It’s hard to go wrong with a Trader Joe’s snack, and the store’s Joe-Joe’s cookies are no different. The naturally flavored sandwich cream cookies (like Oreos, but TJ’s original brand) come in a variety of flavors from traditional chocolate and vanilla, to seasonal favorites like pumpkin and mango. The cookies even have their own mascot: Joe-Joe the Toucan!
If you’re like me and you’re obsessed with everything Trader Joe’s, I’m sure you’ve already tried at least one of the Joe-Joe’s flavors. But if you’re new to the Trader Joe’s cookie section or just wondering how the Candy Cane Joe Joe’s compare to the newly released Mango, I (along with my cookie-loving roommates) surrendered our stomachs and taste buds over for the greater cookie good to create the ultimate Joe Joe’s ranking.
7. Mango (Seasonal)
In the same way that pumpkin-flavored everything crosses a line, mangos should definitely stay in the produce aisle—unless you enjoy cookies that taste exactly like mango hand lotion.
This nicely crunchy vanilla cookie with a generous mango cream filling may be cringe-worthy, but if the goal was to accurately capture the mango flavor, it would honestly get an 11/10. You can smell the mango as soon as you open the box.
Score: 1/10
Verdict: Bath & Body Works makes cookies?
6. Gluten-Free
In the race for the best gluten-free products, this cookie leads the pack. We had an intense debate about the traditional chocolate with vanilla cream vs. this gluten-free version, but due to some harsh comparisons to chalk and astronaut food, gluten-free fell to sixth.
With an intense cocoa taste, pleasantly crunchy cookie and modest amount of icing, this gluten-free success is very similar to another popular, blue packaged chocolate sandwich cookie.
Score: 6/10
Verdict: Yas chocolate. Yas gluten free.
4. Halloween (Seasonal—Tie)
This seasonal product captures the orange color of pumpkins without the overdone pumpkin spice flavor trend. Consistent with other Joe-Joe’s, there is a generous amount of icing, but the cookie is softer, and unfortunately lacks that nice crunch.
TBH this is technically the same as the classic chocolate flavor, but it has a cute jack-o-lantern face on the cookie. Also, there is orange icing. Who doesn’t love colored icing?
Score: 7/10
Verdict: Jack Skellington’s snack of choice
4. Classic Chocolate (Tie)
This classic has a perfect cookie crunch balanced by SO MUCH CREAM FILLING. Who needs double-stuffed when these babies already got all the cream we need? You know it’s all natural flavoring when you can spot those vanilla beans.
Score: 8/10
Verdict: *eats whole box*
3. Pumpkin (Seasonal)
Ah, Pumpkin Spice. It’s nice to see you again, my dear old friend. This Joe-Joe was definitely the most filling due to the textured, crunchy, pumpkin cookie and mound of soft, pumpkin-spice cream filling.
Even the barcode is shaped like a pumpkin. Props to you, Trader Joe’s cookie box design team.
Score: 9/10
Verdict: I’ll take a pumpkin Joe-Joe to go with my pumpkin spice latte, please.
2. Vanilla
While vanilla sandwich cookies are usually considered second choice compared to their chocolate counterpart, these are the star of the regular, year-round Joe-Joe’s lineup
Literally the best vanilla taste your tongue will ever experienced.
Score: 9.5/10
Verdict: Vanilla > Chocolate
1. Candy Cane
A cookie with a cult-following complete with a Facebook fan page and consistently sold-out shelf spots during the holidays
A wonderfully crunchy, chocolatey cookie. It’s pink cream-filled with pieces of candy canes and the perfect amount of mint flavor.
Score: 10/10
Verdict: *Eats six boxes,* *turns into a Joe-Joe*
Wild Card: Double Chocolate
Where oh where did the chocolate cookie with chocolate cream filling Joe Joe’s go? #curious