The Best Trader Joe’s Desserts, Ranked
Trader Joe's is a fan favorite across the country for so many reasons. Not only are prices generally more than reasonable, but you can often find a variety of unique dishes that are easy to prepare (and don't require much assembly at all). You can also look to the store for reliable stand-bys that are available year after year, in addition to new seasonal products that are incoming on a regular basis.
Desserts are no exception. Whether you're generally a fan of ice cream, cake, cookies, or even plain old chocolate, Trader Joe's is bound to have something to satisfy your sweet tooth, especially if you're looking for as minimal prep work as possible. If you've ever had a hard time narrowing down your selection between the sweet items in the freezer section or the baked goods lining the shelves directly above them, you're certainly not alone.
Because Trader Joe's items are constantly being rotated in and out to make room for new and regular seasonal options, you may not be able to always find your favorite dessert items on a given shopping trip. But rest assured, you can typically find an alternative that is sure to please. In the meantime, here's a sampling of some of the best Trader Joe's desserts, ranked.
Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups
If you’re a fan of traditional Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups but are in search of higher quality chocolate you can more easily enjoy in moderation, these dark chocolate cups from Trader Joe’s are a perfect solution. Not only are they made with real peanut butter that’s crafted from slowly roasted and ground Virginia peanuts, but the chocolate is also sourced from high-quality cacao beans.
Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramels
Sea salt and caramel are a combo that go together like peanut butter and jelly. Add them to quality chocolate and you’ve got yourself an elevated Milky Way, which hits the spot if that’s your craving.
Butter Waffle Cookies
These cookies, which taste like a more buttery version of an ice cream cone, go great with a variety of other sweet treats. Try them dipped in Speculoos Cookie Butter, alongside ice cream, or even with your morning or afternoon cup of coffee.
Key Lime Pie
If you live somewhere where summer tends to be on the extreme side, you probably crave more refreshing tropical treats than rich, chocolate ones. If you want something a little different from ice cream or popsicles, this frozen Key lime pie—traditionally made with sweetened condensed milk and true Key lime juice—is sure to hit the spot. And the best part about this dessert is that it doesn’t even require baking.
S'mores Bars
If you love a good s’mores bar but can’t fathom the thought of sitting near a campfire in the summer heat, this cool take on them is just the ticket. You can enjoy them cool at room temperature after removing from the freezer, or even warm them up in the oven if you do have a craving for the traditional version.
A Dozen Macarons
If you’ve got a sweet tooth and tend to favor the fancy stuff, you know that French macarons, while tasty, aren’t exactly cheap. Trader Joe’s offers them frozen by the dozen, however, and this variety of flavors, including coconut, lemon, and salted caramel, will definitely help you get your fix.
Strawberries and Cream Gelato
If you’re an ice cream lover, you likely tend to gravitate to the good stuff, i.e. gelato, which is especially light, yet creamy, as it’s made with more cream than milk. If you also love classic flavors like vanilla and strawberry, you’ll definitely meet your match with this option, which combines the two along with candied strawberry pieces and vanilla bean specks.
Tres Leches Cake
If you’re a fan of Latin American desserts, tres leches cake is probably ranked high on your list of favorites. Made with heavy cream, sweetened condensed milk, and evaporated milk, you can pick this up from TJ's no baking required and it just needs a few hours of resting at room temperature—or overnight chilling in your refrigerator.
Celebration Cake Gelato
If birthday cake is one of your favorite ice cream flavors, Trader Joe’s has you covered. This creamy cake batter-flavored gelato is filled with cake pieces and rainbow sprinkles that can be enjoyed any day.
Vanilla Bean Joe-Joe's
Any Trader Joe’s dessert fanatics are surely familiar with the store’s take on Oreo cookies, a.k.a. Joe-Joes. In addition to the traditional chocolate option, as well as seasonal versions like peppermint, flavors include this tasty vanilla cookie with vanilla bean cream, which has proven to be quite popular over the years.
Coffee Bean Hold the Cone! Mini Ice Cream Cones
Want a fancy ice cream cone without having to venture out to an ice cream shop? These mini cones are not only the perfect portion if you want something on the smaller side, but they also take it up a notch with chocolate sugar cones holding coffee bean ice cream, a popular fan favorite.
Speculoos Cookie Butter Ice Cream
If you’re familiar with Trader Joe’s Speculoos Cookie Butter, made with those distinctive Belgian cookies, you’re going to love the ice cream version, which, as you may be hoping, is swirled with it throughout.
Mochi Ice Cream
If you’ve ever managed to save room for dessert while dining out for Japanese food, chances are you’ve tried mochi ice cream. And if you’re a fan, there’s good news—you can find this dessert, which is ice cream wrapped in a sweet, chewy rice flour dough, at Trader Joe’s. They’ve got a variety of flavors, including vanilla, green tea, mango, and strawberry.
Sea Salt Brownie Bites
Sea salt has become somewhat of a ubiquitous ingredient in chocolate desserts, and with good reason. The salt in these fudgy brownies balances out the sweetness, making them a perfect standalone treat or, even better, served alongside a scoop of good vanilla ice cream.
Pound Plus Milk Chocolate Bar with Caramel, Pretzel, Sea Salt
Trader Joe’s Pound Plus chocolate bars are known to be a good option for a simple chocolate fix you can break off as you please. This version takes it up a notch with rich caramel, crunchy pretzel bits and flaky sea salt for those who are deeply into the sweet and salty combination.
Blondie Bar Baking Mix
What’s better than a homemade baked dessert? A homemade baked dessert that’s from a box… but still tasted perfectly fresh. These blondies, which resemble and taste like chocolate chip cookies but with the thickness and texture of a brownie, easily fills the bill, making it an obvious fan favorite.
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