The pros: Trader Joe's Vanilla Eclairs are a pleasant surprise in the freezer section. They are well priced compared to most local bakeries and were a crowd pleaser in my home. For a dessert this is a reasonable 140 calories per éclair.
The cons: These are best eaten within 24 hours. However, with four in a box this shouldn't be an issue.
The verdict: Recently, I was invited over to my Mom's house for dinner. A family friend had acquired some Wagyu Steak from dinner. It was my task to bring dessert. I figured there was nothing I could bring over that could possibly top Wagyu (and yes, it's worth the premium if you are wondering). So, I brought over these eclairs. I figured it was a small dinner of three people. With such a nice dinner, I figured a small dessert would be sufficient.
The last time I went to the bakery in near NYC, I'm pretty sure a $20 didn't get me very far. However, for $2.99 you are getting 4 eclairs that are just waiting to be defrosted. After allowing them to defrost for 40 minutes, I placed them back in the refrigerator to prevent them from getting warm too quickly (and while dinner was being cooked and enjoyed). What came out of the refrigerator were nice cold, but not frozen eclairs. There was very little to complain about with these.
The pastry was crisp without being soggy. The vanilla filling was tasty. The chocolate fondant icing reminded me of the frosting used on so many donuts that gives it just a touch of sweetness. Similarly, these were just sweet enough. A really nice finish to a lovely dinner. I would absolutely buy these again. They were pretty enough to buy a few boxes and serve to company. Best of all, they would likely be none the wiser either. Plus, you'll be saving some money for that Wagyu dinner. I'd recommend these and would repurchase these in a heartbeat.
The box of Trader Joe's Vanilla Eclairs:
The nutritional information:
The ingredients:
How to prepare:
Out of the package you get:
Would I buy this again? This was a yes from me and the rest of the dinner table. Everyone seemed pleasantly surprised that these: came out of a box, were frozen, and came from Trader Joe's.
Want to see more items I've reviewed from Trader Joe's? Click on Thoughts & Reviews of Trader Joe’s for a searchable list.
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