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Trader Joe's Cinnamon Crumb Coffee Cake Mix

I love a good crumb cake. Or is it a coffee cake? Regardless, people tend to use both phrases interchangeably. Regardless, we are still talking about the same thing here. And for the naysayers out there, sometimes an item that disappears from the shelves of Trader Joe's doesn't always mean it is gone forever. In fact, Trader Joe's Cinnamon Crumb Coffee Cake Mix was introduced in 2010 and hasn't been seen in about 5 years.

Review

If that is too long of a time for a food memory, then allow me to explain. This is a really easy one-step, two bowl recipe. Make the cake mix, then add the topping.

No muss and no fuss about it. And what it yields is exactly what you see pictured.

And for a boxed mix, it came together from start to finish in about an hour. I opted to skip the crumbs in the middle. I like mine on top. But if you are looking for Starbucks level crumbs to top this then you might be disappointed. This is way more coffee cake than crumb cake.

But the crumbs were deeply cinnamon and sugar with some added butter to make it that much more magical. The cake came out nice and moist and tasted like it had nutmeg in it. And nutmeg is a pretty good compliment for cinnamon.

It was sweet without being cloying. And yes, a good cup of coffee or tea would pair well. And yes, I'd make the case it would be good for dessert, breakfast, or brunch. Good for sharing or enjoying 12 slices all to yourself. Your call.

Overall

For $2.99 it is a pretty good find, but this is another one of those items that were labeled as seasonal. So if you find it, try it, and love it, you'll want to stock up.

Would I buy this again? Yes, I would buy Trader Joe's Cinnamon Crumb Coffee Cake Mix again. It was simple and minimal mess, yet yielded a pretty good end result.

Make it yourself

If you find yourself out of luck for the season or you want to enjoy this at home. Don't worry, I've got you covered with my crumb cake recipe. Nothing complicated either. A box of yellow cake mix and a handful of items you probably have on hand already. And yes, if you like crumbs you can totally double my recipe just on the crumbs:

A slice of crumb cake with coffee and the baking dish on the background. — My homemade crumb cake recipe

Did you try it? Let me know what you think in the comments section!

Product Photos

Calories and ingredients

Directions

Preparation instructions for Trader Joe's Cinnamon Crumb Coffee Cake Mix

Want to see more items I've reviewed from Trader Joe's? Click on Thoughts & Reviews of Trader Joe's for a searchable list.

The Bottom Line

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Trader Joe's Maple Pecan Cookie and Loaf

The weather is finally getting cooler and I'm excited to be able to turn on the oven in the house. While I don't necessarily love the whole getting cold and maybe snow thing we have going on here in the northeast, I can tell you that nothing beats a baked good fresh from the oven. So the first chill we had and I made sure to try Trader Joe's Maple Pecan Cookie and Baking Mix.

An unopened box of Trader Joe's Maple Pecan Cookie and Baking Mix

Review

Now, normally I am all about Banana bread. I'll put walnuts in them or make it chocolate banana bread. But nothing beats a fresh loaf from the oven.

I'm kinda cookie-d out with all the sweets that have been hitting shelves (and I'm sure there will be more to come in the coming weeks). But since Trader Joe's Maple Pecan Bar won't be returning, this is the replacement.

Now, I do have to admit, I really really liked the maple pecan bars. They reminded me a bit of the jarred pecan pie filling they used to sell.

But alas, both are gone in the torturous way that Trader Joe's knows how to dole out. On the flip side of the discontinued items, I do have to admit I am enjoying the maple madness.

And this pecan cookie and the baking mix doesn't disappoint.

I can't speak for how these turn out like cookies, but I can tell you the loaf was pretty darn good.

It was moist and the directions were on point. If you can imagine a banana bread made without bananas and infused with maple flavor, that is pretty much what you are getting here. There are just enough nuts in the mix to bring some texture to each bite.

Overall

This is fun item to try. I sliced mine and toasted it in the morning. It made for a decent enough breakfast.

For $3.29 it is a reasonably priced mix that can be used to make cookies or a loaf. But if you love it, keep in mind this is a seasonal item and won't be around forever.

Would I buy this again? Yes, I would buy Trader Joe's Maple Pecan Cookie and Baking Mix again.

Did you try it? Let me know what you think in the comments section!

Product Photos

Calories and ingredients

Baking Instructions

How to prepare as a cookie:

How to prepare Trader Joe's Maple Pecan Cookie and Baking Mix as a cookie mix

How to prepare as a loaf:

How to prepare Trader Joe's Maple Pecan Cookie and Baking Mix as a loaf

Want to see more items I've reviewed from Trader Joe's? Click on Thoughts & Reviews of Trader Joe's for a searchable list.

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Trader Joe's Organic Acai Bowl

In all of the pumpkin and fall-themed items in the freezer section quietly sits a much-welcomed option. One that doesn't have a ton of added sugar to it. Yes, they are hopping on the train of trendiness with Trader Joe's Organic Acai Bowl.

Taste

In New York City an Acai Bowl from a trendy place can set you back anywhere from $7-$12. So if these bowls are your jam, then this is a good value for $3.99. But don't kid yourself, you are making certain concessions when it comes from a frozen aisle.

Premium smoothie or acai bowls contain fresh fruit. If anything, perhaps the acai was previously frozen. But here, there is a delicate balancing act that is taking place here.

First off, if you go digging for the bananas, you'll have a hard time finding them. But they have been carefully hidden. They've been mixed into the acai to cut some of the tart nature of that fruit. Now, if you don't like bananas, then this might be a deal-breaker.

However, other than the strawberries getting a touch mushy in the way that frozen strawberries do, this was a yummy bowl.

