10 New Trader Joe's Spring Must-Haves, According to Employees

Plus, some returning favorites!

Spring may not start until March 20, but Trader Joe’s is getting a head start by announcing several new (and returning) spring products. These highly anticipated items were profiled on the latest episode of the Inside Trader Joe's podcast, which is co-hosted by TJ's employees Matt Sloan, vice president of marketing, and Tara Miller, marketing director.  

On the new front, Trader Joe’s shoppers can expect to see items such as Mini Almost Everything Bagel Sandwich Crackers With Cream Cheese Filling—the latest twist on the chain’s beloved Everything But the Bagel Seasoning—and a zesty Lemon Mini Sheet Cake. Meanwhile, spring items that are returning thanks to customer demand include Spicy Mango Lemonade and the highly sought after Portuguese Custard Tarts.

Curious to know what else you might spot at TJ’s in the coming weeks? Keep reading for more information!

New Trader Joe's Spring Items

If you’re looking for some new spring foods to try, Trader Joe’s has you covered on both the sweet and savory fronts.

Related:8 Items You Shouldn't Buy at Trader Joe's

Mini Almost Everything Bagel Sandwich Crackers With Cream Cheese Filling

Arriving in a few weeks, this snack is a must-try for bagel fans. “It's kind of like a crunchy mini bagel with cream cheese,” Miller said of the newbie crackers. And while they are mostly savory, she also noted that this nosh boasts “just the tiniest bit of sweetness that's in the cream cheese filling.” As for what they look like, these crackers are “obviously round like a bagel, and they have a little hole in the middle like a bagel, and they're just very, very, very cute.”

By the way, the reason why these crackers are almost everything bagel treats is because they are made without sesame seeds, which are a common allergen. According to Miller, you “don’t really miss it.”

Sweet Italian Chicken Sausage

This “new-ish” item debuted in TJ’s stores late last fall, but is making its triumphant return just in time for grilling season. “[These are] excellent on the grill. They're also excellent, just, like, cooked in a pot of homemade tomato sauce. They're great with grilled peppers and onions. They're just delicious.” For Sloan, this protein makes a great match for Trader Joe’s Peanut and Crispy Noodle Salad Kit, which is slated to return to stores in April.

Vanilla Cardona Goat’s Milk Cheese

While this Wisconsin-made cheese isn’t like a classic goat cheese, it is one worth trying, according to Miller and Sloan. “This is a hard cheese, decidedly mild. It doesn't have a lot of that barnyard-y, goaty quality. It’s very subtle flavor-wise, and it's rubbed with a vanilla sugar,” Sloan explained. “And while that might make you think that it's really, really sweet, it's not. It's sweet-ish. This would be wonderful at the end of a meal.” Since this cheese is the spotlight cheese for April, you can expect to see it in a few weeks.

Waffle Weave Cotton Kitchen Towels

As avid Trader Joe’s shoppers might know, the chain already sells kitchen towels. However, as Miller pointed out, this new product is an improvement on an existing item. “We have decided that these towels are actually way better at drying dishes than the ones we were offering,” she explained. Sloan agreed, and called these towels “way more absorbent” than the previous set. So if you need new kitchen towels, now is the time to stock up!

Bananas Bananas Candy

If you’re a fan of Trader Joe’s Gone Bananas!, you’ll likely enjoy this new treat, which Sloan called a “candy version” of the frozen food. It’s basically a chocolate banana pulp candy with a cacao nib filling. Per an employee who tried it: “It’s so different, but so satisfying. I feel like there's a little bit of crunch in there too.”

Coffee and Dark Chocolate Joe-Joe’s Cookies

This new variation on Joe-Joe’s is about as decadent as it gets. “It's a cookie filled with cream, coated with dark chocolate, and then drizzled with a coffee-flavored vanilla drizzle on the top,” Miller shared. While Sloan pointed out that this treat is “probably as much a piece of candy as it is a cookie,” that didn’t seem to bother him. “This thing's incredible,” he added. And since there’s coffee in the cookie, it’s no surprise that these confections pair perfectly with a cup of java. Try it!

Related:Here Are the Most-Loved Trader Joe's Products of the Year, According to Customers

Uganda Rwenzori Mountains of the Moon Small Lot Coffee

Speaking of coffee, this new item is part of Trader Joe’s small lot coffee program, where the company buys a whole year's harvest from a specific farm, and roasts and packages the beans exclusively for TJ’s customers for a limited time. This blend, which is available now, highlights the coffee’s natural notes of strawberry, chocolate, and dried black currants.

