Here is a frozen item that I bought a while back, but sat in the freezer. Either I opted for everything else around it or just passed over it.
Taste and review
But in any case, I've had blintzes before. Usually in Manhattan. They are served with a crepe-like exterior and soft sweetened ricotta-like cheese in the middle. Often it is served with some type of fruit topping, powdered sugar, or sour cream.
Noting the amount of sugar in one serving, I skipped any additional toppings.
This is not an item that should be rushed. This item has a delicate exterior so you don't want to rush things. Sometimes in my haste, I cook things over the stove with the heat far higher than it needs to be.
This should be low and slow. Yes, you want some crispness on the outside, but at the same time, you want to make sure the middle is cooked through.
If you can be patient, then you will be rewarded with a blend of cottage cheese and farmer's cheese that is sweet enough to be enjoyed on its own. And yes, you want to make sure the middle does reach that warmed stage.
Directions
You can make this in a few different ways: in a skillet, in the oven, or in the air fryer. Yes, I know the directions don't mention the air fryer.
I tested these in a skillet. Medium-low heat is the key here. You want to crisp them but not burn them. So think low and slow here. To me, this yielded really good results.
If you are a fan of the oven method then preheat your oven to 400F. Bake for 10 minutes but flip them about halfway.
Making it in the air fryer
Now, the all-important question will they air fry? The answer is yes. Place these in your air fryer tray at 340F. Cook for about 8 minutes. Be sure to check them and make sure there is space between the blintzes.
Overall
While not quite as good as the ones I've had from stands in the city, as a frozen items they were pretty darn good without any mess.
For $3.49 for six these are a good deal. Worth a try if you want something sweet and filling.
Would I buy this again? While I enjoyed these, Trader Joe's Cheese Blintzes would not be a regular purchase as they are very sweet.
Product photos
The box of Trader Joe's Cheese Blintzes:
The nutritional information:
The ingredients:
How to prepare:
Out of the package you get:
After being cooked you get:
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Did you try it? Let me know what you think in the comments section!
The Bottom Line
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Trader Joe's Cheese Blintzes
Product Name: Trader Joe's Cheese Blintzes
Product Description: Trader Joe's Cheese Blintzes are a perennial favorite in the freezer sction.
Price: $3.49
Summary
Trader Joe's Cheese Blintzes are a long standing classic in the freezer section.
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Taste
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Value
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Worthy of Repurchasing
Pros
- Trader Joe's Cheese Blintzes are a pretty good blintz that is frozen and relatively easy to prepare.
Cons
- These begged for a fruit topping like what is pictured on the box.
Ya know.....I tried these a long time ago and didn't really like them. It could be that I really don't like cottage cheese. The innards seemed to have sort of a crumbly a.k.a. "cottage chz" texture....lol. I would like them so much better if they used ricotta instead of cottage.
Hey Dag! It's funny you bring that up. I'm not much of a cottage cheese fan on its down. Nor do I like yogurt. If something is buried in it, I might like it. But not everyone likes that curd texture. It totally get it. Thanks so much for stopping by!
We bought them once and the texture and taste were perfect. Then we got some that were curdy and almost sour…. Frozen too long or not stored properly? TJ needs to be super careful with hx of recalls on some foods
I agree. I've seen that across a lot of frozen items where maybe they weren't put directly into the freezer so they tasted "refrozen." Thanks for taking the time to stop by and share.
My first exposure to blintzes came from a college roommate who made them for what we called “ethnic food day.” She served them with a dollop of sour cream, and I found the blintzes to be just fine. Kind of bland.
I was inspired to give them another try after seeing an IG post about Trader Joe’s breakfast products, and after seeing the picture on the package. For $3.50, why not?
I made the blintzes in a skillet, and in the last two minutes of cooking threw in some fresh (and some rather tart) blueberries and then a splash of lemon-ginger syrup at the end. Pretty tasty!
The syrup was not really needed because the blintzes are, as you noted, sweet already (but not cloyingly so). The crisp crepe shell against the warm cheese filing is lovely. You do have to be okay with the texture, which is cottage-cheese-like at best or grainy at worst. If so, then you will be rewarded with a breakfast that is quick, easy, affordable, and a good source of protein. I would buy these again and try with other fruits.
Thanks for sharing!