Trader Joe's 12 Cranberry Orange Bars

Just when you think there is a classic item, Trader Joe's takes that item and puts a fun spin on it just in time for the holidays.

Behold classic lemon bars in a Fall seasonal flavor: cranberry and orange.

The taste

If you've ever had the outrageous and delicious refrigerated Cranberry Orange Relish that Trader Joe's sells from November until about the New Year then you'll be familiar with the flavor pairings. But these bars actually taste far less sweet than the above-mentioned relish.

If you've ever had Trader Joe's Classic 12 Lemon Bars then you know exactly the format of these classic bars. These have a nice tender shortbread crust at the bottom. There is a subtle sogginess between the two layers but nothing off-putting.

The top is a curd that isn't nearly as sweet as the lemon bars. This has a bit more tang and tartness to it from the cranberries.

Cranberry and oranges were a flavor match made in heaven. The color of these is a bit intense for cranberry. It's almost beet-like in color too. The ingredients mention that there is vegetable coloring involved here. Because the color of these is quite intense.

But despite the use of vegetable food coloring the taste that shines through is the cranberry. The orange is there but as a supporting role. The sweetness is kept in check with these and they are surprisingly not overly sweet.

Each one of these is maybe 2 bites at most. Perfect for guests who "just want a sliver" of whatever is being cut into.

There was a nice ratio of filling to crust here too. The curd is pretty generous but doesn't overwhelm the palate.

These are very well done and quite snackable too. Because these are so small they defrost at room temperature in about an hour so plan accordingly.

The packaging

The packaging is basically identical to that of the classic 12 lemon bars. All the bars are placed on a paper tray. The tray is covered in thin plastic wrap.

Overall

For $4.99 you get 12 bars that defrost in almost no time. These are a solid option to serve (or enjoy by yourself). However, this still doesn't rival the Lemon Bars.

But these are solid on their own and a good item to try. They also won't take up a lot of space in your freezer either.

Would I buy this again? Yes, I might pick up another box of Trader Joe's 12 Cranberry Orange Bars before they are done for the season. I love the size they are and the fact they aren't too cloyingly sweet.

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