Trader Joe's Now Has Chocolate Lava Gnocchi — and People Have a Lot of Feelings About It
This article originally appeared on Shape.com.
Trader Joe's is known for many things: cauliflower gnocchi, Everything But the Bagel Seasoning, and, if you live in a major city, incredibly long lines. But this week, people are talking about a must-try product that's just been added to the grocery store's line-up: Chocolate Lava Gnocchi.
Made with ingredients like potato puree, cream, sugar, eggs, cocoa powder, and hazelnut paste, the buzzworthy chocolatey delight was first announced in a September episode of the grocery store's podcast, Inside Trader Joe's. Though gnocchi is traditionally served as a savory dinner meal, TJ's Chocolate Lava Gnocchi was launched as a dessert, Lori Latta, Trader Joe's vice president of product innovation, told The Kitchn. "But I think that there are some people who might make a dinner out of it," she added. "They're really easy to prepare because you just put them in a sauté pan with a little bit of ghee or butter and brown them. I think it takes no more than the cauliflower gnocchi, so 6 to 7 minutes." (Related: Delicious Recipes That Use Trader Joe's Cauliflower Gnocchi, Rice, and Pizza Crust)
Immediately following the announcement, podcast listeners flocked to Reddit and created an entire subreddit solely about the launch. "I'm scared but intrigued at the same time," wrote one Redditor. "Will it be sweet potatoes with chocolate syrup? Will it be gnocchi shaped chocolates as a dessert you can warm up and pair with ice cream??"
Another Redditor shared: "I'm traumatized after the chocolate hummus so this is a pass."
The product officially hit Trader Joe's shelves on Wednesday. Just 24 hours later, people are already losing their ish, taking to social media to share their thoughts.
First to the party was the popular Instagram account @traderjoeslist, which declared that "the internet is about to break" in response to the new launch.
🚨Pretty sure the internet is about to break 🚨 📸 @thesnacksoflife
A post shared by Trader Joe's List (@traderjoeslist) on Nov 12, 2019 at 1:19pm PST
From there, a frenzy of foodies posted about the molten-center chocolate product. "When did Buddy the Elf join product development?" wrote one Instagram user alongside a close-up photo of the frozen gnocchi packaging.
Another person sang their praises of the sweet treat, writing: "CHOCOLATE GNOCCHI!? Trader Joe's - you know what a girl needs."
A post shared by sasha: whole30 coach (@softboiledsash) on Nov 13, 2019 at 6:31pm PST
One person was so pumped about the treat, she said she nearly broke out into a dance when she spotted it at her local TJ's: "This made me so excited I almost did a little dance in the freezer aisle." (Related: Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez Launched Instant Pot-Ready Meals)
A post shared by Mona Rez (@traderjoescorner) on Nov 13, 2019 at 9:30am PST
But not everyone had heart-eyes for the launch. One Instagram user, who was intrigued but ultimately less than thrilled, shared a photo of the gnocchi out of its packaging and wrote: "Saw these on FB and had to try them. I'll take a hard pass. They were interesting but caused peels of laughter to erupt upon gazing at their cat turd appearance!"
A post shared by Kristy Doty (@kristydoty) on Nov 13, 2019 at 9:12pm PST
Social media reactions aside, it's up to you whether or not to make a beeline to the nearest Trader Joe's to try to snag a bag of your own Chocolate Lava Gnocchi. If you choose to do so, make sure to keep your expectations in line, as many shoppers have found that their local TJ's are already sold out of the trending food item.
And, just like shoppers reacted to the launch of the dessert on social media, some are taking to Twitter to share their devastating sadness about not being able to try the dessert. People's food editor, Shay Spence, tweeted: "I've never used the word crestfallen since I learned it in 7th grade vocab but it's the only appropriate word for how I feel about Trader Joe's being out of chocolate lava gnocchi." (Related: You Can Now Buy Canned Sparkling Wine at Trader Joe's for Just $4)
I‘ve never used the word crestfallen since I learned it in 7th grade vocab but it’s the only appropriate word for how I feel about trader joe’s being out of chocolate lava gnocchi
— Shay Spence🎅 (@chezspence) November 14, 2019
As far as nutrition goes, a one-cup serving of the ooey-gooey goodness is 300 calories—given the richness of the treat, that seems pretty fair. But considering it's loaded with 19 grams of sugar (well over half of the recommended daily amount of sugar) and very few nutrients, it's probably best enjoyed as an indulgent brunch or dessert as opposed to a dinner meal. For just $2.99 per bag, why not give it a try?
