As winter approaches, Trader Joe’s holiday collection perfectly encapsulates the season’s festivities. The rich taste of chocolate balanced with the cool sensation of mint fulfills our craving for satisfying holiday treats. Here are some of the popular Trader Joe’s holiday treats to celebrate the festivities with.
Thanksgiving Stuffing Seasoned Popcorn: 4/10
This seasoned popcorn is a favorite among Trader Joe’s employees. Beverly, a Trader Joe’s employee, reveals that she “can’t stop eating it.” On the other hand, I didn’t find this snack deserving of such a high rating. The popcorn lacks flavor and has a stale texture. Contrasting to its name, the popcorn doesn’t contain the Thanksgiving stuffing flavor; the taste of spices is absent, and it’s not as savory as I’d expected.
Thanksgiving Stuffing Seasoned Kettle Chips: 9/10
Compared to the stuffing popcorn, these seasoned kettle chips are much more rich in flavor, resembling the taste of onion rings. The chips are seasoned with salt, onion powder and herbs such as celery, parsley, sage and thyme. As a bonus, the slight taste of black pepper perfects the appetizing flavor. If you’re looking for a crispy and savory snack, just like Thanksgiving stuffing, this is a perfect fit.
Mini Dark Chocolate Mint Stars: 8/10
As the name suggests, these mini dark chocolate mint stars are star-shaped, covered with a rich dark chocolate coating and sprinkled with white nonpareils, giving the cookies a crunchy texture. The brown coating is mixed with a faint taste of mint, balancing out the sweetness of chocolate. Although they are small in size, they’re a highly addictive snack for the holidays that you’ll find yourself continuously reaching for.
Jingle Jangle Pretzel Twists: 7/10
These large, salted pretzels are inspired by the classic Trader Joe’s Jingle Jangle, an assortment of chocolate-covered sweet and salty snacks. Coated in a layer of sweet peanut butter and topped with colorful chocolate gems and crushed Joe-Joe’s, which are Trader Joe’s sandwich cream cookies, these bulky pretzels provide an extra crunchy texture and a nice balance of salty and sweet. However, the pretzels are stale, and the coating is excessively sweet. Overall, this treat is satisfactory but could be improved by limiting the sweetness.
Minty Flavored Cocoa Truffles: 9/10
These bite-sized cocoa truffles are one of the top sweets in the limited holiday collection. The subtle taste of mint is a perfect complement to the dark chocolate, with sugar granules inside that provide a slightly crunchy texture. The center is filled with a soft and creamy chocolate ganache that melts in your mouth and the outside is dusted with cocoa powder. While they are not overly sweet, those with a sweet tooth might find them less sugary than other treats.
