Ah, the holiday season has hit Trader Joe's. And there are so many sweets hitting shelves. So many maple things to try, a few pumpkin things to try, some apple things to try. And then in the frozen section are Trader Joe's Cinnamon Rugelach.
Review and taste
I love rugelach. It's a really nice treat at any time of year. But for the most part, the times I've tried these little pastries, they've reminded me more of pie dough with a sweet filling rolled in.
What comes in this little box seems a lot more like puff pastry (minus the butter) that has been filled very generously with a date and cinnamon sugar.
The directions are spot on in terms of time. And there is enough filling that it oozes out to let you know the yummy deliciousness you are about to experience.
But while mine was baking, I noticed the bottom of the pan was filling with liquid. I assumed it was sugar that had leeched out.
Nope.
These little guys were almost frying in the liquid.
Once they were cool enough to sample, I realized that they were 1) sort of delicious hot and 2) really oily.
Even in a 450F oven, these did not stay crisp. And no matter how delicious the filling is, the greasiness was hard to overlook.
Despite the directions recommending a sugar glaze, I couldn't imagine adding any more liquid (or sugar for that matter) as the rugelach would lack any texture at all.
So if you remember last year's Donut Bites which were pulled from shelves due to quality issues. These should go back to the drawing board as well.
Overall
Don't get me wrong, fix the cookie, and then the product would be outstanding. Also, it should be noted that I baked mine in the tin per the directions. If you do put these on a cookie sheet, be absolutely certain your sheet has a lip to it as these do have enough oil that comes right out. Safety first.
And yes, they eat like a croissant, but it is the oiliest croissant you'll ever consume.
For $3.99, I'd pass on this one until someone can get the oily nature of these in check.
Did you try it? Let me know what you think in the comments section!
Product Photos
The box of Trader Joe's Cinnamon Rugelach :
Calories
Ingredients and directions
Out of the package you get:
After being cooked you get:
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Trader Joe's Cinnamon Rugelach
Product Name: Trader Joe's Cinnamon Rugelach
Product Description: Trader Joe's Cinnamon Rugelach is a new but seasonal product.
Price: $3.99
Currency: USD
Availability: Discontinued
Summary
Trader Joe's Cinnamon Rugelach is new but is also seasonally available.
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Taste
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Value
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Worthy of Repurchasing
Pros
- The filling was very flavorful and delicious
Cons
- Tastes more like something you would get at a carnival
- The oily nature takes away from these bites that had so much potential
Alek says
That's so disappointing! Rugelach usually not that greasy. Maybe if you baked it on a separate pan would be better? Hopefully they will go back to the drawing board. Also if donut bites are making a comeback they better be improved.
Dagmar says
I passed these by when I saw them in the frozen section. Not that I don't like rugelach but would prefer fresh from a good bakery. Sadly, I am not very impressed with the seasonal products that have come out so far. I did get a chance to smell their room diffuser in Apple Harvest? Crisp?Cider?@ the register as I was checking out. Smelled so good I may have to buy one on my next trip. Really good price of $3.99.
becomebetty says
I bought the room diffuser but I can only smell it when it is literally next to my nose. Maybe its better suited for a bathroom. I went out and bought 3 of the honeycrisp apple candles instead. Let me know how it is for you.
Dani Rae says
I’ll be honest I baked them, I loved them, my family and I thought the flavor was amazing!
B says
Amazing!! Hope those goodies are around for a very long time!
Dagmar says
Oh my gosh....... thanks for letting me know about the diffuser. I had literally put it right up to my nose and it smelled awesome but if it doesn't diffuse well and you have to be on top of it it's not worth it.
becomebetty says
Hey Dag! I was so disappointed in the diffuser. I love the Honeycrisp candle and was hoping the diffuser would be amazing. Bummer.
T says
I really loved these. I didn't have any liquid in the bottom of mine? I also wouldn't add MORE sticky sweetness to them, though.
Plus, my baby can't have dairy or soy so I am stuck without both as well while she breastfeeds. This is one of the very few things of this type I can actually eat, so I was delighted with them!
becomebetty says
Hey T! I loved the filling, mine seemed off. But I'm glad to hear you enjoyed yours. Thanks so much for stopping by!
Charmaine says
Just baked the Cinnamon Rugelach and it was a fail. When I opened the package to cook them there was a syrupy like liquid each pastry looked like it had been frozen and refrozen. I slathered the syrup on top of each lil guy and popped um in the oven. They didn’t rise one iota with the texture tasting like raw (yet cooked) dough. Bad, bad bad is all I can say. I was disappointed cause my sister said she sampled them in store and they reminded her of our mothers homemade cinnamon rolls.
They in no way resemble my moms cinnamon rolls. Also got the cinnamon bun spread not sure about this either… the texture is kinda gel like. Weird. Tastes ok but I’m a texture gal and it might just gross me out to much to eat it. I’m thinking I’ll put it on a nice sourdough slice fresh outta the toaster and buttered…
Violet says
I have never had Rugelach but my partner and I just went back to TJ's to buy three boxes of these because we thought they were so delicious! They are incredibly sweet so if that's not your thing, we get it. But if you like cinnamon, sugar, and dates, we couldn't get enough!
becomebetty says
Hey Violet! Glad you liked them a lot! Thanks for taking the time to stop by and share your thoughts on this.
Lisa says
I here they re-did them and they are so much better!
becomebetty says
Hey Lisa! Good to know. If I'm not too sugared out from all the goodies, I'll try it again. Thanks again!
Doug Jacobsen says
I totally agree. Mine were uncooked both in appearance and flavor. I even put them back in the oven to no avail. My impression was if I bake them at 450 for another couple hours they still would have been raw. maybe they made a really bad batch