If you’ve been checking the weather app recently, you’re likely aware of the boiling-hot temperatures looking to cook you the moment you step outside your home. So the last thing you want to be doing right now is heading to a county or state fair to roast in the sweltering temperatures. But that means you’re going to miss out on the sugary, delectable fairground treats, right? Not if Trader Joe’s has anything to say about it. They’ve recently dropped their take on a classic fairground treat in the form of funnel cake fries that you can find in the frozen section, and people are pretty excited, to say the least.
What are the Trader Joe’s funnel cake fries?
The funnel cake fries, officially named the “Carnival Fun Cake Fries,” are simply funnel cake dough shaped into French fries instead of the clumped dough strands you usually get when ordering a traditional funnel cake. The fries can be whipped up in either an oven or an air fryer and are “crispy on the outside, [and] soft and fluffy inside” according to Trader Joe’s.
Trader Joe’s recommends decorating the fries with all kinds of toppings, including classic offerings like powdered sugar or chocolate sauce, as well as some more unusual options like cookie butter or ice cream. I’ve never put cookie butter on funnel cake, but I might have to now that I can have funnel cake from home.
What have people been saying about the fries?
Social media users have been flocking to the fairground of Trader Joe’s to get their hands on the fries. And the reviews are in. On Instagram, @foodbeast tested the fries out on their staff, just topping the fries with powdered sugar. The taste testers mostly agreed that the fries looked like the real fair treat and were pretty tasty, though they lacked a much-needed crunch.
TikTok user @brooke_lynnmilne topped hers with powdered sugar, icing, and strawberries, and came to the same consensus that they were delicious but not crispy enough. She wondered if using avocado oil would help crisp them up, while commenters suggested cooking less in the air fryer at a time to get more crunch. User @calicamryn cooked hers in the oven and said there was no crisp at all, recommending the air fryer. Despite that, she still gave them a 7/10.
The commenters’ theory about cooking fewer fries proved true for @kristencharpentier, as she cooked fewer fries and they turned out very crunchy. Most samplers also agreed that the fries are in need of toppings, be it powdered sugar, fresh fruit, or sauces. Which makes sense — funnel cake is basically built to be a vehicle for toppings and there’s nothing wrong with that.
How long are the funnel cake fries available?
If you’re looking to grease up your fingers with the fun cake fries, you should hurry — the fries are a limited edition treat for the summer, only here until the end of August. Of course, that’s if stores have them. Much like some of their other popular goods, the fries sold out quickly. Not even one of the five stores around me have them in stock. So if you want a taste, keep your eyes peeled — and considering they’re in an electric pink and blue bag, they’ll be as hard to miss as a ferris wheel. Let’s just hope these fries will be more available than the Trader Joe’s pastel totes.
So if you’re looking to avoid the heat, it’s time to skip the fair and take a trip to Trader Joe’s, because they can offer you funnel cake and air-conditioning. The internet agrees you’ll have a fun (nnel cake) time, even if the fries aren’t perfectly crispy.