Welcome to another matchup of Trader Joe's reviews with those items featured in the Holiday Guide a.k.a the December Fearless Flyer.
Lots of new items have been landing seemingly daily. And as always there is lots of good stuff to try, but let this be your review guide to the reviewers who have tried these items and have something to say about them....
If there was on holiday food memory other than cinnamon rolls, it was making a rum cake with my mom. It was nothing fancy nor was it a family secret. Nope, it was the classic 1980's Bacardi Rum Cake recipe. It was moist, boozy, delicious, and had the shelf life of a fruit cake. I loved making it with my mom. She let me handle the cake, but the making the glaze was on her. In either case, I loved it and was hoping for the same awesomeness in this box.
Unfortunately, that wasn't in this box.
No awesomeness. Heck, Bourbon is the last ingredient, but I should have known something was up before reading the ingredients.
I've been IDed for buying wine, Brandy Beans, the Chocolate Liqueur Cherries, and the Boozy Assortment of Truffles. I tell people I'll be celebrating the 16th anniversary of my 21st birthday when asked how old I am.
This had a less boozy flavor than the Truffle Mousse Pate. Neither the purchase of this nor the pate required me to show ID.
So what you have here is a subtly spiced cake. There is a hint of smoky flavor, but that is where it ends. If you are wondering, yes, I tried the batter. I'm not saying you should do this. This is what we did as kids. I haven't died yet. And no, I'm not endorsing you do this. There is salmonella out there.
So, I knew the bourbon flavor had to be brought in. Consider this cake BYOB- Bring Your Own Bourbon.
The batter is thick, but not pound cake thick.
I did modify the recipe a touch- I didn't use a Bundt pan. I chose mini cupcakes because I don't own a mini bundt pan. I also opted for the pecan cake filling. It would add a few more tablespoons of bourbon.
Why mini cupcakes? Sometimes you just want a bite. Sometimes you remember that one relative who asked you how big of a piece you'd like, you'd answer a "sliver" and they would plop a huge piece on your plate. Then you were awkwardly stuck with a slice you literally only wanted a bite of.
The mini cupcakes took between 18 and 20 minutes which was a welcomed time saving as well.
Now, if you follow the optional cake filling, it makes a lot. I had lots leftover, but it would probably work better in a bundt pan.
What came out of the oven was a moist cake that wasn't bourbon-y. The filling didn't even lend much bourbon flavor either.
But what pulls it together is the glaze. That is literally where all the bourbon flavor was. It makes sense as that is the only bourbon that wasn't cooked, so you are left with the straight bottle taste with the addition of butter and powdered sugar.
Overall, it made a moist cake, but it didn't knock it out of the park for me. In fact, you can probably accomplish the same thing with regular cake mix and the same glaze recipe of powdered sugar, bourbon, and butter.
For $3.49, I bought 2 boxes.
I made the second box in a bundt pan. So here are a few quick notes about this: the cake is still moist but lacks the bourbon flavor, the barely filled my bundt pan halfway and didn't rise all that much. The optional filling is absolutely worth doing to bulk up the cake as well as add a nominal amount of bourbon flavor, but once again, the bourbon flavor is really from the glaze. And yes, there is a lot of glazes. I'm secretly hoping this cake will age well like my beloved rum cake. I'll bump this up from my original 2.5 stars out of 5 to a solid 3.33. The dimensions made a difference. That being said, I'm not sure I would attempt a mini bundt.
Would I buy this again? It's just alright. This may still need some modification on your end to really make this shine. If I didn't have the time to make a rum cake, this might actually make for a decent alternative.
Did you try it? Let me know what you think in the comments section!
The box of Trader Joe's Bourbon Cake Mix:
Which by the way, the box has similar packaging as Trader Joe's Bourbon:
Out of the package you get:
After being baked and glazed as mini cupcakes you get:
Pictures from the 2nd cake in a bundt pan:
Want to see more items I've reviewed from Trader Joe's? Click on Thoughts & Reviews of Trader Joe's for a searchable list.
Don't forget to share your thoughts by going to the "user review" at the bottom of the box (click on the number of stars you believe this product deserves) and leave a comment below.
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It's cold as anything since Thanksgiving. We were just talking the other day at work about how in New York we feel like we are down to having 2 seasons instead of the normal four. We all feel like we have summer or winter.
And while the calendar doesn't say, Winter, the temperatures and the items for sale at Trader Joe's do. With Thanksgiving done, the wreaths and holiday items have hit shelves. And the newest Fearless Flyer should land on Monday.
With Winter temperatures upon us, these French Onion Soup Bites have landed in time for the season. And yes, my receipt said these are seasonal.
Now, I adore French Onion Soup. I really do. I make my own. It's simple as anything to make too, but it takes time. So when I saw his appetizer I figured I would love it.
But I didn't.
Here is an appetizer that seeks to mimic the classic soup.
You have most of the elements: deeply caramelized onions, Swiss Cheese and bread (or pastry in this case). Everything except the soup.
But for some reason, I wasn't loving it.
I think is was the combination of parts that were just ok. First off, this is very similar to Trader Joe's Feta Onion Bites. The key difference was the filling there was way more cheese than onion.
Here, it's mostly onion. With the presence of cane sugar in the ingredients, I was wondering if that is how they sped up the caramelization process.
The onions weren't overly flavorful, the cheese wasn't plentiful, and the pastry (if I can call them that) part didn't add much in terms of flavor. I even found that on some of mine, I needed to run a spoon around the outside of each cup in order to get some of these out.
These would have been better in a puff pastry to lighten them up. Also, this has a vegetable base, when most French onion soups I've made were a beef base.
These are edible, but weren't my favorite.Â
For $4.49 they're affordable for a dozen appetizers. They do come in their own tray, but it still requires a sheet pan underneath.
