The Best Trader Joe's Desserts of All Time

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If you like chocolate chip cookies, you need this dessert in your life. Trader Joe's Deep Dish Chocolate Chip Cookie is true innovation. The middle is soft and filled with melted chocolate chips, while the outside has the satisfying crunch of a crisp, freshly baked cookie. The skillet is big enough to serve 10 people, but once you taste it, you might not want to share.

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Mini Mint Ice Cream Mouthfuls

If an Oreo and a bowl of mint ice cream had a baby, it would be this. Trader Joe's Mini Mint Ice Cream Mouthfuls stuff a spoon or two of mint chip ice cream between two chocolate wafer cookies. At first bite, you're hit with the full flavor of rich chocolate followed by a rush of cool mint. Each one takes just two bites to finish and is only 60 calories, so you can grab a few at a time without suffering the consequences of eating too much sugar.

Melissa D./Yelp

Sumatra Coffee Brownies

Fudgy and filled with strong coffee flavor, these brownies are heaven on earth. The buzz about these brownies is well-deserved - they're soft, chewy and all-around fantastic. Sumatra coffee beans are known for their bold flavor, so the coffee taste here is definitely pronounced. Eat one for breakfast with a freshly brewed pot of great-tasting coffee and you're guaranteed a good morning.

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Chocolate Brooklyn Babka

Usually, grocery store baked goods have nothing on what you'd get freshly baked. That's why a dessert from the bakery (not sold in plastic) is one of the grocery items worth splurging on. But the Chocolate Brooklyn Babka from Trader Joe's tastes like it's fresh out of the oven from a great New York bakery. It's soft, never dry and doesn't go easy on the chocolate. You're guaranteed melty, chocolatey perfection in every bite.

Y Melissa D./Yelp

Chocolate Lava Cakes

Sure, you could wait until you're ordering dessert at a chain restaurant, but there's no need - get your fix of chocolate lava cake any time from Trader Joe's freezer aisle. All you have to do is pop one of these babies in the microwave and you'll have an oozing, decadent, single-serve chocolate cake in the comfort of your own home.

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Danish Kringle

If you're from the Midwest, this is one of those dishes you always had on your breakfast table. A kringle is a regional pastry that originated in Scandinavia but is now the most iconic dessert from Wisconsin. Trader Joe's take on the buttery, flaky pastry is almond-flavored and has quickly become one of the most beloved items of the store's customers.

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Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

They're no Reese's, but Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups are one of the items customers love the most. Covered in quality dark chocolate, these are a little more sophisticated than the Hershey candy and taste rich and complex. Each bite is filled with an ample amount of real peanut butter. Even better? A whole bucket of these costs less than $5.

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Gone Bananas

These frozen, bite-size treats are one of the best finds at Trader Joe's for under $5. Customers go absolutely bananas for them; they're a better-for-you dessert option that still feels like a treat. In each box, you'll find individual slices of frozen bananas coated in a generous layer of dark chocolate. Add a few to a bowl of ice cream.

Steve S./Yelp

Hold the Cone! Mini Vanilla Ice Cream Cones

Hold the Cone! is one of Trader Joe's top-rated frozen food items year after year, and with good reason. The mini vanilla cones are coated with chocolate on the inside, and their small size makes them the perfect compromise for when you don't want to consume an entire full-sized treat. Each box has eight mini cones inside, so you can snack on these for days.

Melissa D./Yelp

Key Lime Pie

The best key lime pie comes from the Florida Keys, but if you can't plan a trip to Florida, this is the next best thing. Tangy, tart filling in a flaky, golden graham cracker crust - a simple take on one of the most iconic pies in America, because Trader Joe's knows not to mess with a classic. The whole pie is just $6, so there's no wrong time to treat yourself to this summer dessert.

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A Dozen Macarons Variés

These elegant French treats are one of the trendiest desserts around, and at bakeries and other great dessert spots, just one bite-sized macaron could cost $4. So serving this dessert will have your guests thinking, "Oh, you fancy, huh?" An entire box of Trader Joe's macarons, which includes two each of apricot, coconut, fig, salted caramel, lemon and pistachio flavors, is just $4.99.

