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:
Want to see more items I've reviewed from Trader Joe's? Click on Thoughts & Reviews of Trader Joe’s for an alphabetized list.
Did you try it? Let me know what you think in the comments section!
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.
You can also FOLLOW ME on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest to see what I’m up to.
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.
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.
Dag says
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.
becomebetty says
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!
L says
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
becomebetty says
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.