grocery store bakery.

The Publix blueberry muffins are moist and definitely packed with blueberries. They just don't stand out in the sea of confections that the bakery department offers. The texture is fine, but they do feel a little bit chewy. In a pinch, when you are looking for a basic blueberry muffin to go with your morning cup of coffee or tea, these can do the job. I just wouldn't go out of my way to purchase them regularly. Perhaps cut in half, lightly toasted with a pat of butter, they could be less underwhelming.

Crafting the perfect croissant is serious business. If it doesn't leave any greasy spots on the bag it comes in, I don't want it. Croissants should be flaky on the outside and ridiculously buttery and rich on the inside. You know you are dealing with a top-notch croissant when your fingers are left with a buttery sheen after polishing one off. Not to brag, but I have a great deal of experience tasting my fair share of croissants. I would not venture into Publix, or any grocery store for that matter, to snag one. Some things should really only be bought from the type of bakery where you get smacked in the face with a melody of hypnotizing aromas the second you walk through the door. 

There are many signs you are in a good bakery, and I feel comfortable saying light, layered croissants are one of them. While the Publix croissant didn't completely drop the ball, some flaws cannot be overlooked. Visually, they look like the common croissant. The outside is only slightly flaky, and the inside is subpar. It's soft with a subtle buttery essence, but there should be more. Although croissants are known for their soft and airy texture, the one from Publix has too much of the airy. There are more holes than actual dough, and the lack of dough is also dominated by the outside crust. You can do better than Publix if you want a great croissant.

Ask any Florida mom what she sends to school for birthday celebrations, and there's a solid chance her answer will be Publix mini cupcakes. They come in chocolate and vanilla with a nice dollop of swirly frosting and are topped off with a dash of colorful sprinkles. The minis are a nice deviation from a full-size cupcake and offer a great little bite that kids and adults both enjoy. The mini cupcakes are consistently consistent across stores every time. There's comfort in walking into any Publix bakery and knowing exactly what you are getting.

The Publix mini cupcakes are often on my kitchen counter and are easily one of my kids' favorite treats. They actually fight over them and can plow through a package the same day I bring them home. Do I think they are fantastic cupcakes? I wouldn't rank them at the very top of the list, but they are a solid option and great for any celebration or just a sweet treat at home. The cake is fluffy and light, and the frosting is the typical buttercream that tops many other confections in the Publix bakery.

There are times you just want to buy an entire cake, and that's cool. For the times you want to exercise a bit more willpower, Publix has a display table in the bakery department made for you. The grocery chain with Florida headquarters always has a commendable lineup of individual cake slices to please every type of sweet tooth. I took this opportunity to grab a couple of different flavors, including the Publix chantilly cream slice. This has become a popular flavor and can be found in other well-known grocery store chains. 

The vanilla cake in the Publix version is spongier than others, and the texture works with the flavors. I don't love the cake glue in the middle made of huge chunks of strawberries mixed into a jelly-like strawberry filling. It was off-putting, and there was too much of it. The saving grace of the slice is a thick layer of tasty chantilly cream that tops the cake. The consistency is somewhere between a buttercream and whipped cream, and the sweetness is straight down the middle of the road. It's not too much or too little. A few fresh strawberries and blueberries are perched on top of the cream. If you prefer a fruit-forward dessert, this is a solid choice, but the one from Whole Foods is significantly better on every level.

I am already one foot in the door when a bakery treat comes in a cute little bite. While scrutinizing the bevy of delicacies displayed on tables throughout the Publix bakery section, it was hard not to zone in on the cheesecake bites. They come in a four-pack of little squares of cheesecake enrobed in rich chocolate and finished with a subtle decorative drizzle. Listen, it's a good bite. There are two pieces with traditional New York-style cheesecake in the center and two with chocolate cheesecake instead. 

I'd give overall good marks to the tasty chocolate casing. The cheesecake is a different story. Both flavors are good, but I lean purist. If I had to pick a winner between the two, it would be New York style. There is just something different and delicious about New York-style cheesecake. My biggest gripe is that the cheesecake texture is awkward. It clings onto the roof of your mouth for dear life as if it's peanut butter. Also, I love a cheesecake crust and feel like it would be a good addition that would add another textural component and make the cheesecake bites even better.  

