Trader Joe's blog and cooking.
So in case you didn’t have enough sweets and cookies and candies yet, I figured I’d cover this item before New Year’s Day arrives when healthier eating seems in order. Yes, this is another example of a hybrid food much in the way a Cronut is kinda donut and kinda croissant.
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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.
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Let me apologize in advance for all the goodies that are going to be posted on this blog over the next month. I like reviewing real food, but this time of year all the goodies are out. Including this fancy breakfast/dessert that is so fancy it didn’t feel like it needed the “e” in chocolat.
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Easy as pie. Or at least that is how the saying goes. But what about the gluten-free crowd? Making pie without flour can be a bit of a challenge. However, just in time for the holiday season is Trader Joe’s Gluten Free Pie Crust in the freezer section. It’s already shaped and even has its own pie tin too. But how does it compare to a non gluten-free crust?
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If I had to pick one line where every flavor is pretty much on point, I would say the Hold the Cone! series is pretty darn near perfect. Unless you despise pumpkin, Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Ginger Hold the Cone Mini Ice Cream Cones rounds out some good flavors that one can only hope that they continue adding to.
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The pros: Trader Joe’s Macaron Aux Framboises has three generous servings and delicious dessert from France.
The cons: The coconut was a surprise but not a deal breaker.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Chocolate Chunk Cantuccini are new to shelves and are priced under $2. These are a hybrid between the traditional biscotti and a chocolate chip cookie.
The cons: Bag is not resealable. If you are nut free, you need to skip this product.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Neapolitan Joe Joe’s is the newest flavor of Joe Joe’s to hit store shelves.
The cons: The pairing here might not be everyone’s favorite.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Mint Chip Ice Cream is one the best mint chip ice creams that I’ve ever had.
The cons: Don’t look at the nutritional label. Just. Don’t. Do. It.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Mango and Cream Bars are light and refreshing.
The cons: No stick, but I’m not sure why these needed such explicit instructions.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s 8 Mini Croissants are new and replace the frozen ones you have to proof. Don’t worry though, the Chocolate and Almond croissants are still in the frozen aisle.
The cons: If you imagined (like I did) that these would be about the size of say a crescent roll, then you will be surprised by how much they puff up. This bag is not resealable. They are made in Belgium.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Soft Baked Snickerdoodles are delicious on their own, but it’s very clear there is also a targeted audience: people with allergies.
The cons: If you like crisp cookies, then you won’t want to pick this up. Box only contains 12 cookies.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Fleur de Sel Caramels are essentially salted caramels. If you love the salty sweet combination, then this a treat for you.
The cons: Texture was all caramel. I think these would have been more successful if they had the a touch of salt on top.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Peanut Butter Cartwheel Cookies are the newest cookies to hit Trader Joe’s shelves.
The cons: If you like truly crispy cookies, then you might want to pass on these as these are crisp around the edges.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s 8 Mini Raspberry Pastries are a new addition to the frozen aisle. These are easy to make and the end product is good.
The cons: This bag should be resealable as 8 pastries might be more than you want to bake at one time. I found the cook time to be longer than what was mentioned on the box.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Bite Sized Crispy Cookies filled with Belgian Chocolate might remind you of another cookie, but improved.
The cons: The allergy list on this on is pretty long for cookies.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Meyer Lemon Cake Mix with Lemon Icing is a very well done seasonal cake mix variety.
The cons: This is seasonal.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Mini Hold the Cone Vanilla Ice Cream Cones are one of two year round varieties of mini ice cream cones.
The cons: Hard to eat just one. Chocolate and vanilla flavors are offered year round. Other varieties will appear, but are seasonal.
The verdict: …
The pros: O and H Danish Bakery Raspberry Kringle is the newest flavor to hit the shelves at Trader Joe’s, but represents a substantial savings over ordering it online.
The cons: The kringle flavors at Trader Joe’s are only seasonal, but fortunately, all the flavors I’ve tried so far have frozen very well.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Frosted Sugar Cookies are a sweet and decadent bit of sweetness.
The cons: One cookie is 160 calories. There are lots of other desserts that have far fewer calories.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Vanilla Ice Cream Bon Bons are a small and portion controlled dessert that might satisfy a sweet tooth.
The cons: Vanilla ice cream could be better.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Banana Bread Mix is a quick and easy banana bread that won’t require you to possess any bananas to make.
The cons: Banana bread is relatively easy to make and you are paying for convenience here.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Cookie Butter Sandwich Cookies have cookie butter in them.
The cons: These should be redone and sold as “double stuff.”
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Chocolate Pecan Pie Bar is a solid option in the baked good aisle. It’s a reasonable sized dessert if you are having company.
The cons: Like most Pecan Pies, this one does not shy away from the calories. However, one serving is quite a generous size. Would be better if this had some bourbon flavoring to it.
The verdict: …