Loretta C./Yelp

Scandinavian Swimmers

Scandinavian Swimmers are Trader Joe's not-so-subtle homage to Swedish Fish, but to some TJ's fans, these are even better than the original. The colorful, cute candies are shaped like various sea creatures and are made with all-natural colorings. The orange rockfish are orange-flavored, the blue dolphins are huckleberry, the yellow seahorses are mango-peach and the red lobsters are berry.

Farnaz N./Yelp


Joe Joe's are Trader Joe's version of an Oreo-inspired cookie. They come in many different flavors and styles, including Joe Joe's Slims (a thinner, crisper cookie), Vanilla, Gluten-Free and seasonal varieties such as Mango, Pumpkin and Candy Cane, which quickly became a cult-favorite item. The creme filling contains specks of real vanilla and the cookies have a wonderful crunch. Pair a couple of these with a glass of milk or a bowl of vanilla ice cream and you're guaranteed a tasty time.

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Sea Salt and Turbinado Sugar Dark Chocolate Almonds

These snacks are perfectly balanced in every way: a little salty, a little sweet; a little healthy, a little not. The Sea Salt and Turbinado Sugar Dark Chocolate Almonds come highly regarded by Trader Joe's customer reviews, and for two good reasons. For one, they're filled with healthy fats from almonds and dark chocolate. And second, they're delicious. Turbinado sugar is a type of natural brown sugar, and the sugar crystals on the outside of these chocolate-covered almonds make these 10 times more of a treat.

Myke Y./Yelp

Mochi Cake Mix

Mochi is a Japanese treat made with rice dough, typically served (in the U.S., at least) in bite-sized plush pillows filled with ice cream. But with this cake mix, Trader Joe's is thinking outside the box. The mix is made with the same rice flour used in these treats, which elevates the taste and texture quite a bit. Delightfully chewy and sweet, this mix makes a dessert that tastes better than any old boxed cake.

Alyssa P./Yelp

Cold Brew Latte Dessert Bars

If you like coffee, you'll love these. Trader Joe's Cold Brew Latte Dessert Bars are a refreshing frozen delight. Each bar is just 40 calories and has a nice kick of rich coffee flavor, since real brewed coffee is actually the first ingredient.

Melissa D./Yelp

Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramels

You could go out of your way to one of America's best chocolate shops - or you could just go to Trader Joe's. Biting into one of these caramel-filled truffles is an experience that's truly divine. Rich dark chocolate enrobes a treasure trove of thick caramel. The large flakes of salt are visible on top, and the whole product is top-notch.

Melissa D./Yelp

Coffee Mochi

Trader Joe's Coffee Mochi has what the box describes as a "saucy mocha center," and this dessert can definitely be described as saucy. The ice cream tastes like real, quality coffee, and the soft, plush shell is so satisfying to chew. Just when you thought you had everything you wanted from the smooth ice cream center, you bite into the mocha filling, which adds another layer of richness.

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Neapolitan Joe-Joe's Ice Cream

Trader Joe's knew it had something good with Joe Joe's cookies, and they really upped the ante when they made Neapolitan Joe Joe's. Seeing how much customers loved the cookie, they then turned it into ice cream,. And dang, this stuff is good. Vanilla and strawberry ice cream is laden with ribbons and chunks of fudge, with no shortage of Neapolitan Joe-Joe's pieces dispersed throughout.

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Salted Caramel Gelato

Salt and caramel is honestly the best flavor combination since peanut butter and jelly. Trader Joe's Salted Caramel Gelato is deliciously decadent, rich with flavor and smooth in consistency. The gelato tastes thicker and creamier than normal ice cream, and once you open it, you'll have a hard time stopping before you finish the entire tub.

