And just before Halloween happens, Thanksgiving has hit Trader Joe's. While there seem to be some new items, most of what is hitting shelves is a returning classic including Trader Joe's Nantucket Style Cranberry Pie.
Taste and review
Now, don't get me wrong, my absolute favorite Trader Joe's cranberry product hands down is their Cranberry Orange Relish that shows up in the refrigerated aisle along with the seasonal items that only last through the short holiday season.
However, I think this product is a bit misleading. When I think of pie I tend to think of a flaky crust. But when you cut into this it tastes more like a cookie with lots of walnuts in it.
Things seem to get more confusing when you take this out of the box and are looking at the bottom of the pie and not the top. The cookie side faces up but gets flipped down when you put it onto a serving dish.
The cranberries are good but I almost feel like there was something that needed to be added between the crust and the cranberries to break it up a little bit further.
Cranberries can be pretty assertive on their own and there was quite a bit of them here. The crust is plenty sweet and the cranberry topping is tart enough without making you wince.
Nothing bad, but unexpected. If you have visitors with a nut allergy this might not strike you as the type of item that has nuts in it.
Overall
This isn't a bad dessert. It basically is a defrost and you are ready to serve the type of item. And especially around the holidays, it is a great item to keep in your freezer.
The cranberries were on the tart side but still had some texture. My pie wasn't quite as presentable as the one pictured, but it wasn't too ugly that I wouldn't take it out of the house either.
For $5.99 this is way cheaper than a bakery and less time-consuming than making it from scratch.
Would I buy this again? Trader Joe's Nantucket Style Cranberry Pie is usually an annual purchase.
Did you try it? Let me know what you think in the comments section!
Visual rundown
The box of Trader Joe's Nantucket Style Cranberry Pie:
Calories
Ingredients and directions
Out of the package you get:
After being flipped over you get:
Want to see more items I've reviewed from Trader Joe's? Click on Thoughts & Reviews of Trader Joe’s for a searchable list.
Trader Joe's Nantucket Style Cranberry Pie
Product Name: Trader Joe's Nantucket Style Cranberry Pie
Product Description: Trader Joe's Nantucket Style Cranberry Pie is a returning frozen dessert.
Price: $5.99
Summary
Trader Joe's Nantucket Style Cranberry Pie is a returning seasonal classic dessert.
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Taste
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Value
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Worthy of Repurchasing
Pros
- Not cloyingly sweet despite the fact that sugar is the first ingredient.
- A nice contrast of taste and texture.
Cons
- Contains walnuts. It adds crunch, but I'm not a fan.
- Seasonal, so it doesn't stick around very long
judilyn says
The first hint of cranberries appeared in the grocery store last week. Cranberry/orange relish is next up to make. I make a ton of it, freeze some of it, and we enjoy it for several months.
Virtual hugs,
Judie
becomebetty says
I love cranberry/orange relish. I hope you have a recipe posted. I would love to try it! Thanks as always for stopping by Judie!
judilyn says
Grind up cranberries and oranges - rind and all. Add some sugar (not as much as any recipe calls for) and let it sit in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours.
If you are feeling really frivolous, sprinkle some pecan pieces on top of the dish you are serving at the moment, but don't put them into the whole batch. They get soggy!
Babs George says
Was so happy to see this at my local TJ's today! My family really enjoys this seasonal delight and I usually purchase every time I frequent my local Trader Joes until "seasonal" is gone.
Beth says
I love this seasonal dessert, especially served warm from the oven with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.
Alek says
This is so good! Great cold too. I also make homemade nantucket pie too minus the walnuts and it ends up perfectly every time. One of my faves. I don't add much sugar to the recipe and allow the cranberries to shine.
Claudia says
Heard this item was discontinued. Has anyone else??
becomebetty says
Hey Claudia! They had this at my local store (again I don't work for them) but it may be done for the season. I hope that helps!
T. Coarse says
Loved the Nantucket Cranberry Pie. Cranberriy pie, sweet / tart was perfect especially after a big meal especially after a big meal at Thanksgiving, New England style..
becomebetty says
Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Lisa Serrano says
Love the chat ladies. Yes, super enjoyed the Nantucket Cranberry Pie, Trader Joe’s is the place. Hopefully I’ll find a homemade recipe for the Nantucket Cranberry pie, Happy Thanksgiving folks God Bless.
becomebetty says
Thanks for sharing! And happy Thanksgiving to you as well!
Faith Baran says
Someone brought this as a dessert and I really liked it!! Just saw the carb count and will have a smaller piece next time!
becomebetty says
Thanks for sharing Faith!
Nicole Cavaricci says
Love this pie I will stock up on a couple more to just have in the freezer. I pretty much ate the whole thing all by myself. The unexpected crust was absolutely amazing. I added some of the Trader Joe’s relish on top to just give it a little bit extra even though there was ample amount already. And also added a little bit whip cream or mascarpone cheese to the top
becomebetty says
Thanks for sharing!
Judy says
Loved the cranberry pie. Wish it was more than seasonal. Went to buy another one to find out I’d have to wait a yr and hope you would have it.
becomebetty says
Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts on this! And yes, it's only once a year its available.