As fall rolls around each year, patrons anxiously await Trader Joe’s highly anticipated fall product lineup. This year, the beloved store dropped a number of different pumpkin, apple, and other fall flavor-related items. In a perfect world, all of these products would be a hit, but in reality, not all of them are winners. Lucky for you, I’m here to tell you the best (in my opinion) fall finds and what I could live without.
*These products are listed in no particular order.
*This is not an advertisement.
THE great
1. spiced cider
This is one of my favorite fall finds year after year. Whether you want to enjoy this cider over a glass of ice or heat it up with some whipped cream and cinnamon on top (my preference), the cider is delicious.
2. pumpkin rolls
These pumpkin rolls are cinnamon rolls’ fun fall cousins. Fresh out of the oven and topped with delectable pumpkin spice icing, these pumpkin rolls make the perfect fall morning breakfast. You could pair these with the spiced cider to have the ultimate Trader Joe’s fall breakfast!
3. Maple sea salt kettle corn
WARNING! These are addictive. The subtle maple flavor paired with the savory sea salt makes this the perfect treat when you need just a little something and really don’t know what you want. The age-old question “salty or sweet?” has no place here. This may be one of my favorite products this fall. So go grab yourself a bag before I grab all of them!
4. cinnamon bun spread
I like to call it “a cinnamon roll in a jar.” Like the spiced cider, this sweet spread is one of my favorites each year. It tastes like crisp leaves on the ground and a child in the air. It is perfect for spreading on top of croissants, toast, bagels, or any other baked good that your heart desires.
5. Halloween joe-joes
I’m not quite sure there is any difference between Halloween Joe-Joes and regular ones; however, they are shaped like a pumpkin with orange cream frosting instead of the standard white, so they almost instantly level up. These are a classic with a fun fall makeover, and I’m totally here for it.
6. pumpkin hold the cone!
I absolutely love all other flavors of Trader Joe’s Hold the Cone mini ice creams, and they have been a staple in my family’s house for years now. So, I was not shocked when the new fall flavor––pumpkin ginger––completely blew me away, too. These mini cones are perfect for a little something sweet this fall.
7. pumpkin-spiced joe-joes
If I haven’t made it blatantly obvious, I am here for pumpkin spice, and these Joe-Joes are no exception. A pumpkin cookie with pumpkin cream frosting that is then coated in a pumpkin yogurt and sprinkled with sea salt… yum. Just like the maple sea salt kettle corn, these little sweet treats are delicious and addictive.
8. pumpkin cream cheese
My philosophy when it comes to cream cheese is “the more the better” and that absolutely holds true for this pumpkin cream cheese. This subtly sweet spread has notes of both cinnamon and pumpkin and pairs perfectly with a bagel (it would be good with so many different flavors!), a croissant, bread, or I could probably just eat it by itself (but I will exercise some self-restraint).
9. organic maple vinaigrette dressing
I am a huge vinaigrette gal, and this has definitely worked its way to the top of my favorites list. This would pair perfectly with a salad that features apples, grilled chicken, or blue cheese. Besides topping a salad with this delish dressing, I think it would be great for topping on cooked veggies or meats, on a sandwich, or in a stir fry! Regardless of how you choose to use it, this dressing is a fall pantry staple.
10. petite pumpkin spice cookies
These petite pumpkin spice cookies are way too good – as in you want to eat the whole box from the moment you open it! In fact, when I brought these to my aunt and uncle’s house to try, we had to put the box on the other side of the room just to get ourselves to stop. These little pumpkin-shaped cookies are the perfect blend of pumpkin spice and everything nice (aka a yogurt coating and sprinkles). These are everything you could want in a pumpkin spice cookie and more – so run to your closest Trader Joe’s and grab a box.
the not-so-great
1. pumpkin spice hummus
Whenever something is trending, it gets applied to EVERYTHING! And some of those times, it’s better to skip out on the trend than to create such a disrespectful concoction. Sometimes, hummus just needs to be hummus. While I love pumpkin spice and hummus on their own, this was one combination that just did not need to happen.
2. pumpkin bisque
I thought this pumpkin bisque would be the perfect fall soup, and I’ve enjoyed pumpkin soups in the past. This one, however, was nothing to call home about. The pumpkin was completely underwhelming and just not worth it.
3. chocolate mousse pumpkins
Like the pumpkin bisque, I was so excited for these. While the cakes were super yummy, they left a weird film in my mouth that I couldn’t get over. Ultimately, it had to be a no from me.
4. pumpkin spiced teeny tiny pretzels
I had high expectations for these, but they were ultimately just an underwhelming experience. I had expected something similar to the Pumpkin Spiced Joe-Joes, however, the flavor in these just wasn’t there and the pretzels were stale.
5. pumpkin brioche twist bread
This pumpkin brioche instantly intrigued me in the store, but after trying it, it was just too sweet – almost sickly so. I should also add a disclaimer: I am not the biggest fan of super sweet, so if that’s your jam, then this may be one that you do want to check out. But, for me, it was just too much.
This is only a handful of the countless fall products that Trader Joe’s has in stores. Of course, these were all subjected to my personal tastes and opinions, so take all recommendations with a grain of salt. Now, go and try these for yourself and enjoy all the amazing flavors that fall has to offer!