The holiday season brings about a bit of chaos and a little extra pressure in the kitchen. Certain Trader Joe’s food items help keep things simple without feeling boring. These are the kinds of flavors people reach for when they want dependable results with minimal effort.
You can use these to add a festive touch to your holiday table or to keep delicious snacks and options on hand for guests. Each one is unique, making them a must for sharing.
Hazelnut & Cocoa Filled Crepes $3.99
It's always a good idea to have simple food options on hand during the busy holiday break. Trader Joe's offers some of the best hazelnut & cocoa-filled crepes, and with 6 per package, you can't go wrong on price or serving size.
What sets their crepes apart is that they are made by a French family bakery based in the United States. The recipe uses eggs, milk, and high-quality wheat flour, ensuring each bite tastes homemade. It'll be your little secret that they're from the store.
The hazelnut and cocoa filling is a nice pop of flavor within the crepe. It is a thin layer, and we found that heating it in the microwave for a few seconds makes it creamier and more delicious. You can eat them at room temperature, too. We prefer them heated up.
The crepe itself is super soft and has a subtle sweet flavor. It was easy to eat and held together well throughout the process.
The other reason that these made our list is that each one is individually packaged. This means that you can serve one without opening the entire package, or people can grab and eat as they see fit.
We recommend keeping these on hand for a quick breakfast or snack on busy days. You can easily pair it with some fresh fruit to balance out into a delicious meal.
Buffalo Chicken Dip ($4.99) and Savory mini thin crackers ($3.49)
It's important to note that Trader Joe's doesn't list all its products on its website. The savory mini crackers are the perfect example of this. The picture shows what they look like, so please keep that in mind when you pick them up.
Anyone who loves hot wings is going to be a fan of this buffalo chicken dip. The first ingredient is fully cooked white chicken meat, and the dip is loaded with larger chunks of the chicken.
We really loved the combination of the dip and mini crackers. They were the perfect serving size to get a good scoop of flavor. The dip contains a lot of chicken, so it was hearty as well as delicious. Don't let the "buffalo" part in the name fuel you. There was a tiny bit of heat, but it's not a hot dip.
The added spice is cayenne pepper, and we found it subtle. Cream cheese is also added, which made the dip super creamy and thick, which was perfect for dipping. It wasn't runny, and the crackers dipped right into it without issue.
This dip is meant to be eaten cold; buy it, remove the covering, and start dipping. It's as easy as that.
The mini crackers are tiny and so crispy. We loved the salty flavor and the fact that you can eat 38 of them for one serving size. Serve these two items at a holiday party, or add to a charcuterie board.
It's not a seasonal item, but it is a popular choice during the holiday season for its ease and delicious taste. At our Trader Joe's, it was the taste test of the day, and people were sampling and literally grabbing both items and putting them directly into their carts. It's that good.
Vanilla Bean Whipped Sweet Potatoes $5.99
These were super popular during Thanksgiving. So much so that you couldn't even get your hands on them. Luckily, Trader Joe's kept these vanilla bean whipped sweet potatoes around for Christmas.
What we loved about this product was that it was ready in just 2.5 minutes of microwave warm-up time. The packaging is simple: lift and vent the corner flap, cook, and let it rest for a couple of minutes.
Once it's ready, add it to a fancy dish for serving, and enjoy. The plastic container that comes in isn't a beautiful holiday-table tray, but it would be fine for casual dining.
The flavor of this sweet potato dish is excellent. It has a perfect, creamy texture that tastes as if it were made from scratch. Vanilla bean paste and seeds are added, so you can imagine how that flavor stands out. People with good palates will also likely pick up a hint of nutmeg flavoring. We also loved that there is heavy cream, as this adds to the richness and texture.
It has just over three servings per 16-ounce container, so you may need to grab a couple if you want to feed a crowd. Use this to save oven space and make a dish that everyone will think you made from scratch. It's a hands-down winner in our book.
Peppermint Brookie $4.99
Is it ever wrong to combine two classic desserts into one? Trader Joe's put a holiday spin on its classic Brookie dessert and swapped the typical chocolate chip topping for a peppermint sugar cookie. The result is a soft, chewy peppermint brookie that delivers the flavors of sugar cookie and brownie, with a pop of peppermint.
With eight squares in each package, it's a simple dessert that is already portioned and ready to grab. We loved the smaller rectangular packaging, which was not too bulky to leave on the counter and tempt us each time we walked by.
There are also four "corner" pieces in each container, which is a plus for brownies because everyone always fights over them. We were impressed by how all the flavors came through in each bite, as we expected one to overpower the others. The top cookie layer was soft and resembled cookie dough, but was fully baked. The added peppermint was soft and complementary, without overpowering.
The bottom layer of the brownie was fudgy and delicious. The other really great part about these brookies is that each layer is pretty even. You get an even mouthfeel of cookie and brownie because they're equal parts.
Serve these at holiday parties or as a quick treat for the kids throughout break. They're a good portion size, and one really does combat any sweet cravings so that you don't want more. These are limited-time only, so don't wait. They were flying off the shelves when we were there.
Dark chocolate-covered peppermint Joe Joe's $4.99
If you love holiday flavors with a twist, Trader Joe’s dark chocolate-covered peppermint Joe Joe’s are one seasonal treat that deserves attention. These cookies put a spin on the classic Joe Joe’s base and take it to the next level with an outer dark chocolate coating and a peppermint candy coating. They are seasonal and super popular, so when we spotted them on the shelf, it felt like an early Christmas gift.
The first bite revealed a crisp chocolate shell with a crunchy chocolate sandwich cookie underneath. The peppermint topping isn’t overwhelming, but it does add a finish that pairs really well with the cocoa flavor.
We liked that the outer coating was dark chocolate, making it not overly sweet. It helped balance the sweetness of the cookie and the peppermint. The chocolate coating also had a crisp snap to each bite, which we loved.
Note that the peppermint topping is crushed hard candies, so if you don't care for that texture, you may want to skip it. The center cookie is a double-chocolate cookie with a creamy filling, and it was very fresh and crispy.
These cookies are delicious after dinner or with a cup of coffee or tea. They are festive and indulgent without crossing into excess. If you enjoy darker chocolate and mint sweetness, these are an easy seasonal favorite.
They are super popular during the holidays, so we recommend going and grabbing them as soon as possible. Trader Joe's knows how to sell delicious holiday favorites, and these are always at the top of Trader Joe fans' lists.
These Trader Joe’s picks are worth picking up and buying the next time that you're out and about.
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