It was a touch tart but tasted very fresh. The sweetness comes from the fruit with only a touch of added syrup. I defrosted mine overnight but it still needed a quick 20-second zap in the microwave to get everything in the bowl to move around. But all the flavors and textures worked together really well for a frozen bowl.

And yes, I just complained about the mushy strawberries, but the granola and coconut chips made up for any lack in texture.

Most importantly, this is probably one of the healthier items I've tried in a while which I'm happy to see and hope to see more of in the future.

Overall

But for those of you who read this is a good value as my starting point, you can still make this cheaper at home. You can still buy Trader Joe's Acai packets for 4 for $4.49 and make your own. But if you are like me and love hitting snooze a few too many times in the morning, this is a good option to keep around.

Best of all, it wasn't noted on my receipt as being seasonal. So hopefully we will keep this one around for a bit longer. If we are really lucky, maybe we can get some other flavors as well.

Would I repurchase this? Yes, I would buy Trader Joe's Organic Acai Bowl again.

Did you try it? Let me know what you think in the comments section!

Product Photos

Calories and ingredients

Nutritional information and ingredients in Trader Joe's Organic Acai Bowl

Directions

Out of the package you get:

The contents removed from Trader Joe's Organic Acai Bowl box

After being thawed you get:

A fully prepared and thawed Trader Joe's Organic Acai Bowl

Want to see more items I've reviewed from Trader Joe's? Click on Thoughts & Reviews of Trader Joe's for a searchable list.

The Bottom Line

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Trader Joe's Herbes de Provence Extra Virgin Olive Oil

When I picked up a bunch of seasonal offerings, Trader Joe's Herbes de Provence Extra Virgin Olive Oil made its way into my basket. To be fair, Herbes de Provence is a regular seasonal offering. But for those of us who enjoy flavored olive oil then this is a nice option.

Review and taste

Those who are familiar with Herbes de Provence know what this seasoning blend tastes like. For those of you who are unfamiliar, traditionally it is a blend of rosemary, thyme, marjoram, and oregano. This blend adds in a bay leaf along with some basil.

Now, if you've tried Herbes de Provence and didn't like it in the past, many times in North America it is also sold with the addition of lavender. This product thankfully contains no lavender.

If you've tried Trader Joe's Garlic Infused Oil, you know how pungent an infused oil can be. However, the herbs here are balanced given the amount of oil in the container. It was really enjoyable.

Pairings

How to best enjoy this? I had mine with bread. In my household, olive oil is nature's other butter. But aside from bread some other pairings you might enjoy can include: using this to marinate meats, stews, or with a side of veggies.

Overall

But if you are looking to mix things up or pick up an affordable gift for someone, this is a pretty good item to keep an eye out for. For $3.99 it is reasonably priced as well.

Did you try it? Let me know what you think in the comments section!

Product Photos

The bottle of Trader Joe's Herbes de Provence Extra Virgin Olive Oil:

Calories and ingredients

Calories and nutritional information in Trader Joe's Herbes de Provence Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Want to see more items I've reviewed from Trader Joe's? Click on Thoughts & Reviews of Trader Joe's for a searchable list.

The Bottom Line

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Trader Joe's Pumpkin Spice Biocellulose Face Mask

This isn't Trader Joe's first venture into the world of face masks. But this is the first seasonal variety that I've seen. So in a world where there clearly isn't enough pumpkin spiced things, now there is Trader Joe's Pumpkin Spice Biocellulose Face Mask on shelves.

Testing this out

A few summers ago, I did try Trader Joe's Rich Hydrating Face Mask, and other than some tingling, I liked it. I even repurchased it a few times. It seemed like a really nice summer mask between the coolness and the cucumbery scent.

However, Trader Joe's Pumpkin Spice Biocellulose Face Mask made me a bit more skeptical. Putting pumpkin spiced anything up to my face seems a bit questionable.

I like some aromas, but some more than others. Pumpkin is something I am on the fence about.

Now, if you did try Trader Joe's Rich Hydrating Face Mask, there are some key differences. First, this isn't a cotton mask. This is biocellulose which means when you pull it out of the package you'll be confronted by not one but two paper towel-like sides holding the delicate mask together. Second, is the aroma. This is going to be a deal-breaker for a lot of people. I tolerated the smell but wasn't in love with it. Perhaps if it were maple or just neutral in aroma it would have been better.

But the same similarity remained: the mask probably isn't going to fit anyone well. You'll still look absolutely terrible while wearing this.

But, despite the fact this is only meant to stay on your face for no more than 20 minutes, the end results for me were pretty good.

Overall

My face felt very well hydrated. Plus with it being slippery it forced me to stop what I was doing and chill on the couch while the timer was running. Not a bad thing in my book.

So if you can forgive the smell, this mask does what it says it will: it will moisturize. Added bonus it will force to take a quick spa 15-20 minute break.

For $2.99, this wasn't bad. But if you are sensitive to smells, I'd steer clear of this one. It is a bit on the pungent side of things.

Would I buy this again? While I'll hope for a more neutral smelling mask, the end result of Trader Joe's Pumpkin Spice Biocellulose Face Mask was pretty good. Added points for this mask not tingling too intensely.

Did you try it? Let me know what you think in the comments section!

Product Photos

The package of Trader Joe's Pumpkin Spice Biocellulose Face Mask:

The ingredients and how to use this:

The directions and ingredients in Trader Joe's Pumpkin Spice Biocellulose Face Mask

Want to see more items I've reviewed from Trader Joe's? Click on Thoughts & Reviews of Trader Joe's for a searchable list.

The Bottom Line

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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