There is nothing more bittersweet than spending the days leading to Christmas preparing for finals. On one hand, everyone is getting in the holiday spirit, but on the other you can't bake holiday cookies and watch Christmas movies on your own couch at home.
To fill the holiday treat void, I naturally turned to the best snack location the world could provide, Trader Joe's. I don't know how they did it, but Trader Joe's is even more excited than me about the holiday season. In anticipation of getting overwhelmed by the Christmas spirit, I ranked the best Christmas treats at Trader Joe's based on flavor and holiday cheer so you don't have to waste time and money finding the perfect snack.
5. Finest Nürnberger Chocolate-Covered Lebkuchen Cookies
I picked these up without reading their description because chocolate covered anything calls my name, and this was one of the few times that it backfired. The "cookie" is more of a spicy gingerbread filled with various nuts, and on the bottom of the cookie there is a wafer and the top is covered with dark chocolate. Overall, it wasn't anything special, but it did have a 'keep eating because I don't know what it is' quality to it.
4. Mini Gingerbread Men
If you love crunchy gingerbread cookies, these are the treats for you. I am more of a soft gingerbread person, but these cookies had a lot of spice and some frosting on the bottom so they actually satisfied my Christmas treat craving.
3. Cheesy Trees
When I picked them up I was thinking I would grab something salty for those out there who don't like Christmas sweets, but still want to eat something with holiday flair. I was not expecting great things from these, but they were amazing. Sure, they don't really remind me of Christmas, but they are so damn cheesy you can't stop eating them.
2. Salty Honey Toffee Milk Chocolate Covered Crackers
If you love toffee, I might be plaguing you with your next obsession. Everyone knows the only bad thing about toffee is that it gets all stuck in your teeth and you have to awkwardly lick your teeth until it finally dissolves. Trader Joe's is here to save you from your biggest toffee fear. These Christmas treats are basically a saltine covered in Milk Chocolate, drizzled with honey and sprinkled with toffee bits. It is the perfect amount of toffee and saltiness.
1. Rich Chocolatey Cakes Layered with Silky Mousse
WINNER WINNER CHRISTMAS DINNER. There was no question as to which treat was the best once I tried these little cakes. I was already impressed by their cute design, but once I tasted them I had no hesitation. Their description is completely correct, the bottom is chocolate cake that is, dare I say it, moist. The next layer is smooth chocolate mousse, and the whole thing is dipped in a soft chocolate ganache/coating.
Sorry to everyone who was waiting for something peppermint flavored, but I am not a huge fan of peppermint so I sought out the more chocolatey and gingerbread flavored items. There were tons of peppermint flavored things, including their seasonally themed Joe Joe's. There were also some items I did not include, so I guess my overall advice is to go to Trader Joe's for your holiday-themed treats to impress your Christmas guests, or to satisfy your holiday nostalgia.