If you know Trader Joe's, you know the affordable food chain is famous for its commitment to seasonal flavors. In the fall, this means pumpkin spice everything (and we're not complaining). At any point between late August and early December, walking into Trader Joe's will cause you to be bombarded by more pumpkin spice snacks than you'd be able to (or -- let’s be honest -- maybe care to) try. Well, now you don’t have to. Over the last week, we tried almost every TJs pumpkin spice snack we could get our hands on, from yogurt, to toaster pastries, to cookies (lots of cookies), and even a pumpkin spread. Here are the highlights:
Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Mix: $3.99
These cookies are super easy to bake and have just the right balance of crispy-chewy deliciousness. They are super easy to bake, and make around 2 dozen standard size cookies (or 12 giant ones!!) While these cookies don’t have an overwhelming pumpkin spice flavor, the hint that the mix does have works perfectly in combination with the dark chocolate chunks and oats. We love these!
Pumpkin Spice Cookies: $2.99
These cookies, are crunchy, shortbready, yogurty, and cinnamony...but we're missing the pumpkin. While there’s no doubt they’re tasty, these guys taste more like a cinnamon spin on classic animal crackers than pumpkin spice cookies.
Pumpkin Joe Joe’s: $2.99
In comparison to the “pumpkin spice cookies,” these little Oreo-like sandwich cookies are way more pumpkiny. With a yummy scent of ginger and a good ratio of filling to cookie, these crunchy & creamy cookies are for sure one of our favorite pumpkin spice snacks!
Pumpkin Organic Frosted Toaster Pastries: $2.69
While we love the idea of a cheaper, cleaner pumpkin spice pop tart, we have to say these might have been our least favorite snack of the bunch. While the filling itself was pleasantly flavored with what tasted like brown sugar or maple, it was missing the pumpkin flavor. In addition, there was a serious lack of frosting in our batch. Add that to the cardboardy exterior, and that’s a no from us, dog.
Pumpkin Butter: $2.99
Ah, the famous TJs Pumpkin Butter. Just as you’d expect, this versatile spreadable pumpkin spice treat tastes great on almost everything, from waffles and french toast, to apples, ice cream, and even a bagel with cream cheese. 10/10 would recommend.
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread & Muffin Baking Mix: $3.99
While this one may not seem like the most exciting, it’s definitely our #1 go-to of the season. The mix is an all-time pumpkin classic, but we’re adding extra points for the gluten-free twist. Even the worst of bakers can whip this up with the fool-proof steps and minimal ingredients, yet it somehow tastes like its made from scratch. Light, airy, and perfectly moist - all at the same time. Plus, the 45 minutes of baking will leave your entire kitchen smelling delish.
Make sure you grab all of these pumpkin spice snacks while they’re still in stores! But don’t fear -- peppermint season is just around the corner! ;)