Would I buy this again? No, I won't be buying these again. Fun to try once, but they didn't blow me away.
The box of Trader Joe's French Onion Soup Bites:
The nutritional information:
The ingredients:
How to prepare:
Out of the package you get:
After being cooked you get:
Want to see more items I've reviewed from Trader Joe's? Click on Thoughts & Reviews of Trader Joe's for a searchable list.
Did you try it? Let me know what you think in the comments section!
Think mozzarella sticks met garlic bread and decided to get fancy. Trader Joe's Herbaceous Cheesy Bites are golden, crunchy, and stuffed with cheese and herbs, ready to rock your snack game. They hit your oven or air fryer, and suddenly your kitchen is hosting a cheese-flavored fiesta. However, this party shows up seasonally so if you find that you love it, then it is time to stock up.
These come frozen in a 7.2-ounce box with about 12 bite-sized balls. Each has a melty cheese interior-like mozzarella mixed with herbs-wrapped in crispy breading. Heat in 10-12 minutes for ultimate oozy crunch.
Out of the oven or air fryer, these bites deliver that perfect snap on the outside and a gooey cheese stretch on the inside. The herb mix-chives, basil, and parsley-is lightly fragrant and gives a fresh balance to all that cheesy richness. They hit the nostalgia button without making you feel like you time-traveled to your childhood snack days.
Texture is spot-on. Coating stays crunchy, not soggy, and the cheese doesn't leak out like it's staging an escape. Perfect bite every time. And the cheese blend feels generous without being crazy greasy.
Flavor-wise, these are cheesy, herby, and approachable. Not battling your taste buds with heat or weird ingredients, just a satisfying savory pop. They pair beautifully with marinara or pesto dip, but they're more than strong enough to stand solo.
A word on quantity, 12 bites go fast. They're too good to section off for strict portion control. And while they're not healthy food, they feel like quality comfort snacks you'd serve to guests.
The following are commonly asked questions about this product:
Yes, they're meat-free.
Technically yes, but you'll lose that satisfying crunch: Oven or air fryer is the way to go.
Yes, well-preheated, they crisp up right and hold through a full serving.
Trader Joe's Herbaceous Cheesy Bites are snackable perfection: crunchy, cheesy, and herb-sprinkled. They make for fantastic party appetizers or solo cheese therapy sessions. You'll want to hide the box so you can't devour the whole thing in one go.
Don't forget to share your thoughts by going to the "user review" at the bottom of the box (click on the number of stars you believe this product deserves) and leave a comment below.
If there is one good thing about going to a Trader Joe's before the holiday, it's that the people in there seem just a big more kind and jolly than most grocery stores. The other grocery stores near me, the customers are miserable. Worse, the employees are even more miserable. So I hope you've done your shopping or are only running out for an item or two. As for me, here is a rare double review in honor of Thanksgiving.
I figured that with the holiday on Thursday, I'd get around to these two items before I hit some of the sweets and gift items that are on shelves.
So there are certain Thanksgiving essentials: some turkey like substance (yes, Trader Joe's does make a turkey-less option), veggies, and various condiments like cranberry and gravy.
Thanksgiving dinner is traditionally a dinner of contrasting flavors and textures. So let's get started with the cranberry relish.
More often than not the cranberry provides a tart contrast to the meal. However, this relish is more on the sweet side than on the tart and acidic side.
If you've avoided cranberry, then you have nothing to fear by trying this item. It gets an added kick of sweetness from the orange and sugar. There are no weird ingredients in this. And yes, I now fully adore the orange and cranberry pairing here.
But this is a relish and not a sauce. Sauce would need heat, this is the three items pulsed together and given enough time to allow the flavors to meld. It's acidic but citrus-y too. This is totally worth a try.
I've had Trader Joe's Turkey Gravy before. I just didn't write about it because I was kinda blah about it. But once again, not here.
While this won't be the most assertive flavored gravy, I can tell you it is a good turkey gravy that is made from a roux (the old-fashioned way), plus you get the flavor of the herbs and most notably the taste of the white wine in this.
In either case these are well priced time savers that you can use to pretend like you made it. These are priced at $3.99 for the Turkey Gravy and $3.49 for the Cranberry Orange Relish.
Now, I don't come from a large family. My husband is a first responder so holidays are often non-existent in our household. So if you are having a smaller Thanksgiving, Trader Joe's pretty much. Plus you can get everything on the table in an hour. I tried that experiment a few years ago. And it totally worked. You can read more about my Stress Free Trader Joe's Thanksgiving Dinner that I threw for both sides of my family on one of the few days where I could get both sides together.
Would I buy this again? Yes, I look forward to buying both Trader Joe's Fresh Cranberry Orange Relish and Kettle Cooked Turkey Gravy next year.
The containers of Trader Joe's Fresh Cranberry Orange Relish and Kettle Cooked Turkey Gravy:
The ingredients and calories in Trader Joe's Kettle Cooked Gravy:
Heating directions for Trader Joe's Kettle Cooked Gravy:
After being served up with a pre-Thanksgiving meal with sliced Brined Bone In Half Turkey Breast and Scalloped Potatoes with Quattro Formaggio:
Want to see more items I've reviewed from Trader Joe's? Click on Thoughts & Reviews of Trader Joe's for a searchable list.
Check out my Winter Wassail Cocktail Recipe. Nothing fancy. If you've already picked up Trader Joe's Winter Wassail, then you only need two more ingredients to make it: vodka and peach schnapps.
Did you try it? Let me know what you think in the comments section!
Don't forget to share your thoughts by going to the "user review" at the bottom of the box (click on the number of stars you believe this product deserves) and leave a comment below.
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