Melissa D./Yelp

Milk Chocolate Caramel Crunch Medallions

Trader Joe's Milk Chocolate Caramel Crunch Medallions are shaped like a medal, and they deserve one too. Reward yourself with bite-size wafer cookies coated in Belgian milk chocolate, filled with gooey caramel and sprinkled with sugared hazelnut. These cookies have a lot going on, but all those complicated components come together to create a dessert that tastes simply delightful.

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Apple Caramel Slab Pie

Freshly baked apple pie is one of the best things about the fall season. A warm flaky crust and a sweet, cinnamony filling... Pair a slice with some vanilla ice cream and your day is made. The filling of this pie is high-quality - made from scratch with a caramel sauce made of butter, sugar and whipped cream that drenches cinnamon-spiced slices of Northern Spy apples. So if you can't get your hands on one of America's best apple pies, this surprisingly good Trader Joe's find will do.

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Mini Stroopwafel Ice Cream Sandwiches

The stroopwafel is such a beloved caramel cookie that it's even sparked revolts from airline passengers. Trader Joe's brilliantly takes this cookie and sandwiches salted caramel ice cream inside. The whole thing is a drippy, malty mess of caramel bliss. You'll be craving this crunch for days.

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Apple Cider Donuts

Apple cider doughnuts are a regional dessert everyone should try. In the fall, orchards serve the best cinnamon-dusted cider doughnuts, but if you can't make it to a quality apple orchard, Trader Joe's Apple Cider Donuts are the next best thing. Pair them with a tall glass of warm apple cider for an autumnal experience that can't be beat.

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Chocolatey Coated Chocolate Chip Dunkers

Trader Joe's Dunkers are cookies formed into the perfect shape for dipping. There are a few great flavors of these crispy, crunchy treats, but perhaps the best one is the true classic: chocolate-covered Chocolate Chip Dunkers. A whole tub of cookies costs less than $5.

Melissa D./Yelp

Sublime Ice Cream Sandwiches

There's nothing quite like a classic ice cream sandwich, and Trader Joe's take on them is, as advertised, sublime. Soft chocolate chip cookies sandwich a thick slab of rich vanilla ice cream, which is then coated in a layer of mini chocolate chips. The Sublime Ice Cream Sandwiches are large enough that you'll only need one and are the perfect way to treat yourself when a serious sweet tooth strikes.

Richard J./Yelp

Speculoos Cookie Butter

Speculoos Cookie Butter is one of Trader Joe's most iconic items of all time; the chain truly made a name for itself when it debuted this dessert item. Inspired by Belgian speculoos cookies (a thin, caramelized shortbread cookie), Speculoos Cookie Butter can be used as a spread, baked with, used as a topping for ice cream or, our personal favorite, eaten with a spoon directly from the jar.

Mark O./Yelp

Speculoos Cookie Butter Ice Cream

The only thing better than eating a spoonful of Speculoos Cookie Butter is eating 10 spoonfuls of Speculoos Cookie Butter Ice Cream. Pieces of Belgian Speculoos cookies are blended into a rich vanilla ice cream along with swirls of Speculoos Cookie Butter. Creamy, crunchy, sticky-sweet - this dessert is decadence in a bowl.

Ai M./Yelp

A Dozen Sweet Bites

A box of A Dozen Sweet Bites has a little something for everyone: four bites each of chocolate & coffee opera cake, raspberry "macaron aux framboises" cake and caramel and chocolate cake. The cakes are rich and satisfying - truly a dozen sweet bites. Thaw the whole assortment for a cute platter while entertaining or simply snack on them yourself when your sweet tooth strikes. The tiny cakes are the perfect size for a light after-dinner treat.

Melissa D./Yelp

Vanilla Ice Cream Bon Bons

The concept of these treats seems simple, but it's surprisingly genius. Each bite is smooth vanilla ice cream with a layer of cookie crust, all dipped in chocolate. The cute little pieces are perfect for sharing or for keeping in your freezer to grab one whenever the need strikes. Simple as can be, these bites became one of the items Trader Joe's customers love the most.

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