Lemon Mini Sheet Cake

This new item is a seasonal variation on the TJ’s Vanilla and Chocolate Mini Sheet Cakes, and should be available in the next week or so, but only for a limited time. “It's so vibrantly lemony in the best possible way. It doesn't have any of that artificial lemon weirdness that sometimes lemon flavored things have,” Miller declared. As for what customers can expect from this dessert, Sloan added: “It's a trifecta. The cake itself is lemony, the cream cheese frosting is lemony, and on top, [there are] sprinkled little bits of candied or crystallized lemon zest.” So if you’re a lemon lover, pick this treat up ASAP!

Blueberry & Lemon Hand PIes

Made by the same bakery partners behind Trader Joe’s fall-seasonal Apple Pumpkin Hand Pies, this version is packed with fresh blueberries and sweet-tart sugared lemon in an all-butter crust. “The lemon blueberry combo is a real winner, because sometimes people might think that blueberries can be a little ho hum flavor-wise,” Sloan shared. And while these can be eaten straight from the box, we suggest popping them in the air fryer for a few minutes so they get warm and crispy. Serve ‘em with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, if desired!

Chromatic Celebration Cake & Baking Mix

Complete with frosting mix and plenty of rainbow sprinkles, this new cake mix has it all—almost. While you will need to provide the wet ingredients—eggs, oil, and butter—a Trader Joe’s employee named Kathleen swears this dessert is beyond easy to make, and versatile to boot. “All you do is you make the batter, you add eggs, mix it up, and you bake it. You can do cupcakes, you could do multiple circle cakes, or you could do one big rectangle cake,” she explained. “[The frosting] is pure magic. Just add softened butter, and mix it up.” The buttercream frosting makes the cake taste like butter and sugar, while the sprinkles, which are inside the cake batter as well as on top, add color and texture.

Returning Trader Joe’s Spring Items

If you’re a fan of Trader Joe’s spring beverages, you’re in luck. Quite a few of them are returning this year thanks to customer demand. You’ll also find plenty of returning desserts.

Jalapeño Limeade

This returning beverage, which is one of Miller’s favorites, is great on its own or mixed with some tequila to create a light but spicy margarita. And how’s this for a hack? Instead of rimming your margarita glass with salt, go ahead and follow Miller’s lead and use Trader Joe’s Chili Lime Seasoning instead.

Organic Cold Brew Black Tea Concentrate

If iced tea is your jam, you should definitely add this item to your shopping list. The bottle makes a gallon of tea, and customers are free to add whatever they desire to the popular drink. Some combine it with sugar to make sweet tea, while others add milk and whip up some milk tea. If you prefer something a bit lighter, try tossing in fresh peaches or raspberries.

Spicy Mango Lemonade

With temperatures (hopefully) rising, the return of this fridge case favorite is about one month away. And while this beverage is stellar solo, feel free to experiment with it a bit as well. “I have used this to make ice cubes, and just as the ice cubes are maybe halfway set to be fully frozen, I sprinkle a bunch of our Chili Lime Seasoning [on top],” Sloan revealed. “That sets into the ice cube, and then you drop those into sparkling water or anything else.” You could also use this tasty lemonade to make flavorful ice pops.

Tomato Leaf Scented Candle

Once part of a three-piece garden candle collection, customers will now be able to purchase this candle on its own. “This candle is redelant of tomato plants, and so if this does nothing except get you excited to grow a tomato plant, then I think it's a mission accomplished,” Sloan said. “This is really pleasant.”

Chocolate Mousse Eggs

These egg-shaped chocolate cakes layered with rich mousse and covered with chocolate are slated to be back just in time for Easter. What’s more? Each egg in the package of six will feature a fun, seasonal design.

Related:14 Best Trader Joe's Food and Recipe Hacks, According to Employees

Coffee Bean Hold the Cone! Mini Ice Cream Cones

The latest variation on the popular Hold the Cone! Mini Ice Cream Cones is bound to be a hit with those who love the combination of chocolate and coffee. As Sloan put it: “This is like a mocha ice cream cone situation. “[It’s got] coffee, chocolate, creamy, dense, rich ice cream, and that little crackle crunch of the shell.” This item is available now, so grab some while you still can!

Portuguese Custard Tarts

After a brief debut in 2021 and a return in 2022, these European treats—also known as pastel de nata—are back once again. To best enjoy this tasty custard that rests inside a flaky crust, pop this pastry in the air fryer or oven for a few minutes before eating.

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