Costco Dilemma: What the Heck Do You Do With Those Glass Tiramisu Cups?

How many times have you bought those little premade Costco tiramisu dessert cups in the refrigerated section? If you have a hoard of the adorable glass cups they come in, it's safe to say you're an impulse buyer of sweets. Figuring out what to do with all those cups is way more difficult than actually eating the tiramisu that came in them. It feels wrong to just recycle them every time, but they take up a ton of cabinet space. One Redditor on r/Costco posted a picture of their stash and a plea for help: "Looking for interesting ways to repurpose these little glass cups, anyone have any good ideas??" Here's how Costco superfans reuse their dessert cups.

Related: Best Store-Bought Desserts From Costco

This one's pretty obvious, but it's something that everyone would find helpful. "We use them as condiment holders for large gatherings like with dip and such," said u/Ellecatat. They'd be great for everything from outdoor barbecues to cocktail parties for dips like ketchup, chip dip, melted butter for seafood, and "a perfect ranch holder for veggies."

Related: 26 Delicious Recipes That Use Up Those Aging Condiments in the Fridge

If you prefer fancy coffee, Costco's dessert cups are great for drinks — especially when you drink it while eating a new batch of Costco tiramisu. "I use the tiramisu glasses for espresso," said u/raptorsango. "They are the perfect size for a cortado!"

"How in the world have I never thought of this?!" replied u/KateHibby. "And my glass cups are even in the cabinet above my espresso machine."

Related: The Best Costco Coffee, According to Superfans

Serving individual desserts to guests is fun, but buying the cups is not. Good thing you already have a bunch of them collecting dust! Redditors use them for "pudding and Jell-O" or do a layered dessert parfait. "I put crushed Oreos in the bottom, add chocolate pudding and top with whipped cream when serving!" said u/Smudgie522. "It is easy but looks impressive."

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Have a big garden or lots of houseplants? Chances are you can always use little pots for seedlings and cuttings. "I've used them for propagating plant cuttings — some to gift to others, some to keep for myself," said u/curiousfun213. Plus they're great for growing sprouts or avocado pits.

You can, of course, drink anything out of the cups, but Redditors point out that they're the perfect size for alcohol. "We use the tiramisu glasses for beer flights/bourbon/whiskey tasting when family/friends are together. Just the right size," said u/Nurse5736. Others suggest using them as shot glasses, but you're going to have to watch just how much you pour if you do that. 

Crafters and sewers often have lots of little bits and doodads rolling around that can be organized in the jars. The fact that they're clear is great so that you can see what's in them when they're on a shelf. "I craft so I use them as paint cups/pots, or to hold buttons and beads," said u/JezminLychee.

While many Redditors say that they use the cleaned jars to make candles, there's always a danger to using containers that may not be heat treated for that purpose. Instead, you can use them as votive cups for electric tea lights at your next party. "You could drill holes into a long piece of wood, set them into the holes and use them for tea lights or votive candles," said u/BeauregardBear. "Set it on a coffee table or dining table for a centerpiece."

If none of these ideas suit you, you can always find someone who would get good use out of Costco's dessert cups. "Montessori classrooms could definitely use these," said u/jordanhillis. "We use glass instead of plastic to teach the kids to be careful and cautious." 

You can also "offer them up on your local Buy Nothing or Free Gifting group on Facebook," suggested u/ChazMurph. When in doubt, see if anyone you know wants them, or just stick them on a "free" table at your next yard sale.