Trader Joe's Stelle Di Notte

The pros: Trader Joe's Stelle Di Notte are very pretty and seasonal cookies. These look exactly as pictured on the front of the bag.

The cons:  They reminded me of what Chips Ahoy might taste like if they were chocolate flavored.

The verdict:  If there is one thing I've learned from blogging about Trader Joe's over the last year or so, it's not to trust the picture on the package. While some products do a good job. Some products, like Trader Joe's Shrimp Tacos, fail to live up to what is advertised on the box. These however, look exactly like what is pictured on the box.

Now, this is one of many cookie options presented at this time of year. Priced at $1.99, these are relatively inexpensive. Now, when I reviewed Trader Joe's Cocoa Almond Spread, I could have easily confused it with eating Nutella. It was that good. So when I saw Cocoa Hazelnut my mind immediately jumped to that flavor profile. I'm sad to say, that isn't what I experienced here.

If you've ever had a cookie like Chips ahoy, you know the following truth: there is no way you would confuse it with being homemade. That is the case here. These are crisp like Chips Ahoy but in reverse. These are a chocolate cookie, crisp but not a crisp that you would get out of your own oven. This is mass market cookie crisp. Sadly, this was predominantly chocolate with almost no noticeable hazelnut flavor. The stars on here did not lend much flavor either.

While this is super presentable, I was disappointed. I was really hoping for a well done Nutella flavored cookie and that was not to be. As an inexpensive store bought cookie, I think these are at best just average. Nothing life changing or something you'll want to sit and eat the whole bag. Just an ok chocolate cookie with almost no hazelnut deliciousness to go along with it. The stars are really just there for decoration and don't add much here. If you want a better cookie or have the time to make something homemade, check out my recipe on the bottom of my review of Trader Joe's White Chocolate Baking Chips. While the recipe is soft, cook it a bit longer than recommended and you'll end up with something that is way better tasting. Perhaps even chop some hazelnuts in place of the white chocolate chips.

For me, this is a try once and be done with it. I won't be buying this again.

Here is the visual run down of what you get if you buy this product:

The box of Trader Joe's Stelle Di Notte:

The nutritional information:

The ingredients:

How Trader Joe's describes this:

Out of the package you get:

Would I buy this again?  No, I would not buy Stelle Di Notte again. These were decent, but nothing that I couldn't live without.

Want to see more items I've reviewed from Trader Joe's? Click on Thoughts & Reviews of Trader Joe's for a searchable list.

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