You know how Publix offers individual cake slices when you don't want the whole shebang? Well, the chain also has small apple pies in the bakery, and how it's enjoyed is entirely up to you. If you want to share with a friend, go for it. However, some may argue that it's basically a single-serving pie. Neither is wrong. One thing about bakery apple pies is that they usually taste better than homemade ones.

I've had Publix pies on my table many times. We've enjoyed one right from the container as is and also heated with a scoop of ice cream. Again, neither is wrong. Publix's apple pie is respectable. The filling is good with generous slices of apples. The sweetness and tartness strike a good balance, and the crust is fine. If I were giving a grade, Publix would get a sturdy B on its apple pie. It doesn't have any wow factor, though. I think the crust could use a little glow-up, such as making it flakier and perhaps dusting the top with some coarse sugar.

Publix Creme Cakes, in general, are legit. They come in a variety of flavors and look similar to a bundt cake, but are much more decadent. Another genius move by Publix is that, in addition to the whole creme cakes, you can opt for two halves, each a different flavor, in one container. I picked up one that had half a marble creme cake and half of the lemon flavor. Both cakes are fantastically dense, moist, and kind of comparable to pound cake consistency.

All of the creme cakes are drizzled with an excellent sugary thin icing that is a nice complement to the luscious cake. I don't love the marble cake, and it has a bit of a weird taste. The lemon cake was significantly better. It has that classic lemon cake flavor that strikes a balance between sweet and tart. If you want an alternative to chocolate desserts, the lemon is it. The creme cakes are a Publix bakery staple, and I wouldn't be mad if someone showed up at my door with one, just not the marble.

I will always get down with a great piece of chocolate cake. Even if it's so rich that you can only handle a few bites at a sitting, a good chocolate cake can be like therapy. Publix knows cake, and that's a universal belief among devoted shoppers. The chocolate slice — or any of the slices, really — comes in handy when everyone in my house wants a different flavor of cake for dessert.

Publix has the magic touch in terms of icing-to-cake ratio for this one. The chocolate cake itself is soft and velvety but not too heavy. I would actually appreciate a little more density, making the slice a tad more substantial. The frosting is sweet, but since Publix is not aggressive with it, the whole combo works really well. If you are looking for a quick piece of chocolate cake without any frills, the one from Publix is a winner.

In one of the specialty cases where the pastries live, there is something that immediately catches your eye. It looks like a total masterpiece and draws you in. Publix takes its classic white buttercream frosting and sandwiches it between two large fan-shaped pastries that are caramelized to perfection. I cannot emphasize how impeccable the caramelized part is, and I am still thinking about it. The sides of the sweet sandwich-like concoction are generously dipped in sumptuous chocolate. The sugar levels are intense. That's not necessarily bad, but it for sure limits how much you can actually eat in one sitting.

The Publix French Fan is not the easiest pastry to eat because of its shape and size, but nobody likes a quitter. This is not something I would think of as a typical bakery purchase, rather a special treat that feels more robust than cake or cookies — probably because it is. My favorite part is the pastries because of their exceptionally satisfying and sugary crunch. If I could change anything, I would add a pinch of coarse sea salt to chill out the sweetness and take this Publix bakery item to new heights.

Publix challah is legendary. She's a bakery icon and delivers main character energy in every slice. It's one of the many items in the bread bounty that are baked fresh right there on site. Publix challah is impossibly soft and light. It's just as good on its own as it is topped with eggs for breakfast, or in a sandwich for lunch. I buy it unsliced for a French toast casserole that has made me famous in some circles, and also for stuffing at Thanksgiving.

I'm going to tell you my personal favorite way to eat a Publix challah, and I'm urging you to try it. Take it out of the trunk when you load your groceries because it's coming up front with you. Now, return the cart where it's supposed to go because it's the right thing to do. Before you go anywhere, take the red twisty tie off, pull out a fresh slice right from the middle of the loaf, and devour it right there in the parking lot. If you are ever lucky enough to be in a Publix bakery when the challahs come out of the oven, get a warm one, and that car slice will change your life. I have done this more times than I can count, and I don't regret a single slice.